The Cordova daily times., 1921-05-26


 azine were given the reasons for the decline in Alaska population. Since the publication, several friendly let ters have been received by the pub fishers of Railway aid Marine News, offering additional suggestions It is also gratifying to the authSr to note that several papers have reprinted the article, either in whole or in abstract form, all of which goes to prove that truth and honesty are sometimes ap- priciated even in question concern ing national politics.
 Before proceeding to discuss this subject furthur, it is important to point out proof mistake in the last article. When the proofs were read an error WIS disco vcred in a line of type, and wien the proof was corrected, this error was 0. k., but cypher dropped into figure, so that the line made it appear as if the Government Railroad in Alaska had cost s5OOO,OO0, 900, when $5O000,000 was the figure shown.
 One suggestion received from an Alaskan is to the effect that the con- servation policies of Clifford Pinchot ccrsed large drcp in the population. | While this is granted it should be re- |mcmbered that the article last month was written purely as a refutaticn of recent statements accredited t0 Sena- tor Cummins of Iowa. in which he had said that the high water transD0rta- tion rates were the cause of the Ter ritorNs loss of population in the last i ton years. Our tahulatad figures only | took in the years 1910 to 1920 inclus- Alaska attributable to the Clifford Pin chot policies was discernihlc more plainly in the years 1906 to 1909 in elusive. A discussion of conversation ard it's bancful influence is not necos- s01y at this time, as that phase of the subject has been very thorouehlv eX- plotted by the author in former install lments of this series of articles, and We need but point to the millions of dollars worth of coal, lumber and for estry products that have been shipped to Alaska during tkat period.
 Also all tho buildings, bridges and many other structures on the Govern ment Railroads in the heart of the Gnu zach Forest Reserve have been con- structed of timber shipped forth from Seattle.
 | It is also stated by one of our crit ics that the reindeer industry is soon going to assume larger proportions and should produce a tonnage fer the railroad. We age perfectly willing to such biological records as are handy. In 1892 the reindeer were introduced into Alaska from LaDland It is said that there were 1,2SO animals in Alcs- ka at tie end of that year, and sur vey on J~ne 30 1919, indicated a total of 15O,O0O animals In the year 1919, in addition to the hides and meat us- ed by the natives of Alaska, the iu- come from the reindeer industry was estimated at $15O,OOO, and last year. from the refrigerating plants of the Boring Sea, some good shipments of the meat were brought south by the 1 Victoria. It skould be remembered that any reference to the Boring Sea 1 herds of reindeer cannot possibly be figured as a possible tonnage for the railroad from interior sections, or that vast region of tundra stretching on both sides of the Panama, or the Nen- ana, or generally speaking, north of the Broad Pass. In other words, the tundra of the inerior tributary to the railroad is yet to be stocked with rein deer.
 | It is said that by the end of 1921 there may be 2500O0 reindeer in the whole of Alaska. Assuming that 20 | per cent Of the total will pasture on the trunda tribatcry to the railroad, there would be 5O,000 head in that locality. Now the law of nature and the rules of sportsmanship forbid that animals should be ruthlessly exter- minated, so we will grant a tonnage each year of 20 per cent of the interior herd. That would mean 10000 rein deer shipped out each year.
 Averaging the weight at 300 pounds each, and we have total of 1,5OO tons of reindeer meat in carcass form, plus hides, to be brought out by the rail- road, or total of 30 fifty-ton cars. Revising the figures as heretofore pub lished and the only imaginary and &C., tual tonnage in sight for the railroad