The Cordova daily times., 1921-01-04
FIRST INSTALLMENT

Alaska has had much written about her, our great frontier country with its 2,000 miles of coast line; but there has never been a well-defined and concentrated effort on a big bus- mess scale to develop the territory as 1t should be done. For 53 years we have gone along giving this vast and rich empire dab of paint" here and there, but no definite policy has ever been suggested that has been fully, and comprehensively carried out. The result has been much con- plication and continued neglect.
 The coast and geodetic survey is very interested and vital agency ln the safe development of Alaska. It can be said with no fear of being contradicted that on this arm of the federal government rests, and pro- perly should rest, the responsibility of erecting the steel structures, so to speak, in building up this great ter ritory.
 It is peculiarly appropriate in the proper development of any frontier territory to look to the safeguarding of it's people, and the safety in erect ing the foundation paves the way for future success.
 Alaska, with it's miles of detailed coast line, can not be approached without plying the waters that near ly surround it. On the east are gi- gantic mountain ranges that may never be surmounted by railroads. Therefore, the only means to get to Alaska's seaport towns is by means of ships. It thus follows that the protection of these vast water areas by the most careful surveys in To- eating hidden dangers is the essen tial step in the territory's proper de velopment. Alaska's waterways are her gateways and her highways of commerce, and certainly the first protection should be given these be- fore the coast or interior can have it's proper development. It will be interesting to know, however that in 5 years they have had to spend in Alaska on this work only $4,067578, or an average annual expenditure of $78,223. Appropriations in II years for the construction and maintenance of military and post roads, bridges, etc, for the interior of Alaska, have been $2,120000, or an average annual appropriation of SIGHTS. Congress has appropriated for federal gov ernment railroad from Seward to Fairbanks $48,000,000 These figures are not given in a spirit of criticism, but, on the other hand, simply to show what small proportion the survey has had which has resulted in great retardation of work that should invariably precede develop ment of a new country. In compari son with the amounts given for these other two objects it is mere pit tance.
 The survey has had a difficult problem to contend with in this half century's work in Alaska It has been sorely handicapped with vessels that were in almost every instance not adapted to the work in Alaska and unable many times to cope with the unusual weather conditions of that region. Many times the officers and crews of these craft have had to cease operations and seek harbors of refuge from storms, which often put not only their lives but the vessels as well in actual jeopardy.
 The exports from Alaska for the last 53 years have amounted to about $943 100000, reaching a high-water mark the past year of about $94,709- 359 and this does not include, of course, the great amount of fish, lum- her and other DrOducts of the terri