The New York herald., 1922-04-02
Special Correspondence to THE NEW YORK.
New York Herald Bureau.
Washington, ID. c., March 25.
! RESIDENT HARDING will visit
Alaska this summer-Alaska, that
torra ;rcognita c,,pnocadly /, land

terra incognita-supposedly land
of ice and polar bears, yet in reality one
of the richest farming and mineral dis
cold in winter as in the Dakotas true, it is
almost as hot there in summer as in New
Jersey. True also, mosquitoes are a pest
But all this does not alter the fact that
Alaska is one of the most valuable possess
sions of the people of the United States.
And their President will see for himself
what the Territory needs that it may keep
strides with the States in material prog
ress. He will inspect the wonderful min
eral and oil resources of the Territory; he
will wonder at its scenic beauties; he will
be astonished at the fertility of the soil
Alaska has been neglected by Americans,
and has been exploited too much by poll
ticians and schemers. 1t is virgin soil
literally. Wild game abounds; there are
100000 reindeer roaming the plains. Giant
BEARS weighing as much as 1,4O0 pounds
and IL feet from tip to tip, are shot now
and then. The thermometer registers
hundred in the shade in summer. Alaska
is a regular" place!
Few residents of the United States have
much real information about Alaska or
what living there is like, is indicated in
letters to the Interior Department and
other branches Of the Government which
have to do with the Territory. Out on the
Pacific coast they refer to Alaska as 'our
frontier wonderland" and also as "the
worlds last great out-of-doors.'
Occasionally a former resident OF Alaska
is encountered in continental United States
who refers to the Territory as Gods own
country" just like the resident of Virginia,
Ohio or any other so-called civilized place.
People other than Indians and Eskimo
actually live there and like it," says the
continental American at times. How can
any white man spend his life in country
that consists mainly of big snow bank,
reindeer and natives?"
The Interior Department has long been
trying to get continental Americans to sit
down for a few minutes and learn what
Alaska really is like. Men and women are
needed there to develop the country, the
Government official who is sold" on the
Territory will tell you
President Harding's visit probably will
encourage hundreds to travel there this
summer as tourists. Every time that the
President shakes hands with an Indian
the wireless will bring to the United States
the STORY"
They have many wireless stations in
Alaska-movies, too. They read all about
the Knickerbocker Theater disaster an
an hour after it happened in Washington
How does one get to Alaska? Where
does he land and how does he live when he
gets there?
What will President Harding see there?
Special Agent Sargent of the Interior
Department, who spent last summer in
Alaska, could map out an itinerary for the
President.
Here's how" said Sargent, taking down
big map from the wall of his Office in
tie United States Geological Survey For
an hour and a half Sargent talked and
drew lines with a red pencil on a map of
Alaska.
Ordinary Clothes Needed
For a Trip to Alaska
To get under way for Alaska you pack
your trunk just as il you were going to
Europe and were going to travel in New
York and New England in June or October
Same kind of clothing. Leave the fur
overcoat at home Also the medicine chest
There are lots of drug stores in Alaska
You can buy your favorite brand OF ciga-
rettes and you'll need no weapons for pro-
lection against wolves or wild natives.
Board steamer at Seattle or San Fran
cisco. Accommodations are on the same
palatial scale as in Atlantic travel In
four days your ship docks at Keachikan at
the southeastern corner of Alaska Leav-
ing the ship, probably you will be accosted
by newsboy who will want to sell you an
early edition at p. M. Alaskan newsboys
are blood brothers to those at the corner
of Forty-second street and Broadway. ,
Select a seagoing taxi and drive to a
hotel. Ketchikan, the second largest town
in Alaska, presents an appearance like that
OF any town OF its size in New York State.
Its population is 1854, half native. If you
land there in June the temperature prob
ably will be the same as that Of New York
city in that month. Not much excitement
at Ketchikan of the frontier kind. The
daily routine of life is enlivened, however,
by the Chamber of Commerce meetings, the
movies and newspaper reading. They get
out extras often in Ketchikan. The wire
less brings news hot from all over the
world.
Natives, miners In working clothes and
hr1r vi otan1 hos IL. oWtt