The Cordova daily times., 1923-02-24
WAKE UP, CORDOVA!

Announcement of the assignment of two Army steamers for passenger service on the Yukon in connection with the new Govern ment Railway, carried by the press dispatches. also conveys the information that a traffic agreement has been entered into with the White Pass and Yukon Railway. This agree ment is plainly made with the object of cf- fecting passenger connections between the Yukon steamers and the Canadian railway line, so as to permit tourists to make a con tnuous trip over the White Pass and Yukon. down the river by steamer to Fairbanks. thence over the Government Railway to Sew ard Such an arrangement is of serious mo- ment to Cordova. It means that through the highly efficient tourist service already i" operation by the Canadian line, large part of the tourist travel into Alaska may be di- verted north from Skagway, cutting out Cor dova and Valdez entirely. It means that unless the Copper River Railway administra- tion and the people of Cordova take some definite steps to attract tourist travel in this direction, we are going to lose out.
 Cordova has not yet awakened to the great importance of the tourist business. There is not another town in the Territory that IS as unprepared and apparently indifferent to tie advantages to be gained from the summe'' travel to Alaska as ours. Neither by the town as body, nor by the merchants as individuals, has there been shown any considerable enter prise in realizing on the distinctive features of the district and it's special points of inter est We have here one of the most interest ing towns in Alaska. Its dramatic and stir ring history is unique and thrilling, it's pro ducts among the greatest in the world. We have at our back door two tremendous glac- iers across whose very faces a railroad that is marvel of eng ineering skill has been built. This railroad and the automobile highway that connects with it thread the most magnificent scenery in Alaska. Nothing along the White Pass and Yukon approaches it in grandeur: and it far exceeds anything to be seen along the Government Railway This is the scenic route of Alaska, passing through the greatest mineral belt of the Territory and leading directly into the agricultural section of the north. This is the logical route for travellers intent on viewing the finest and most char acteristic features of the country.
 It is high time we walked up to the fact. With far less of interest to commend them to travellers others towns of the coast make strenuous efforts to provide interest and en- tertaimnent to visitors. Cordova does noth- ing. Even the ever-ready post is ne- glectcd. There is the poorest assortment Of postcards and photographs in Cordova of any town in Alaska. There is absolutely noth- ing to be had in the way of information or literature on the district. There are no Alas kan products or curios of any extent to be found in the shops. A few beaded moccasins and meager amount of ivory, neither of which are characteristic of the locality, arc all that are to be seen. This is said, not in carping criticism but in an earnest desire to stir the town to some appreciation of what it is losing through sheer negligence.