The L'Anse sentinel., 1923-12-21
To Separate FIRST Judicial Dis.
trict From ihe Rest Of
Alaska.

W N0-AiLstOu-lH lHc pOsSiDility VI thC
United States having new territory
presents itself by the announcement
that the proposal to separate the First
judicial district from the rest of
Alaska received majority vote in the
November territorial elections.
ALASKA, in the minds of most citi-
zens of the United States. Is a coun-
try of mountains, mines and snow,
similar throughout. However, that
section which recently has voted to
become separate territory Is sepa-
rated from the rest Of Alaska by a
wall Of Ice no living man has crossed"
explains bulletin from the National
Geographic society.
"How would the map of Alaska be
changed by the formation Of a, new
territory?
"Land Tail" Of 600 Miles.
Alaska presents great square
block, wedged cornerwise between
North America and Siberia, obstruct-
ing an open channel of the Pacific
ocean to the North pole. On the south
ernmost corner Of the square block Is
tail Of land extending down the
coast in the direction of Seattle. 1t
runs southwark for 600 miles from
the longitude boundary between
Alaska proper and Canada. This Sec
tion reaches back from the coast to
the watershed of the Canadian Rock
les, distance varying from 80 to $50
| i, L.. tbn tvct In
dicial district, or the Juneau district.
''Of the four judicial districts of
| Alaska the first has the largest popu-
lation of white men and in most re-
spects outranks the others, although
the Third division, along the south
larger In many important commercial
factors. OF four Alaskan cities which
had population of more than 1,0OC
in 1920. Juneau, Ketchikan and Sitka
the former capital of Alaska, are 10
Gated In the First division while Fair
banks, which has population only
one-fifth as great as the combined
populations of Juneau and Ketchikan
is located on the Tanana river, In the
Fourth judicial district.
Ice Separates Districts.
'"The wall of ice which separate.
lower Alaska from upper Alaska II
made up of hundreds of glaciers NOV
ing down the steep sides of the Rocky
mountains which tower above the In
land passage. This passage is an arm
of the sea, forming a breakwater be
tween the ocean and the mainland. 81
ruggedly mountainous and wild is thi.
section Of the coast, particularly be
tween Skagway and the Copper rivel
section In the Third judicial district
that no explorer has travelled by lane
entirely over American territory from
Juneau or Skagway to the other dis
trict.
"Wire communication between tn,
submarine cable and by telegraph
line through Canada down the YukoI
valley, but physical communication 1.
either by boat across the Gulf O.
Alaska or through the Skagway gate
to the Yukon and thence to centra
Alaska. Even the shortest journe,
from Juneau to Seward takes all Of
two days. a longer trip than from New
York to Kansas City.
Population distribution bears upor
the recommendation of the Alasks
citizens of the First judicial district
The whole territory has now a popu
lation of 10000, half of which are ma
tives. Lower Alaska claims 1900 Of
this total, but 1t has $4,000 whites tc
5000 natives. Juneau In lower Alasks
is the present capital Of the territory
and the residence Of the governor.
'The conception that Alaska Is Q
country of mountains is as erroneous
as the conception that 1t is as colo
as Greenland. At Juneau the TEN
perature seldom goes below zero.
Heat ProstratIons In Alaska.
"At Fairbanks, which is In the same
latitude as Iceland. three men were
prostrated by the heat last summer