Evening star., 1923-06-24


tory have their local governments,
each electing it's own mayor and COM
mon council.
The native inhabitants of Alaska
consist of four distinct races, includ-
ing the Eskimos dwelling along the
Arctic and Bering sea shores; the
Aleuts. living on the Aleutian islands;
the Thilingits. residing on the main
land and islands OF the southern
coasts, and the Athabascans. occupy
ing the great valleys of the interior
About 400 of these natives are
voters and participate In the terrific
rial government of Alaska
Treasures stnn Sealed.
Inestimable treasures are still her
metically sealed in the 590.SS4 square
miles area of Alaska, one-fifth as
large as all the forty-eight states in
the Union and equal to the size of
the Louisiana purchase. II Is not, as
popular fancy has pictured, for
bidding, ice-clad, glacier-crowned land
of dog teams and polar bears.
The mineral wealth Of Alaska is its
.
per, zinc, antimony and tungsten in
immense quantities. as we'll as de-
posits of coal. oil, platinum, lead.
quicksilver, graphite and asbestos.
The mineral output of Alaska last
year amounted to $4,000, 900. an In
crease of s1,O00,0oo over the previous
year. but two years before the pro-
duction was $4,000, 900. Lack of ade-
quate transportation has caused stag
nation of this great industry.
The principal commerce of Alaska
is built on it's fisheries and great can
neries have resulted. In the year
1922 the fish production was $34,720.-
900, having declined since 1919. when
1t was s44,375.ooO.
Nearly 100000 acres have been
leased for oil boring. with TAB per-
mits granted and 1.175 applications
on file with the government. An i'm
mense area In the northern part Of
homeland was recently set aside as a
petroleum reserve for the Navy.
Crops OF Endless Variety.
While only 100000 of it's 37S,-
the General Land Office, a sweep of
moro than 100000 square miles. under
a delightful climate many months OF
the year, has been proved capable of
producing crops of almost endless va
wheat and corn to po-
tatoes and peas.
A quarter of a century ago the De-
~ af Apr}cp1fnra 1ncotad
first agricultural experiment station
In Alaska at Sitka. Today one OF the
largest such stations which Uncle
Sam conducts Is at Rampant, origi-
nally placer camp-and there are
five other station strategically placed
throughout the territory. Alaska to-
day can feed many times the present
on homegrown products.
The reindeer, whose main duty Is
supposed to be speeding Santa Claus
and his Christmas pack from one
chimney to another, is now one of the
Alaskan industries. There
are now 250,00O. valued at $6,250, 900.
excellent food and the hides are used
for clothing. Raising of reindeer
Is the principal occupation OF thou
sands of Eskimos living in the arctic
and subarctic regions of Alaska. Dur
ing this summer reindeer meat Is be-
ing shipped in a cold storage vessel
and sold along the Pacific seaboard.
years ago there was not
a single reindeer in Alaska.
Pasturage for 100000.
1t is estimated that there are in
northern and western Alaska over
100000 square miles of treeless region.
which will furnish pasturaEe for at
least 100000 reindeer, from which
can be drawn a tremendous meat sup
ply. This has been augmented by
acclimated short-horn cattle from
Iowa and by sheep raising.
Transportation is considered a.
prime need to bring Alaska into the
fullness of its promise and President
Harding will find an excellent start
made. The United States government
has just completed the laying of
standard gauge track to Fairbanks,
the northern terminal of the Alaskan
railroad. Construction of this rail-
road through the wilderness cost
Uncle Sam $5S.o0o.0o0. It runs from
Seward to Fairbanks, a distance OF
467 miles. penetrating the very heart
of this rich territory. and is the first
railroad ever built by this govern
ment.
The construction of this govern
ment railroad took exactly nine years
three months and Ave days a re-
achievement, considering
the character of the country and the
delay caused by the Intervention of
the world war
The cost was approximately $s4,-
900 a mile.
Although running at a loss It is
the first great step in building an
empire in this northern country that
must be followed by the construction
OF roads and trails upon a scale of
overshadowing magnitude in order
to encourage settlement and Indus
try, thus feeding the railroad, with
a full complement of freight and
passenger trafic.
Over u .00o. 600 Deficit.
Operating expenses of the Alaskan
railroad totaled $1.772,s761s for the
calendar year 1922 and the operating
revenue ran $71s,s2o.s4, making a
deficit for the twelve month period
of $1,o53,455.55.
During the calendar year of 1928 it is
anticipated that the operating expenses
will be reduced by some 100000 and
that the operating revenue will be in.
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