Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1923-06-05
WHAT ALASKA MEANS TO THE UNITED
STATES

When first studied geography we had
geography book also a geography map. There
was no talk of Alaska eighty years ago. Wneh
you examined the geography map. That
corner of the world was labeled Russian pos
sessions
Coming across oyer Behring Straits, 1t was
no difficult task for Russians. But for the
Arctic climate Russia would have exploited
her possessions in the new world
Also, Russia was like good many southern
neopIe. Gland DOOR" She had more than she
colud look after already She had more ter
ritory known as Siberia, in Europe ana ASIA
than is owned by the United States today
Besides Great Britain had no particular
love for Russia; and Great Britain then and
still owns a tremendous tract of land north of
our republic. When 1 first begun to be in
terested about what is now known as Alaska
| it came along during the War OF the COS.
| England for a time was very friendly to the
Southern Confederacy. Mr.. Steward, secre-
tary of state under Mr.. Lincoln, became very
uneasy. Russia had not taken sides, so Mr.
Seward began to bow and curtsy to Russia.
and found out that Russia was land poor
and might trade the Russian possessions IN
North America. II is needless to explain
further.
| Mr.. Seward succeeded in purchasing the
country now called Alaska from the emperor
of Russia and If recollect Alright the price
paid was around seven millions of dollars. 1t
was not very popular as an international trade
at the time. We had taken over California
and New Mexico from Mexico, and war with
Mexico had been lurid issue in American
| politics.
After gold was discovered in California the
! tune changed. The "Forty-Niners," as the
! gold-seekers were named, rushed to the Pa
cifc slope in great crowds. There were three
ways to get there, overland, across the So
called Great American Desert, by sail vessels
around Cape Horn, or across the Isthmus OF
Panama. All three routes had crowds, and
fiction surpassed by true recitals of the
tragic story of those times.
When Alaska was purchased nobody expect
ed to find gold up there under ice. But that
is exactly what was found and the price paid
by Secretary Seward for Alaska was mere
bagatelle compared with the enormous ship
ments of gold from 1.-THE Klondyke," very
soon after the gold fever began to rage.
To convince our young readers of Il Mgon-
rush of people to the Alaskan gold heldG u IS
we'll to recall what was written in FebIVRry,
1898: "In 1897, between July II and Sep
TENDER 1, 1855 passengers and 1000 tons or
freight were carried north from Puget Sound
and British Columbia ports. These fig
ures were nearly doubled before January !.
. . That each man of them would average
$500 first and last, there is grand total
of s6O,OOO,OOO. The United States railroads
got five millions of this. Seattle merchants
and hotels and outftters got $25,0OO,OO0;
ship companies got $10,000,OOO; frelgnt
Transportation after they got into the country
would cost $15,000,0 900, ETC., ETC. In 1893
49,
Nor 1899 was forecasted at $4,000, 900.
It reads like a fairy story.
President Harding has been. contemplating
trip to Alaska Tens of thousands of tour
lists go there every year. The government Is
building railroads around and across
The season is short. Beginning in August
it is only September that cam be relied upon
to tour the country.
Some day the history of Alaska will electri-
fly the world-when the entire story is print
cd The gold washing down the streams In
the drift mud and sand--and there is no let
up in the richness of the output.
1t was bought on bargain counter, as ho"
fore stated