Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1924-01-03
seek STATEHOOD
FOR PANHANDLE
PART OF ALASKA

Juneau. Alaska. Dec. liza. p. by
MaiD-Statehood for the southeast
ern part of Alaska. the Panhandle, is
expected soon 70 be asked of con-
gress. Meanwhile residents Of that
district, expressing themselves In
convention here last month. have
asked congress to form the territory
OF South Alaska.
This part Of Alaska embraced.
when the census OF 1920 was taken.
21.&3S Of Alaska's population of ST.
600. living in $4,000 OF the 5S0,SSi
square miles Of the northeastern cor
ner u the North American continent
that President Lincoln's secretary OF
state. William III. Seward. bought
from Russia for S7,000,000.
The proposed territory or state. for
whose formation the convention pre-
pared two memorials to congress and
framed a suggested organic act.
would include all the first judicial
division Of Alaska In its present
status and about one third of the
third judicial division. The first dl-
vision is the Panhandle. a strip run
ming about twenty miles wide be-
tween British Columbia and the Pa
cific ocean. The third division is
southwestern Alaska, including all
the southern coast running from the
northern end of the Panhandle far
out to the end of the Aleutian Is
lands.
The promoters OF separate state
hood for South Alaska were inspired,
according TO numerous formal publ
cations. by the desire TO be set off
from the second judicial division,
vast western and northern Alaska.
with Nome as its best known point,
and the fourth division, interior
Alaska, with Fairbanks. often called
"the Chicago of the north" as its
metropolis.
Tho two memorials to congress
stated the request OF the Panhandle
to be formed into the territory of
South Alaska and that Elimination
that the people residing there desire
that the drainage area of Prince Will
liam Sound and Copper River should
DE Incorporated with the first diri-
sion" had been received. One of the
memorials set forth that "thc people
of southeastern Alaska would well
come inclusion in the separate terri
tory for which they pray of said
drainage area OF Prince William
Sound and Copper River and the
territory east thereof or any part of
i. IL it be the desire Of the people and
of congress-"
Lively agitation Cor separate
state for South Alaska began last
summer when the late President
Harding, on his return to Seattle,
said in his last address. six days be-
fore his death: Alaska is destined
for ultimate statehood. In very
few years we can we'll set off the
Panhandle and Il large block OF the
connecting southeastern part as u
state"
Scott c. Bone. governor of Alaska,
said recently that the desire for
statehood was perfectly natural and
logical. based on the arguments of
proponents of division of the territory
that southeastern Alaska's resources
and interests are different from those
OF other sections"
Another argument brought forward
for division of the territory was stat
ed in one of the memorials as fol-
lows:
This separation has become nee
essary for the development of the re-
sources of the first division. There
arc no geographical, business or per-
sonal ties between our division and
the second and fourth divisions.
N iiluL tittN td'h
have only small and scattered and
steadily decreasing population. ana
combined contribute only ~ per
cent of the revenues Of the territory,
they each have the same number OF
senators and representatives in the
territorial legislature rs are permit
ted for the first division. Through
their combined representation they
have continuously and unjustly taken
for their own use large portions OF
the revenues collected in the first
division, and at each succeeding ses-
sion of the Legislature they cndeavor
to impose, and through their COM
bined efforts often succeed in impos-
ing. new and additional taxes upon
our fishing, mining and other indus
tries. while at the same time they
protect their principal Industry Of
placer mining"
The assessed valuation OF the in
corporated towns in the Panhandle
division is $10,911 900, and the esti-
mated value of improvements in the
unincorporated villages and towns
and on the farms is $6,000.000.
In the Prince William Copper Riv-
er area proposed as part of the ter
ritory and state of South Alaska, the
assessed valuation of the incorporated
towns is $1.991.79s. with improve
ments outside these places put at
$2.000.0O0. besides investments
averred as follows: Mining. fishing
and other Industrial plants and
equipment, $5,0O0.000 in addition to
the investments in the kennccott,
Latouche and other mines along the
Copper River and Northwestern
Railway. and this railway and the
coal and oil development in the
katalla district. $40,000,0OO.
In the Panhandle. according to one
of the memorials. are the following
tangible blocks of wealth:
Municipal schools and other mu-
nicipal investments, $4,000,
"Banks-invested capital, s725,000;
deposits. s6,G24,090. OF the latter
sum. $1.962,000 Is saving accounts.
THE fisheries in 1920 represented
an investment of $34,07S,7S4 and en-
ployed 1906 persons. In that year
81 canneries packed 2.225,011 cases
of salmon valued at s1S,384,967. in
1923 Ga canneries operated with an
estimated pack of 1850, 900 cases val
ued at $14,5s0.0O0.
There are twelve operating mines
valued at s9,775,000 and employing
1850 men.
Fox farms number %, valued at
s1.575.0 600"
II was set forth that there were 10
scwmills in the Panhandle. one pulp
mill worth $4,000 employing 40 men,
and undevelopcd water power of
4Go,110 horsepower besides $4,000 de- |
yeiopcd. u was asserted that the
first division had $4,000, 100000 feet !
OF merchantabIe timber and all other !
divisions 1000 600 600