Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-09-30
OUR LARGEST TERRITORY
BY FREDERIC ]. HASKIN.

In Alaska. the most northern land
in the far-flung territorial line of the
United States, the airplane is put to
greater use in proportion to the popula-
ton than anywhere else in the world.
Supplies are whisked through the air
instead of being poled laboriously in
boats or hauled by dogs. Gold dust
and the exquisite purchases of fur
buyers are so transported. Travelling
statesmen save time in making their
rounds by flying. and big game hunters
fly to the habitat of the animals which
attract them to the hunt. In this land
of great distances and limited transpor-
tation facilities the airplane brings dis
tant communities into unity and ex-
pedites business and affairs.
The radio, too. adds its touch OF
modernity to the land the very name of
which breatheS romance. The recent
establishment of radio communication
over a distance of 800 miles by the
Signal Corps in 81 hours recalls the
fact that 20 years ago it required three
years to connect stations separated by
500 air miles. Here again the airplane
had part.
Education in Alaska receives unique
assistance. The u. S. S. Boxer, owned
| by the Bureau of Education, plies back
and forth from Alaska to the States,
carrying personnel and supplies for the
| schools. When schoolhouse for Eski-
mos, at Point Barrow, was burned, ma
terialS were sent up with a boss car
| penter to construct new one. Eski-
mo boys. expert craftsmen, who at
tanned their skill making sleds, received
practical training in the manual arts
by assisting in the rebuilding. More
than 100000 of Federal and Terri
torial money is invested in the physi-
cal equipment of the Agriculture Col
lege and School of Mines of Alaska.
1t has departments which compare with
those of colleges in the United States,
agriculture, business administration.
chemistry, civil engineering, general
science, home economics and mining
1t is amazing to think that two years
after war which had wrought in
ternal havoc and brought fratricidal
conflict to the United States, states
men were sufficiently alert to purchase
Alaska. 1t is equally amazing that in
1867 country one-fifth the size of
the United States was purchased for
$4,000 in gold. Although at that
time it was considered mostly icy
waste and its potentialities had not
been revealed that was a small sum
to paw for land which is spread from
east to west as far as the distance
from the Atlantic to the Pacific, and
has depth nearly equal to that from
Canada to Mexico
Alaska's Resources.
Alaska does the greater part of Its
trading with the United States. II
has been estimated the the States senC
97ia per cent of the imports and take
98h per cent of the exports. The
leading products are salmon and copper
which total more than half the eX-
ports. Gold and furs are others which
help to bring the annual total up tt
$50 000, 900. Commodities both for per-
sonal and industrial uses comprise the
importations from the United States
Nearly $4,000 900 has been invested
in the fisheries, the first industry tt
be developed in Alaska. 1t furnishes
employment for about one-half the
population. Salmon Is not the only fish
which can be translated into dollars
herring, halibut, clans. whales, cod
ShrimpS and crabs bring considerable
returns.
The Alaska Railroad. which was first
run at a profit last December, makes
possible increased activity in agricul-
ture as we'll as in industry. 1t is es-
timated that 100000 square miles are
capable of agricultural development and
that with increased highways, railways
industries and population. profitable
farming can be gradually brought about
1t is pointed out that for years to come