Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-10-03
PLAN TO.COLONzE
ALASKA. TERRITORY
Rapid DEVELOPMENT of Amer.
ica's. last Frontier"
Depicted.

Government employees and others
will be able to take a 30-day trip from
Washington to Fairbanks. Alaska. and
return, with all expenses, for about
S425, next September. This was made
known today at the Interior Depart
ment by g. c. Dickens. general agent
of the Government Owned and operated
Alaska Railroad. who has Just returned
to the capital from a two-month tour
Of the territory. A rosy picture ,of
Alaska's development was painted bJ
Mr.. Dickens and he revealed that Q.
F. Gibson, the new general manager
of the Alaska Railroad, has a COLOMBIA
ton plan In mind to boost the popuia-
ton of the territory. - -
"Conditjons are now more favorable
, IN Alaska than they have been for sew
eral years." Mr.. Dickens declared
There is a steady. healthy develop
rnent all the time and notable
absence of boom conditions. The
population is gradually increasing. The
fisheries this year have had very good
season. Fur producing is very much
on the upgrade and experts regard
Alaska as the greatest producing
area in the world.
There is good line of road con-
rstruction work going on and quite
number of automobile highways are
being built by the Alaska Road Com
mission and these will act as feeders
to the Alaska Railroad"
other Developments Noted.
Construction is going on in Mount
Mckinley Park, the object being TO
construct a highway from Mckinley
Park Station on the Alaska Railroad
to Copper Mountain. so miles within
the park, Mr.. Dickens explained, add
ing that % miles. of this have now
been completed. When this project is
completed. he said, Mount Mckinley
Park will have a greater appeal to tour
lists. Copper Mountain is at the base
of Mount Mckinley and rises from its
immediate surroundings to a greater
heighth than any other mountain In
the world, Mr. Dickens asserted, adding
that the mountain rears its head $4,000
feet above its immediate fellows.
Tourist travel to Alaska is increasing
very rapidly, the general agent of the
Alaska Railroad pointed out, especially
TO the interior of Alaska. This Is due
. to sthe fact that people have heard so
much about Alaska and regard Alaska
as Americas last frontier, which it
certainly is" Mr. Dickens said, empha-
sizing that it is very seldom that one
> Is disappointed with a. trip to Alaska.
: Mr.. Dickens was five years in Alaska
before coming to the Interior Depart
2aefit and he declared that the swiss
Alps could be put off in one corner: of
Alaska, almost .out Of the sight. The
various steamship companies. auto
mobile transportation companies in
Alaska and the Alaska Railroad are
making every effort to increase travel
in the Territory Mr. Dickens. asserted,
citing the fact that many of the tour
lists 60. to Nome. While he was unable
to place definite estimate on the num-
Der of tourists annually to Alaska, Mr..
Dickens said it was well up into the
thousands"
Offer Reduced Travel Rates.
With a view to further stimulating
travel to Alaska. Mr.. Dickens said,
plans are now under way to offer re-
duced fares next Summer to the Terri
tory from Washington and other points
In the United States. Tourists will
travel from Seward to Fairbanks on
Uncle Sans own Alaska Railroad.
when will it be possible to get into
a train at Washington and go all the