Seward daily gateway., 1928-05-02
Continued from page one.

days in America and read from English magazines of the Seventeenth century the numerous contributions by officers of the British Army and others returning to En- gland from the Colonies about the nhabitabe wastes of New England and the regions embraced in New York Pennsylvania, Ohio Indiana, Wisconsin, Illinois, and Minnesota Seeing placer gold other precious met as but overlooking the vast areas of agricultural lands and of virgin forests, with not word about the ncom parable deposits of coal many of these returned officers and tourists concluded that the continent from Mass achusets to the Mississippi river greatly overrated The rgors of it's winter climate they generally agreed would render 1t unsuitable the habtatiOn of any siderable population.
 New England and other eastern magazines and news papers their turn later eemed with contributions about the desert wastes and the lack of of all the west territories which populous and prosperous states.
 Even the great Daniel Webster never comprehended the wealth of natural contained in the long dis puted Oregon country grasped its future importance to the United States comprising the states of Oregon Washington, and Idaho And Senator Benton of Missouri late 1924 in the United States Senate proposed and advocated that the western boundary of the United States should be established definitely and forever at the init of the Rocky mountains
 But fortunately for the continental proportions and the worldwide power and influence of the United States of today statesmen of arseeng vision at the wheel in the pilot house at all critical periods of Nat ional growth and expansion.
 William H. Seward, our Secretary of State in 1867, who negotiated the purchase of Alaska from the
 
 led the contest in the Senate for the ratification of the Alaska treaty of purchase and Representative Banks of Massachusetts, former governor of Massachusetts, for Speaker of the National House of Representative who vigorously advocated the hard fought appropriation of 2000O0 to pay the purchase price for Alaska statesmen of the first rank with minds that perceived and understood the importance and the possibilities of Alaska to the future needs of the United States These three more than all others together deserve the credit for taking Alaska into our National domains at an oppor tune and fortunate hour albeit under showers of coumny at that time.
 In the light of these historic truths mindful of the criticism that each successive part of unfolding country has been compelled to and disam let examine the route of and the in the fields tributary to the Alaska Railroad which General Richard son omitted to mention and shall have picture of another color with wide variety of tnts and settings.
 First, take Seward and Resurrection bay the south terminus which General Richardson does not approve averrng that Portage bay should be looked into as preferable terminus
 Resurrection bay is the only harbor on the whole stretch of Alaskas southern coast line which joins direct y with the open through the Gibraltar like Harding Gateway without the danger of approach through tor tuous inland channels and at the time connects with the interior by the lowest of mountain passes and the lowest attitudes of any possible route
 It has the unique distinction of being the only harbor the entire coast of Alaska south vest north that Is 100 percent free from any shap of any kind to any vessel entering departing in the 25 years since 1t be- regular port of call It is the only harbor the tire southern coast of Alaska having for terminal city of any size, with densey mbered valley five miles wide at it's head.
 Its average depth of water is about 600 feet which ssens gradually to the shores The surrounding tbered mountains give it aspect of shelter and of pie turesque fascination unlike any other in America.
 After President Hardinp had retu1ned from Fair