The Kusko times., 1931-03-14

highway WOTk III -NOrInern ana west ern Alaska, and in addition the sum of $130,000 on roads in the Mt. Mo Kir,ey National Park. The Bureau of Euble Roads, under the Agricul- tural eDpartment, will spend out of Forest Reserve funds for highways in 1881, S50,000 at Ketchikan, S140,0000 near Juneau, S45,000 at Seward, S40,- coo at Wrangell, S60000 at Skagway, 1000 at Yakutat, S25 ,000 at Rake, S30,GQ0 at Moose Pass, S10,000 at Craig, S20,000 at Klawak, and S75,- GOO at Petersburg, total of S540,000, while the Forest Service will spend Sl91, 1,OO0 in it's separate work. The total to be expended for construction of highways, roads and trails in 1881 amounts to S1,670,000, not ind uding the appropriations yet to be made by the Legislature of Alaska. Nor are the native schools forgotten. The Bu- reau of Education will erect this year six new school buildings in the North ern part If the Territory at a cos. of S36,000; three new hospitals to cost a-.st ;; sanslons to 14 other school buildings to cost S11Q,000; an Ind,a boys training school at Shoemaker La. s,s. nge.l, 10 cost S100,000, and J4he- -ev,s la ing s -,125,000. Pup- -ie f,nds to the amount of about $5,- Ugt 600 vii thus ze expended n Alaska n 1881, very largely for pub lie highways.
 And v hy not? Five million dollars rer an.ium is goodly sam of money, but a mere pittance in comparison with what the United States expends annually in the States for similar work---in States where there IS local power and wealth to construct roads and other improvements by taration upon privately owned property be- -on5 .ng to those who own both the pr e >.Ea the roals, and where the JalCol 3-ates owns but little. In A4aska, tAe United States owns 9S per cent of all the lands, and all the ia lroaus, buildings and otaer prop ecty constructed by it, and reserves to it's own use for future sale all the coa, oil and other wealth from the pubic lands, from which it will de- rye great profit. The small sum it eArencs in Alaska, improvi- g it's own properties, is much less than one-half of the annual gold output Alaska mines. send to the GoVernmon ont hints for the support of the nations gold standard. From January l, 1880, to December 31, 1880, period of fifty years, Alaskan mined and shipped to the United S-e-c5 the sum of $6 g. 806,o56 in gold, copper and other minerals. There are 600 months in 5J years. Alaska miners produced more than a million dollars of gold and copper per month during that 50- year period. The mineral industry T Alaska IS yet Tn its infancy and is constantly growing.
 As great sum as that half-cen- tury output of minerals amounts to, the value of Alaska fish shipped to the United States in half that period exceeds it. From 1906 to 1880, both included, period of 25 years, Alaska fishermen caught, prepared and ship ped to the United States markets fish to the amount of S743,975, ,738-an annual production of S30,000,0O0. From the reports of the Governor and Collector of Customs, we are in- formed that the that the total pro- duction of Alaska fish, furs and min- erals exported to the United United States since 1867 amounts to the sum If S1, 2,968,496.
 Alaska Production Since 1867.
 Sea and fur products,
 I868-19Q3 ..............S 23,O42, ,2eO Furs, l906-1930 ... 49,589,0O9