Evening star., 1935-06-02
Continued From First Page.)

| 1dI OCyolo OllC AuIlbCl
contemplated by the Government. II
the conditions of this new settle
ment of pioneers seem soft compared
to the hardships into which Daniel
Boone led his followers, still softer is
life "on relief" The Government,
not the new pioneers. arranged the
scheme. And the indications are
that thousands would have jumped
at the chance under conditions much
less favorable than the Government
has arranged for the Matanuska
Valley experimenet.
In fact, announcement of the Gov
eminent project led to great influx
of unsubsidized landseekers into
Alaska-people who could not join
the Government scheme, but who ad-
ventured on their own. Public do
main lands in the valley, indeed have
been withdrawn from settlement ex-
cept for the official colony; too many
settlers might interfere with the sue
cess of the rehabilitation experiment,
or perhaps the pioneers-on-their-
might grab of the best pieces of land,
to the detriment of the colony.
Incidentally, 1t will be interesting to
see which group of settlers makes the
better progress-the unsubsidized vol
unteer pioneers or those who are
members Of the Governments expert
ment in pioneering de luxe.
Families Carefully Selected.
Judging by the circumstances under
which the colony is starting, the
Matanuska Valley experiment ought
to succeed. The families that will
go to the valley, with 1000 pounds of
personal possessions apiece, were the
carefully selected top cream of thou
sands of applicants, personally inves-
| tigated by relief directors in their
home counties.
Only applicants from Northern
Minnesota, Northern Wisconsin and
Upper Michigan were considered. In
this area Winters are long and cold,
and most of the farming population
has had plenty OF woods experience.
Alaskan Winters should not be terri
flying to them; the mean temperature
averages very little below what they
| are used to. Also. they are used to
SAoPo oA'oV 1SSd oAAy . oAAo1S 6AO"AA6
season.
Only families drawing relief or
eligible for it were included in the
selection, and Of these the primary
requirement was a farm background.
No white-collar men or city factory
hands were invited to muss up the
Governments plans. Probably two
thirds of the party that will settle
the Matanuska Valley knows what it
is to live in a log house in a forest
clearing. and to plant and harvest
among the stumps of cut-over land.
The chief difference between condi-
tions at the old homes of the new
settlers and at their new location will
be the long Sub-Arctic Winter nights
and the equally long Summer days
In Midwinter there are 20 hours of
darkness in this part of Alaska, 4
hours Of daylight and no sunshine at
all In June there are 20 hours of
sunshine and no darkness at all. In
this respect the climate is much like
that of middle Norway and Sweden.
incidentally, many of the settlers are
of Scandinavian birth or extraction.
to whom the long Winter and the
white nights Of Summer offer nothing
alarming or even unfamiliar.
Menace of Insects.
The savage mosquitoes and other
insects of the short, hot Alaska Sum-
mers are another drawback, but one
that is not unfamiliar. Perhaps the
i,,ca pfr
numerous; but anybody who has flshed
Northern Wisconsin trout stream
would not be inclined to give them
much of an edge.
The Matanuska Valley, where the
settlement is located, is 125 miles
north Of Seward. the coast terminus
of the railway. A branch line Of the
railway runs to Palmer, where the
headquarters Of the settlement IS
established. The valley lies between
the Talkeetna Mountains on the north
and the Chugach Range on the south
and east. To the west 1t runs of into
the vast plain Of the Susitna River.
About 1000 acres are now under
cultivation. including $50 acres at
tached to the Matanuska Valley Ex-
pertinent Station, the staff of which
is to take a leading part in directing
the labors Of the colonists. There are
1T families already homesteaded In
the valley, mainly near Palmer and
the Government declares that the
present residents ARE much interested
in this project" and that they are
expected to participate in the program.
The land is mostly good light loan.
It raises excellent crops OF almost
every variety grown In Wisconsin and
Minnesota, except corn. During the
growing season. May 10 to September
lie, wheat, rye, potatoes and all
garden crops do we'll. The damp cli-
mate, due to the warm winds from the
Japanese current sweeping against the
mountains and depositing their mois-
ture, induces abundant hay crops.
Prices range steadily higher than in
the States, and the Alaska College of
Agriculture asserts that there Is and
will be a good market for all the
settlers can raise, since the territory
annually imports 81 900 900 worth of
foodstuffs to support its population.
Not much, unless it may be dairy
products, can be raised for shipment
back to the United States.
Cannery il Planned.
A creamery and cannery are plan
ned, as soon as there is suficient
quantity Of butter-fat and vegetables
to justify these industries. Controlled
cropping and marketing Is contem.
plated to insure q balanced produc-
ton. and the colony will be directed
toward dairying and its by-products,
potatoes, vegetables, hay. grain and
berries. Cattle are said to thrive in
the valley and the possibility is held
out that hogs, poultry and fur-bear-
ing animals can be raised by the
colonists to supplement their income.
The Government is committed to
relatively elaborate development Of the
colony, aside from clearing the land
and building homes for the settlers.
Each family Is to have q log house
with q kitchen, living room and as
many bed rooms as the size of the
RpS1-