Evening star., 1940-07-05
Defense-Minded j. ),
Watches Alaska,
Greatest Frontier
Outsider Finds Food
Is Dear and Climate
MiId-In Summer
(Sirth OF a Sertes.)
BY JOSEPH S. EDGERTON.
Aviation Editor. The Star.

cut of by the war, and in estab-
fishing a possibly vital new military
| frontier, has made the Territory
and its people a source Of growing
concern to all Americans.
| And yet Alaska and its people are
really little known to majority of
American citizens. What manner
of people are these Alaskans? How
do they live and what do they
think?
Here are some of the impress
sions made on raw outsider dur
ing flying trip up the Alaskan
coast and "over the hump" into
the interior:
Alaska is divided primarily into
two parts-the coastal region, bathed
by the Pacific Ocean and the Gulf
of Alaska, and the interior" be-
yond the great coastal range. To all
Alaskans the rest of the world is
outside" and n-Alaskans-even
fellow United States citizens-are
outsiders"
Climate Mild in Coastal Cities.
The Alaskan in the interior re-
CARDS himself as more a true
Alaskan than the dweller in the
coastal cities from Ketchikan and
Juneau on around to Cordova, Sew
ard and Anchorage. It is necessary
to cross the great mountains. as did
the gold rushers who battled over
Chilkoot and White Passes, to be-
come true initiate.
The climate in the Alaskan
coastal cities is relatively mild
throughout the year. The tenn
perature at Anchorage, on the aver
age, is about like that of Boston,
and Juneau winter may be no
more uncomfortable than one in
Washington. The coastal summers
are riot of flowers and luxuriant
vegetation. The rainfall is exceed
ingly heavy, averaging $50 inches a
year from Ketchikan to Juneau.
Fairbanks is the northernmost
community under the United States
flag. 1t is only 130 miles from the
Arctic Circle; Nome is $50 miles
south of the circle. Fairbanks has
continuous daylight during June.
Though the sun dips just below the
low mountain ranges to the south
for a short time at night, there is
full daylight at midnight. In mid
winter dawn comes at about 10 am.
and dusk by 3 pm. The sun appears
for couple of hours, but it is
very low
At midnight on the longest day
of the year, about June 81, all the
available airplanes in Fairbanks are
pressed into service to take. the
leading citizens up to see the mid
night sun. A climb to 5000 feet
brings Old Sol above the mountain
tops. This month 273 Fairbanksians
took part in the ceremony. /,
Aircraft Widely Used.
Aviation has been an inestimable
boon to the Alaskans. There are
more airplanes per capita in Alaska
than anywhere on earth, and no
aircraft anywhere are kept more
continuously in operation. There
is only one railroad in Alaska, from
Seward and Anchorage to Fair
banks, and virtually the only high
way system is composed of the Rich
ardson highway from Valdez to
Fairbanks and the Steese highway
from Fairbanks to Circle.
There are 43 miles of roads around
Juneau and 900 automobiles to keep
them busy. There is a 21-mile
road system around Ketchikan,
Alaskas southernmost community,
on Revillagigedo Island, and 500
automobiles are registered there
Although tractor-drawn sledges
are used rather extensively in WIN
ter and though the Richardson high
way is kept open during a greater
part of the winter, which lasts from
October / until April, the dog sledge
still is the important means of
ground travel in Alaska during the
winter. Alaskans take excellent care
of their dogs; they are housed in
well-made log cabins in the cold
months. During the summer they
are stsked out in the open, usually
along the rivers, on which virtually
all Alaskan settlements are built.
The dogs are curious and are not
satisfied unless they can see what is
going on. When an airplane lands
at one of these outlying villages, on
the water or a sand bar or any
other primitive landing area, on
wheels during the summer months,
the dogs set up tremendous chorus.
Then the'children appear, shouting
"airplane, airplane," and their eld-
ers soon follow. Even white visitors
usually catch the spirit.
Population Is 10000.
There are about 10000 residents
of Alaska, half of them white and
half Indians, Eskimos and half
breeds. The relationship between
whites and natives is about the
same as that between The white and
colored residents of the South. Ma
tives attend the University Of Alaska
with white students, but must COM
pete in maintaining scholastic
standing. AS a rule, the pure
blooded natives do not take kindly
| W ID d lldlu lllC
and they do not see the value of
book learning"
There is considerable agricultural
activity around Fairbanks. Despite
the brief summer, the temperature
often gets pretty high. Between 80
and 80 is not rare in June and July
and as high as 102 has been
recorded. The winter temperatures
drop to so and so below frequently
during the winter and have gone
below 10.
Vegetables grow amazingly fast
and, strangely enough, to abnormal
sizes. The largest cabbage grown
in Alaska, in Fairbanks garden,
reached weight of a pounds.
Potatoes are the chief crop. Vege-
tables are tender, crisp and tasty.
Though there are increasing dairy