The Seattle Star Newspaper, September 9, 1916, Page 20

Attempting to estimate the riches and resources of Alaska today is like an 1870 forecast on the develop. ment of the United States. Gold, copper, portation and trade have furs, the products of the sea, trans- made a few Alaskans ex- tremely wealthy and a good many more independent For coal, oil and timber the day has also dawned But thus far the surface has scarcely been scratched. Prospectors who became rich Midas over night ALASKA PUTS AGRICULTURE ON FIRM BASIS A riculture in Alaska today tical reality. In the vicinity of Fairbanke more than 350 hom have been taken up, the Matanuska and valitys there are report to be more than 250 homestead. and in Susitna ers. The value of one year's produc tion in the Fairbanks district which is 120 miles from the Arctic Circle is estimated at $150,000. based on the selling price at Fair banks The quantity aod variety of prod nets follow Produce. Potatoes Cabbage Carrots Beets Turnips < Parsnips . 2 Rutabagas Caulifiower Celery Greenhouse Oat hay Ripe oats Ripe barley 2 Winter wheat 2 Wild hay 300 Tons 700 ss produce Total 1,642 Berries are distinctly an Alaska crop. They not only grow in pro fusion, but flourish in great va riety of species, Currants, straw- berries, raspberri: blueberries, huckleberries, cranberries and salmon berries are to be raised in such quantity as to suggest an opening for fruit canneries in the, Northland. Half Anchorage Is Working on New Railroad Ceneus takers an Anchora the little town at the head Cook Iniet, where the Alaska raliroad ie being extended both ways, towards Seward and to wards Fairbanks, have just fin- ished counting noses. There were 5,482. Of that population 2,500 are hardy laborers employed on the railroad, laying ties and spiking down the steel, whe live in Anchorage when they are at home. | Matanuska jhave used and got themselves immortalized in one other by Serviss, Beach, | STAR—SATURDAY, SEPT. 9, THE CALL OF THE ALASKA EMPIRE 53 and who will be the rich men of tomorrow.| way and ondon and Kipling, blazed the trails for the developers who follow loday Alaska is beckoning the men who are con an- have tent to get a substantial stake in 10 years instead of 10 days, as did the lucky ones of Dawson, Nome and Fairbanks It’s a land for thinkers, for constructive dreamers, as well as doers. These are the men who are today suc ceeding in the North, who are developing the empire PAGE 20, 1916. above Look at the big mine pectors of yesterday laughed ore that runs only $1.50 pe The Kennicott copper 000,000 every month! Latouche putting month! Fleets, carrying ing markets! Hardy Pioneers of Alaska Are Making Good With Potato Farms Along U. S. Railway BY JACK JUNGMEYER SEWARD, Al. Spud farming And a market for all that can Sept. 9.— the opportunity the Matahuaka and Susitna valleys hold out to those who would try their agricultural hand in Alaska, A number of pioneers have already made good with pota tor In there are, this year, the Matanuska valley about 150 of tubers, with an aver: age yield of 10 tons to the acre expected. This area is cult! vated in small tracts by men who have organized the Matan- Farmers’ ociation. year gineering acre: the commi these farmers not | Promised to take th entire yield at pric from $60 to $80. The yield in this district In 1915 averaged from 8 to 14 tons per acre. According to forestry officials who furnished me these figures, one man can clear and plant from one to three acres of spuds per sea ¥on. Scarcity of horses has thus far proved the greatest handicap Ranchers this year $14 a day for a team of ponies to turn the soll One man who had three teams rented out all season \fairly coined money. the construction of the Stat railroad into the coal fields and up te Pairbanks there is an assured mar Daring United ket for all the potatoes grown tp this section of Alaska—for consid erably more than are now being ratsed. The Matanuska farmers count on &@ return of from $600 to $800 an acre. Seward merchants, rebelling Against the exorbitant freight rates on potatoes brought from the States have also offered to buy every sack of spuds grown in Al: a at attrac tive prices. The general homestead law ap plies to all lands taken up by set ters, the unit being 160 acres, with | three-year residence requirement and one-eighth the area under cul tivation by that time. Those who their homestead rights {n the States are not barred from exercising similar Alaskan rights were paying | of Seward has already been determined by the} | government Approximately 100 settlements were made within the past rin the Chugach forest Altogether some 300 applications have been re ceived for steads in this serve Intensive ani fic of the ation Autos Shorten Mail Route Up in Alaska Now Mail from Valdez used to ar rive in Fairbanks ral weeks later—and oftentimes not then, Those were the days when the North was a hard country, when man and dogs risked their lives on the long, cold trail Frequently the mai! went first land, to determine farming areas is betng carried forward by the for estry department bere, and all ap rt the officials, will ) an soon as file farming land lies federal reserve are romises next a market for tato farmers y are co to the local ng camps We do not want the wrong jon to go out,” er Hunt here. the better agricultural land is ited, and in my estimation it wil im said Deputy —... - The area of snares D jsand year metal. FISH OUTRANK COLD PRODUCED BY ALASKANS Alaska, the treasureland, given up $589,550,591 ne ka its banner year, McPherson, secretary manager of the Alaska bureau of the Chamber of Commerce. “The commerce totaled $75, 573,322, or $11,898,217 gr than in 1914 “Great as were the results 1915, the present year ler show t this figure—$56,225,004 That was Alaska’s production last year, and everything points to the realization of a ¢ siderably yetion for 1916 n Million in Gold t golden hills and t streams yielded » In virgin yellow Her « of in Alas the an rly any one wh product, ar Fish Outrank Gold there is a greater Yet Typical clearing truck garden along line of United States railroad out that come from her waters the fish Last yoar her fisheries output was $23,997,406, mostly halibut and salmon Her 100,000 copper mines yielded $14 In other minerals $871,000 Her furs wore worth $686,166 And various other products add the she produced to the wealth of ed $310,432 world Alaska a Big Importer Alas amounted to ports $51,418 making her total and givi lance in her favor of Those figures do not Include for pay to cultivate only the better | sen goid transehipped thru Alaska areas “On such land, however, potatoe carrots, beets and a Grow luxuriantly opportunities on the land for those who have the pioneer hardihood.” spirit and) Alaska means |from the Canadian Yukon. And Alaska cost us, 48 years ago. root Crops | 97 299.000—a mere song There are many Alaska Expansion Aide Seattle wonderful development of expansion of bust the magnitude of ness for § out almon, BY JACK JUNGMEYE These are but the high ligt in the of Juneau, at which the pros-| Alaska's $590,000,000 commerce under the A a mere prelude to the riches that Producing millions from! flag to date; unlocked as population and facilities increase The territory is now ready for the hardy who will bring his wife, his cow, pig ind chicks for men and women who will abide inste 1 of dal in and out For such folk Alaska is sounding an |and offers a thousand opportunitie r ton! mines, producing over $3, $1,000,000 in copper a in istenty =| and halibut to grow cod | Is Used by the Largest Advertisers in This Ci : as Well as All Over Agricultural land within the na ‘The rest a rman / rest are permanent resi- Ti tional forest is NOW open to entry wpe tale pac Nive Inside Tl and in addition a free patent sur — on a free patent su pan renene Breyer. lvey is given the settler to Nome, thence iniand up the frozen Yukon and the Tanana Today Ernest Anderson is carrying the mai! over the route can grasp. McPherson THEY TOOK A FALL ©%-%% sabgee: making the Alaskan The total sh — of the Alaska railway, and he are not only assured of his most A propeller driven by the alr ae {has been taken up near the railroad, || makes the trip in 46 hours each eo United States for 1915 amount: | profitable business, but of his co a car is running has been invented | ‘here '*, according to Deputy For | way in a little motor car bought | “te 5.15 00, as agalnet operative help, which is essential to ° to blow rain away from the wind- 1 pais M. Hunt, paneer ghar s004 | in Seattle. ; O00 shingles 9 . er upbullding and ex aes o6 Gm autemoda: agricultural acreage still to be had ures for intermediate y doable ee a - . artes ni ms the districts character | ailable jon of our admirably situated ci | While the best land for farming whose sction Crematorium Private Ambulance Service Lady Assistant Broadway at Olive St. Opposite Broadway High School BONNEY-WATSON COMPANY _Funeral Directors Columbarium Seattle, MOUNTING FUR PRICES CHEER ALL ALASKANS the gateway.” prices a ming back War knocked the bottom out of em temporarily, and one of Alaska’s greatest industries for a ear was practically “on the blink However the return of a market, the n of 1916 prom {ses to be a prosperous one for the and fur merchant when the sl had produced $7 for the most part to the Unite to that tim States government up was $10,444,464—from the fur seal industry alone The value of the fur product of Alaska from 1867 was Is $51,076.00 tie furs 12,718,900 Land animals 10,152 HIGHER PRICES AID FISHERMEN if salmon fishermen have found a shortage in Northern waters this season, they are, on the other hand, enjoying a high market return, consider ably higher than last year. Opening prices for canned salmon at Juneau this year were, on the average, 10 per cent higher than last Chums were quoted at 85 cents inks at 90 cents, medinmes at $1.20, Kinks at $1.35 and reds at $.155 The run in Southeastern Alpska waters bas been very late and has only been good in the north. Most of the neries around Juneau will et their China packs up but will hot secure ws large packs as were anticlpated, and the price {a pre die to remain high, The can-| ure all busy Yellow pine was cut last vear to the amount of 14,700,000,000 the largest year’s cut on record, and 00,000,000 more than the previou year We Create and Carry Out Successful Outdoor Advertising Campaigns | 723 Virginia Street Seattle i