i .. IQ 1 ! H 1.'
ALASKA PROSPEROUS, -SAYS
* GOV. PARKS IN ANNUAL RE
PORT TO THE INTERIOR DEPT.
, (Continued from Page l.)
extent, by the deerease in the mining
output.”
Upholds Eisherie sPolity.
Governor Parka upholds the poli
cies of the.U*.S» Bureau of Fisheries,
which, he (declared, give promise a
4 perpetual-supply of salmon for the
canning industry, etc. He points out
that the 1926 season was the Tttost
„ productive since 1918 and tliat the
1927- season was a disappointment.
“Eary in the season,” he added, “it
was apparent thair the salmon run.
would be much--less than was expect
ed. To meet this situation and pro
vide faT‘ the required escapement to>
. spawning grounds, it was neces
sary to restrict the fishingrirr, many
districts.. The inevitable result was a
large reduction in the number of fish
fisfh caught as compared with the
three preceding years, although one
noteworthy feature was that the
catch of humpback salmon wasdarger
ihan.l£ol- any year since prior to
1924
"W.lm'.ithe I9zv nsmng season as
a whole, was a grievous disappoint
ment,-it. is encouraging to■ note /that
tl*e production for the early part of
1928 imttaates- that the catch for’ this
year will exceed all expectations, and
there i *• every reason to believe that j
the present policy of the Bureau of!
Fisha/iea is sound and will result in
the perpetuation of the salmon fish
eries."
The Governor revieweed conditions
in the several branches of thet fisher
ies industry, including mild curing,
fresh fish, herring, halibut, cod fish
ing, whaling, shell fish, and seals.
Pulp Development.
Notable progress is being made to
ward developing a pulp and paper
making industry in Alaska, said the
Governor's report: “The outlook for :
an early development of the pulp and
paper "industry never has been more
encouraging. The com companies to
whom were awarded timber contracts!
have been engaged in making invesri-!
gati vdar of the projects and the work j
is progressing most satisfactorily, i
Early construction of hydroelectrict
plants .-is anticipated. The estimates
of the engineers in; the Department of
Agnerrituce- indicate that the forests
of Alaska may be made to produce
1,000,000 tons of news print annually
in perpetuity and that there are
available-more than 500,000 undevel
open horsepower within easy reacti »f
the timber suppily. The wise utiliza«
tion of these resources is assured and
within the next four years the manu
facture of paper will take its place as
one of the major industries- of' the
Territory.”
New Capitol Building.
As to the stutus of the projected;
Territorial Capitol building, Governor
Paries’ re port said':
» “The authoization for a new capital
building in Juneau and the appropria
tion of funds ebr its construction by
the larst Congress assures the Terri
tory of a much-needed improvement.
When the building is completed it will
afford housing facilities for all of the
federal and many of the Territorial
offices which now occupy rented quar
ters. 'The Territorial Legislature will
have adequate facilities for its ses
^ sions instead of meeting in impro
vised quarters, as it has in the past-’'
Care of Insane.
Statistics relative to the care of
4 Alaska insane at Slorningside sani
tarium are submitted. Commenting
on the eomract system, the Governor
urges its abolishment, saying:
“For muv;! than 24 years the insane
from Alaska- have been cared for in
* Morningside Hospital, near Portland,.
J Oregon. The sanitarium contracts to
care for tiie patients for $52 per
4 month. For many years efforts have
b'een made to eliminate the contract
system. The Territorial Legislature
has memorialized Congress on several
occasion;-, and'two years ago the Sec
retary o-f.'Interior submitted a report.
on the subject, but as yet no action
has been taken by Congress. It is
hoped that this matter will receive
the attention of Congress this year
and that arrangements will be made
to provide a government institution to ;
care for the unfortunates who are |
committed -from Alaska.”
Roads and Trails.
The importance of roads and trails
in the development of the Territory’s
resources is again emphasized. The
Governor notes the work dene by the
Alaska Road Commission and the
United States Bureau of Public Roads;
and declares that both perform ser
vices of unusual value to the Terri- I
tory.
rfe added- “Fends appropriated by
the Territory for roads and trails are
alioted to the several projects by the
Territorial Road Commission and ex
pended under co-operative agreement
with the federal agencies. Because it
is possible to use the federal organ
izations in the construction of the
projects, the Territory is not required
to expend a large amount of its funds
for overhead and there is no duplica
tion of organization.”
Decline of Mining.
The mineral production of the Ter
ritory since 1880 aggregates $585,
374,000, 62 per cent of .which was.
from gold mines, said the Governor.
I Most of the yield came from placer
! mines. The output increased annually
until 1916, and following that year it
has declined. This situation was ac
counted for in part by the exhaustion
■of known high grade placer ground
and the lower selling prices of min
eral products. Recent '• developments
for working vast areas of low grade
areas with modern machinery prom
ises to bring about a new era in gold
mining, said the report, aililing
“There is every reason to believe that
the production iof gold from these
sources will increase the annual pro
duction very materially,- and it is
likely that the low point has been
; reached in the mineral output in the
Territory.”
Last year’s mineral production was
valued at $14,404,000, as compared
with $17,664,800 for the preceding
! year. Gold decreased from $6,707,000
j in 1826 to $5,927,000'in 1927; while the
I value of copper minecbdecreaseu from
$9,489,000 in 1926 to $7,250,000 in
1927. Gold from lode mines increased1.
More than 90 per cent of the latter
yield* came from Southeastern Alaska,
| the largest operating property being
j the Alaska Juneau Gold Mining Com
| pany of Juneau..
Goal production erceeded in quan
tity that shipped into Alaska from
j outside sources, the total loqal output
j being 104,300 out of the 166,000 tons
i consumed.
j Progress of Aviation.
•j The Governor pointed to notable
! progress in aviation in Alaska during
; the year. Under Territorial laws not
' to exceed 30 per cent of the Terri
! torial road funds may be expended for
I the construction of landing fields, and
: under this authorization 58 such fields
i have been constructed.
I “These facilities,” added the Gov
ernor, “makes it possible to give air
plane transportation to most of the
important places in the interior of
Alaska. Many localities heretofore
inaccessible are now within easy reach
oT larger centers. Prospectors ami)
their outfits are transported to out
lying districts without difficulty and,
in very short time. In one- instance
15 prospectors were taken to a new
district by one of the local airplanes.’"
Communication Needs.
“For the first time in History,” de -
clared the Governor, “the transporta
I tion service in certain' localities is
J ahead of the communication facilities,’
citing specific instances; The-U. Si
Signal Corps maintains an excellent
and efficient system, that gfvea gg-ooc
service within the limits of its equip
ment, but there ■ is urgent need for
some cheap method of communication
between the smaller settlements and)
the wireless net of . the: Signal. Corps,,,
he said.
The Governor reviewed the pro
gress made by the Alaska .Railroad;
and pointed out that the past year
saw for -the first time since its in
auguration the river division making
a profit on its operations. The an
nual deficit of the rail division was
materially reduced from former fif-i
ures.
Other Subjects Covered.
The report covers many other sub
jects, including the work of the Alas'?
ka Game Commission, the Federal
Bureau of Education, the Territorial
school system, the care of aged and
indigent by the Territory, and other
activities of both the Federal and
Territorial governments. It contains
valuable statistics on commerce, the
operation of the Alaska Road Corn-!
mission, the Bureau of Public Roads,:
Alaska fisheries, the U. S. Geological
Survey, U. S. Bureau of Mines, n.ub-:
lie lands, the Alaska caple system, j
naval communications service, forest
service, U. S. Coast and Geodetic Sur
vey, rivers and harbors, aids to navi
gation, mail service, the Alaska Agri
cultural College and School of Mines.,'
data on agriculture in Alaska, , a> re
view of health conditions and labor
conditions, a weather summary, and
several other subjects.
The recommendations made by
Governor Parks were;
1. A survey by the International
Halibut Commission, or the Bureau
of Fisheries, to determine the extent
and location of unexplored halibut
fishing grounds in the Bering Sea,
along the-Alaska Peninsula and in the
vicinity of the Aleutian islands. This
is necessary because of the depletion
of the known sources of supply in
Southeastern Alaska and British Co
lumbia, and the probability that some
of these areas may he closed in the
near future..
2. An investigation by the Bureau
of Fisheries to ascertain the condi
tion of the herring fisheries. Thisj
should be completed as soon as possi
ble so that, if necessary, further ac
tion may be taken to prevent the de
pletion of the supply of these fish.
The controversies which arise each
year between the proponents of vari
ous theories concerning the herring,
its use, and the danger of its exter
mination, cannot be definitely settled,
until accurate data is available.
:}. Investigation hy the Territorial
agencies discloses that predatory an
imals, chiefly coyotes and wolves, are
destroying wild kame and migratory
birds and have become a real menace.
Immediate action is necessary, and
the Territory cannot undertake the
control without federal aid. The fed
eral government should contribute
funds to supplement Territorial ap
propriations and to be expended by
the Territory in an effort to extermi
nate the predatory animals.
4. The contract system for the
care of the insane from Alaska
should be abolished and they should
be cared for in a government institu
tion.
5, The appropriations for the Bu
reau of Education are not sufficient to
enable that organisation to provide
i necessary facilities, educational, voca
tional and medical, for all of the na-!
, tives. An industrial school in South-1
eastern Alaska is necessary, and in
creased appropriations should bej
made foe new schools in many other
i sections.
G. In many sections of the Terri
J tory tJhe transportation facilities are
far ahead of the system of communi
•j cation. The United States Signal
l Corps should be given additional
funds- so' that they can establish sta
| tions at strategic points.
7. Aviation has advanced to a
point where supervision of personnel
and' equipment is essential to safe
i guard public interests. The regula
tions of the Department of Com
merce should be enforced in the Ter
( ritory by competent inspectors.
if. The present policy of sending
incorrigible native children out of the
Territory is of doubtful wisdom. It
would he much better to establish a
j detention home in Alaska, where these.
j cases may be disriplined in the vihin
i ity of their home and where they will!
be an example to others. . (
Babeesch
Moosehide Mitts and Boots
Furs Bought and Sold Clothing
All Kinds of Nice Fresh Groceries and Fruits
Canned Goods of All Kinds Beds and Bedding
A. R. Eldridge - McGrath
TAKOTNA ROADHOUSE
Best of Meals and Rooms
Where Everything Is Homelike and
Where You Are Cordially Welcomed
GOOD DOG HOUSES ’ BATHS
Ivar CMlstrom - Prop.
i i
Rough and Dressed Lum- j
ber of All Kinds !
i IRR6K0 LUMBER CO.
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mmmmmm—mmmmmmmmmmaMmMmammmmmamammmmmmmmm
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