in Alaskan waters. Nobody has ventur
ed to estimate the total number of lives
lost, but in the last thirty years 160
vessels have gone down, aggregating
in property loss the stupendous amount
of nearly $7,000,000—a frightful and
appalling record. In 610 miles of Brit
ish Columbia waters traversed by our
vessels, according to the Railway and
Marine News, there are 105 lights. On
the 4,500 miles of Alaska coast served
by United States vessels, there are but
half the number of lights in the British
waters mentioned, a hopeless forty-sev
en—one light for about every hundred
miles. It is said that many of the dang
erous rocks were discovered and chart
ed as the result of ships going down on
them. There is only one United States
life saving station in the entire terri
tory. Could there be a stronger indict
ment of neglect?
Here are other conditions I found
which made me wonder: Alaska has
no quarantine law. No compulsion may
be exerted in the isolation of a person
who lias smallpox or any other loath
some disease. No record is kept of
births and marriages. Gov. l lark, of
Alaska, told me of a pitiful case of a
young girl legitimately born in Alaskj
who lost a considerable amount in in
heritance because there was no legal
or regular record of the marriage of her
father and mother. No provision is
made for the care of destitute persons.
Census returns show that, while the
population of Canada increased in
American citizenship at the rate of 11.
800 each month for the year ending
1911, the population of Alaska increas
ed only 767 in ten years. I found that
Alaska, which should offer every op
portunity for our settlers and more than
Canada, is actually going bankrupt in
American manhood; for, while the pop
ulation increased only 767 in ten years
the increase in women and children has
been nearly forty per cent. There are
fewer men in Alaska today than there
were ten years ago. The exodus of
Americans to Canada last year was
said to number 200,000 and they are
estimated to have taken with them
money and personal property to the
value of $125,000. If Alaska was de
veloped, as it could easily have beer, by
this time, these citizens and their pos
sessions might just as wed liavj gone
there.
With all these troubles, why, then,
should Alaska bo burdened with the
additional curse of the mack-rackcrsf
Why did the conservationiscs picAl
aska for the goat? There is a large
amount of public land in Hawaii, also
Porto Rico and the Philippines. Alaska
is larger than either of these, we have
had it longer and it is our only extra
territorial possession almost wholly pop
ulated by Americans. Why were not
Forto Rico and the Philippines singled
out ? Because the basic idea of the con
servationists is that it is inherently
wrong to pass title in fee to lands and
resources belonging to the United Mates
to private individuals. Alaska has a
large amount of unadininistered coal
land. The conservationists had begun
to be a power about five years ago. They
c.if covered that Porto Rico and the Phil
ippines had been permitted to adminis
ter their own public lands. That was
where poor Alaska lost.
Special sale on curios, souvenir goods
and native ware for holiday trade. W.
H. Case, Juneau, Alaska.
WILL WINTER NORTH
Port Townsend, Nov. 17.—Four wha
lerB will winter at Herschel island, in
the Arctic, says James G. O’Rourke,
who has just arrived from the North,
having come down on the steamer Ala
meda. Herschel island is 1200 miels
north of Nome, and is some little dis
tance northeast of Point Barrow and
is inhabited by about 400 natives and
22 white men. Mr. O ’Rourke spent a
part of the present season on the isl
and trading and hunting
He says that as a result of the
scarcity of fur bearing animals, the
prices of furs are the highest since the
island has been visited by traders. The
welfare of the natives is looked after
by the Northwest mounted police, and
when supplies are scarce the natives
are fed by the Canadian government.
so hunger or suffering is unknown in
that section.
During the summer the natives hunt
polar bear, red and white fox, marten
and lynx and walrus, the pelts and ivory
they secure are traded to the whalers
during the summer.
For leather art goods, mottos, hamp
ers see Case.
ALASKA HOMESTEADS
Any American citizen can go to Al
aska and take up 320 acres of agricul
tural land for a homestead, according
to John P. Walker, United States land
surveyor, who has just returned to
Seattle, where he has been conduct
ing a survey of homestead lands.
‘ ‘ We established a base line and me
ridian for surveys in the vicinity of
Seward," said Mr. Walker, "In the
valley north of Seward we laid out ap
proximately three-quarters of a town
ship. We also laid out five townships
in the country around Knik, on the
north side of Cook Inlet.
"We aimed to survey land in the
vicinity of places where a few settlers
already have established small ranches,
and in places likely to be available
for agricultural purposes. Most of
this land is good agricultural land,
good soil, although the tundra is heavy
in places.
"Although there are several ranches
established, they are all on a small
scale. Their products are potatoes,
turnips, rutabagas, oats, barley, and a
fine kind of hay.
"A homesteader can file on 320 acres
of agricultural land in Alaska, as
against 160 acres in the States.’’
Ladies furs, rugs, robes and skins at
lowest prices. W. H. Case, Juneau.
ARCTIC RACER IN SEATTLE
The Seattle Times of recent date in
reporting the arrival of a young Aretic
racer, says:
Split-the-Wind, the 15-year-old Eski
New Stock of
NUGGET
and
OLD
IVORY
Jewelry just arrived—typi
jal of Alaska, and will make beauti
ful Christmas presents. Cut Glass,
A.rt China and Silverware, and op
deal goods.
Paul
BMorn
Front Street, Between D h Bradley
The Juneau Steamship Co
U. S. Mall Steamer
STEAMER GEORGIA
Juneau-Sitka Route—Leaves Ju
for Funter, Hoonah, Gypsum, Tena
kee, Killisnoo, Chatham and Sitka,
8 a. m., Oct 0, 12, 18, 24, 30; Nov.
5, 11, 17, 23, 29; Dee. 5, 11, 17, 23,
Leaves Juneau for Tyee—8 a. m.,
Oct. 24, Nov. 23, Dec. 23, Jan. 22’
Leaves Juneau for Bar an off—s a.
m., Oct. 12, 24; Nov. 11, 23; Dec.
11, 23; Jan. 10, 22; Feb. 9, 21;
'.leaves Juneau for Sanitarium
(Sitka Hot Springs—8 a. m. Oct. 6,
18; Nov. 5, 17; Dec. 5, 17; Jan. 4,
Juneau Skagway Route—Leaves
Juneau for Pearl Harbor, Eagle Riv
er, Yankee Cove, Sentinel Light Sta
tion, Eldred Rock Light Station,
Comet, Haines, Skagway, 8 a. m
Oct. 4, 10, 16, 22, 28; Nov. 3, 9, 15’
WILLIS E. NOWELL. Manager.
JUST
Received
A Special Ship
ment of
GITCHIE
GAMIE
SHOES
We can fit your feet in any weight of Shoe
you desire. We beat them all in prices and
QUALITY!
STUBBINS
WELL MADE AND BEAUTIFUL
F
U
R
N
I
T
U
R
_E _
Does net cost as much m some people
think. Bet Otar Chain and Tables
Book Cases, and indeed ail Oar Furni
ture adds much to the easiness of heme.
Alaska Furniture & Undertaking Co.
L. O. THOMAS, Mgr.