j Alaska Is an Asset |
| —Not a Liability
Yr.............. .
This issue of the Alaska Bureau of
Publicity Bi-Monthly is particularly
addressed to those irfterested in see
ing the great territory of Alaska de
veloped along sound commercial lines.
Unfortunately those vested with the
right to legislate for Alaska look upon
this vast domain as an incubus—a lia
bility rather than an asset. In order
that uninformed minds may be dis
abused of this erroneous belief we sub
mit the following letter which was re
cently sent by our governor, Hon.
Thomas Riggs, Jr., to J. W. Hallowell,
assistant to the secretary of the in
terior, the reading of which may f^erve
to enlighten the uninformed and con
vince them that Alaska is not the in
cubus they have been led to believe
it to be. The governor’s letter shows
that approximately 30,000 people are
yearly turning into the federal treas
ury $10,000,000 over and above the
amount spent on them. This is at
the rate of about $350 per capita for
every white person in Alaska. The
history of America has been that a
territory has never been a great source
of revenue to the nation. If the fed
eral government breaks even on the
administration of a territory she is
doing pretty well, but when a terri
tory can so materially help to keep
government wheels revolving, it is but
reasonable that such a territory should
be given all possible assistance in
working out her problems, if for no
other reason than that she may be
able to produce still greater revenue
to the government:
■VI. _ />..__I In Mm 1-1 -» I Imual I I
Hon. J. W. Hallowell, Assistant to the
Secretary, Department of the In
terior, Washington.
Dear Mr. Hallowell: Referring to
our recent conversation regarding
government disbursements and re
ceipts in Alaska, I beg to submit a
tabulation of such figures as could he
obtained in this office. These figures
are neither complete nor entirely ac
curate, but they are sufficiently so as
to show we are not barnacles on the
"ship of state.” The only place at
which complete and accurate data may j
be obtained is in Washington, at the
various departments.
Federal Appropriations for the Fiscal
Year 1919
Purpose Amount
Governors, judges, attorneys
and marshals .$ 87,000
Governor’s office . 6,000
Repainting executive man
sion . 750
Legislative expenses . 46,010 j
Washington-Alaska cable. 147,445
Post roads and trails.. 100,000
Mine inspection . 7,000
Alaskan engineering commis
sion . 5,250,000
Care of insane . 99,000
Education of natives . 215,000
Medical relief for natives. 75,000
Reindeer service . 6.000
Protection of game. 20,000
Liquor traffic . 15,000
Seal fisheries . 100,000
Mining coal by navy. 1,000,000
Star mail routes . 255.000
Agricultural experiment sta
tions . 65,000
Surveyor general’s office. 18,600
Fisheries service. 30,400
Yes Bay hatchery . 8,220
Afognak hatchery . 8,220
Maintenance fisheries boat
Osprey . 5,2440
Officers and cr§w .x. 26,000
Investigating mineral re
sources . 75,000
Total .$7,665,285
Of the above operations, the Wash
ington-Alaska cable and telegraph sys
tem is practically self-supporting; the
seal fisheries in 1918 exported seal
and fox skins to the value of approxi
mately $1,000,000; the appropriation
for mining coal by the navy depart
ment of $1,000,000 was not utilized; a
number of the appropriations were not
used in their entirety, and, in the case
of some items, such as «tar mail
routes, there is a certain return to the
government.
No response was received to my re
quest for information regarding the
amount of federal income tax collec
tion, but I estimate it for 1918 to have
been in the neighborhood of $15,000,
000. Taking this as so, the federal
treasury has received the following re
turns from the territory for the fiscal
year 1919:
Income tax, approximately....$15,000,000
Military cable system . 570,198
Unused appropriation for
mining coal by navy de
partment . 1,000,000
Seal and fox skins, approxi
mately . 982,750
Confiscated skins, approxi
mateley . 2,659
Receipts from game licenses 1,205
National forests, over and
above maintenance and
expenses . 59,359
Sales in townsites, timber,
etc., public lands, approxi
mately . 60,000
Total.$17,676,071
In addition to the amounts expended
by direct appropriation, the following
operations are covered by department
allocations:
Repair and preservation of public
buildings (small).
Epxenses of United States marshals,
attorneys and judges.
Public health service (small).
Meals for jurors, miscellaneous
court expenses.
Support <Tf prisoners.
Weather bureau.
. Army, including certain expenses of
military cable. ,
Navy.
Bureau of mines experimental sta
tion.
Customs service, partially self-sup
porting.
Steamboat inspection service
(small).
Other mail service, partially self
supporting.
Coast and geodetic survey.
Lighthouse service.
General land office.
There may be other operations
which have been overlooked.
It would hence seem that Alaska,
far from being a drain on the national
treasury, is a most decided asset, and
that the treasury is annually enriched
by a very substantial sum over and
above all expenditures in Alaska made
by the government for any purpose.
Of course, the completion of the gov
ernment railroad and the appropria
tion of $17,000,000 therefor, will tem
porarily increase Alaska’s debit side
of the ledger, but this will be made
up by Increased industry, yielding ad
ditional returns to the treasury from
taxation.
If Alaska is further assisted to de
velop and allowed to do so by a lib
eral administration of her resources,
the territory will undoubtedly forge
to the front rapidly and effectively.
Cordially yours,
(Signed) THOMAS, RIGGS, JR.
Now at first glance the sum of $15,
000,000 income tax may seem high, but ,
we have analyzed the statement with
bankers and business men, and they
(Continued on Page Six)
1 —
The Greatest Name in GoocJy-Land
I OU know the j§
pi realm of child- jj
■ hood dreams jj
is a land of Jj
sweets, 8
Make some of
those dreams Jj
a delightful §j
reality by B
taking home jj
WfliGLEYS jl
frequently. |jj
How about iff
tonight?
SEALED TIGHT
KEPT RIGHT
PROFESSIONAL
DR. W. W. COUNCIL”"
PHYSICIAN and SURGEON
Office and Residence, Cordova
General Hospital ^Ostrander
Building).
Phones—Residence, 116; Office, 133
’dr.w.I.chase
Physician and Surgeon
Lathrop Building
Phone 9
Established Cordova 1908
DR. W. D’ARCY CHACE
PHYSICIAN and SURGEON
WINDSOR HOTEL
Hours:
1 p. m. to 8 p. m. and 7 p. m, to 8 p. ro,
DR. CHAS. DAGGETT
DENTAL OFFICES
CORDOVA, ALASKA
►-«
DR. CORA DAGGETT
SPECIALIST
Pyorrhea and Dental Prophylaxis
►
DR. VON ZESCH
Dentist
ADAMS BUILDING
DR.CHARLESM. RODSETH”
CHIROPRACTIC. PHYSICIAN
Northern Hotel, v
Phone 158
►---♦
D0N0H0E & DIMOND
ATTORNEYS-AT-LAW
Offices:
CORDOVA and VALDEZ
k a.
FRANK H. FOSTER
attorney-at-law
ROOM 1, OSTRANDER BUILDING
E. F. MEDLEY
ATTORNEY AND COUNSELLOR
AT LAW
Room 1. Adams Block
CORDOVA, ALASKA
►-«
R. H. L. NOAKS
ATTORNEY-AT-LAW
SECOND ST., OPP. HOSPITAL
FRANK A. METCALF
CIVIL AND MINING ENGINEER
U. S. MINERAL SURVEYOR
Juneau, Alaska
►-♦
THE ALPHA
SCHOOL OF DANCING
Private lessons every evening.
American Bakery. Phone 203.
►- ■ —♦
JUST received!
A LARGE SHIPMENT OF |
LIVE CHICKENS
Good Friers
—
FRESH EGGS
FOR SALE
JOEFREY
Phone 22
SPECIAL
S FEATURE
LAST TIME TONIGHT
The Fast-Moving Drama of Thrills and
Suspense
THE FACE
IN
THE DARK
V
The story of the girl
who knew things de
tectives couldn’t
guess at, played by
Mae
Marsh
■ A five-act Goldwyn
K picture with an inter
H esting plot.
Hj A Icq
■ MAE MAEStf Tl r , , c ,,
■ in 1 he r able ot the
fl if^THE^muK Olive and the Orange
I 4Sac^*WBBW , —Educational
■ Tomorrow, “Empty Pockets”
NEW FALL ' I
j STETSONS j
I J ARE HERE
gj You will find much to interest you in the jg
!( jg new Stetsons we have selected for your ap- gj
gj proval. This season’s models include an un- gjj
| usually wide range of styles in Soft Hats, jgl
jg Style may be your first requirement in a hat gj
jg —or good service may be your particular gjj
| want. The Stetson Quality-mark is your as- jg|
| surance of both style and service gjj
jg _ gj
| WILL CLAYSON |
| CRANE.SERVICE MINING EQUIPMENT PIPE AND FITTINGS MARINE SUPPLIES I
| MANUFACTURERS, JOBBERS AND REBUILDERS GENERAL MACHINERY I
NOTICE.—We are now located in our new building at the Ocean Dock
I Harmon machinery company, inc.I
CORDOVA. ALASKA |
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