EXTRACT OF GOVERNOR
PARKS’ANNUAL MESSAGE
into closer touch with more settled
districts of the Territory as well as
to the States, and has been no small
factor in stimulating mining develop
ments in the isolated regions. Not
unmindful of the part played by this
means of transportation, the last Ter
ritorial Legislature provided funds
for airplane landing fields that are
now being constructed in the remote
sections of the Territory. When these
are completed, districts that formerly
were accessible only through weeks
of travel, sometimes hazardous and
always tedious, can be reached within
a few short hours.
The Alaska Railroad, in conjunction
with river steamers operated by it on
the Yukon and Tanana Rivers, ren
ders excellent service to all of the
Territory from Resurrection Bay to
St. Michael on the Bering Sea and
to mining settlements in the upper
Kuskokwim River regions. Governor
Parks directs attention to the fact
that a large amount of work remains
to be done before the railroad is com
pleted and adds: “Adequate appropri
ations are essential if the operation
and maintenance charges are to be
reduced to a reasonable amount.” He
said, “The annual report of the Gen
eral Manager of the Alaska Railroad
showed the policy adopted early in
1924, making for economy and effi
ciency in operation, has resulted in
decreased maintenance costs and a
reduction in the annual deficiency.”
Supplementing these communica
tions are water routes out of Nome
both north and south, in Bristol Bay,
and out of Cook Inlet unserved by
regular transportation lines for which
subsidies are provided by the Terri
rial Legislature. Three steamship
lines operated during the season of
1924 and four in 1925 maintained an
excellent service throughout the sum
mer season. The Canadian National
Steamship lines resumed operations
between Vancouver and southeastern
Alaskan points for the first time
since 1917.
Tourist travel to Alaska was in
creased over 1924, virtually all of the
steamers operating between Seattle
and southeastern and western Alaska,
and Vaucouver and southeastern Alas
ka carrying capacity loads during the
season. Hundreds of tourists visited
interior Alaska via the Alaska Rail
road and the Richardson Highway
PROFESSIONAL CARDS
Dr. J. A. Baughman
Physician and Surgeon
CHRONIC DISEASES A SPECIALTY
Phone Madison 90. Seward, Alaska
W. D. Coppernoll
ATTORNEY AND COUNSELOR AT
LAW
Will Practice in All Courts of the
Territory
SEWARD, ALASKA
SEE
Curtis R. Morford
FOR FIRE INSURANCE
Dr. A. R. Roberts
DENTIST
Dental and General
X-RAY WORK
New Tecklenberg Bldg.
Phone Mad. 108 - - - Seward, Alaska
Aaron E. Rucker
ATTORNEY AT LAW
Office in Benson Building
PHONE MADISON 114
Hugh Dougherty
REAL ESTATE AND FIRE
INSURANCE
AGENT FOR
Equitable Life Assurance
Society
TELEPHONES
Bus. Adams 152 Res., Madison 58
and many of these visited the Mc
Kinley National Park, opened for the
first full season. The construction of
an automobile road from McKinley
Park station into the heart of the
park will undoubtedly attract more
and more visitors each succeeding
year.
Changes in the boundaries of the
land districts make them conform to
the boundaries of the judicial divisions
are recommended to facilitate the ad
ministration of public land laws. The
Governor asks for removal of restric
tions on the number of trade and
manufacturing sites that may be ac
quired by an individual or corpora
tion. He points out that the require
ment of the homestead law that sur
veys be rectangular and boundaries
follow cardinal courses, is impracti
cable in coastal Alaska, oftentimes
making it impossible for pioneer
homesteaders to acquire the desira
ble agricultural lands. He also asks
for the inclusion of Alaska in the
program for a national topographic
survey authorized by Congress last
winter and requests annual allotments
as funds are available.
Governor Parks reports a marked
increase in the death rate during the
year. Reports on the condition of pub
lic health, he points out, are very in
complete and received from sources
so varied as to detract from their
reliability. Tuberculosis exacts heavy
toll among the aboriginal tribes and
during the year severe epidemics of
measles in all four divisions, influenza
reaching epidemic proportions in three
divisions, smallpox in two and diph
theria in three, were reported.
The condition of the aboriginal races
is deplorable and no great improve
ment is believed possible until some
form of Territorial contact is made
with the various services and agen
cies engaged in medical relief among
them. No one knows the number of :
hospitals in the Territory nor their
equipment, the number and locations
of physicians, nor even approximately
the number of people, whites and na
tives, depending on them for relief.
Areas containing thousands of natives
never have seen a physician, and in
matters of sanitation are still in the
Stone Age. Arising from such condi
tions each year are emergencies which
demand, or seem to demand, immedi
ate attention, costing many thousands
of dollars annually. Much of this
money is w'asted because of imperfect
knowledge of conditions in isolated
districts and for want of co-operation
between such relief agencies as are
available.
Governor Parks cites the Bristol
Bay area containing an aboriginal
population of more than 5,000 people
and the Yukon River valley and trib
utary regions as specific instances
where more efficient health service
is needed. For the latter he recom
mends a hospital boat for service on
the Yukon River and tributary streams
for summer; relief work and suggested
the advisability of extending this
w’ork throughout the year by reopen
ing the hospital at the abandoned mil
itary post of Fort Gibbon. He also
urged that funds be made available
for a medical and sanitary survey of
villages inhabited by the aboriginal
tribes in the Bristol Bay area.
Eight agencies for law enforcement
under as many heads without any
method of co-ordination has brought
about much duplication of effort re
sulting in inefficiency and extrava
gance, declared the Governor’s report.
This was not attributed to the person
nel of the various agencies but was
said to be inherent to the method in
vogue and impossible of elimination
until responsibility for law enforce
ment should be vested in a single or
ganization under one chief having
headquarters within the Territory.
Hence he recommends that a Terri
torial Constabulary be created as of
fering the most practical solution of
the problem, which would not only ef
fect materia! economy, but would in
crease efficiency and eliminate the
confusion of conflicting efforts. Gov.
Parks said: “Properly organized and
in charge of efficient officers, a con
stabulary with headquarters in Alas
ka can patrol the Territory, enforcing
laws, at a minimum expense.”
Recommendations:
1. Enactment of law authorizing the
Secretary of the Interior* to lease pub
lic domain for grazing and for the
propagation of fur bearing animals.
2. Amendment of the present law
which limits the number of trade and
manufacturing sites that may be ac
quired by an individual or corporation.
3. Amendment of homestead laws
to permit survey of boundary lines on
other than cardinal points.
4. Boundaries of land districts be
There are few things in life
more highly desired at Christ
mas time than quality Jewel
ry. And here is a Store that
features nothing but the high
est standard of Merchandise,
marked so reasonably low that
every gift-seeker will respond
to this announcement.
Jewelry!
Brings the Yuletide Smile
ORLANDER’S
changed to conform with Judicial Di
visions.
5. Construction of administration
building in Juneau.
6. Allotment of part of the revenues
from the Seal Islands to a fund for
the support and maintenance of the
public schools.
7. Repeal of the law restricting the
number of placer mining claims that
may be located by an individual or
corporation.
8. Creation of a constabulary or
territorial police responsible for law
enforcement in the Territory to re
place the eight organizations now in
existence.
9. Legislation that will authorize
the issuance of patents for town lots
to natives.
10. Allotment of funds for topo
graphic surveys in Alaska under the
Act of February 27, 1925.
11. Purchase and equipment oi a
boat as floating clinic for summer
work on Yukon River and tributaries
to supply medical aid and instruction
in sanitation and hygiene to natives
and others in the interior of Alaska;
and rehabilitation of abandoned mili
tary hospital at Tanana for winter
service when boat is out of commis
sion.
12. That the work heretofore car
ried on by the Bureau of Mines un
der the appropriation for mining in
vestigations in Alaska be continued
and that authority be obtained which
will authorize a co-operative agree
ment between the Federal government
and the Territory wherby the Terri
torial funds for mining investigations
may be expended by the Federal
agents.
Imparted Perfumes—Alaska Shop.
Henry M. Weir, oldtimer of the
Talkeetna district, arrived in Sew
ard Saturday from the Interior.
Rev. Win. A. Thomas, returned to
Anchorage this morning after holding
church services locally yesterday.
SEWARD CLUB
Under New
MANAGEMENT
OLD AND NEW
FRIENDS INVITED
ED ERICKSON
I
Alaska Interior Silver
Black Foxes, a limited t
number of 1925 pups will
be sold this season. If you
wish good foxes to start
your ranch with. Let me
furnish you your breeders
Price $500 per Pair f. o. b.
Kasilof, Alaska
Kasiiof Silver Fox Ranch
Louis Nissen, Propr.
Kasilof, Alaska
LAUNDRY DONE ON SHORT
NOTICE
Special Care Taken of Silks and of all
* woolens
AMANDA'S LAUNDRY
Next Door to the Belmont Hotel.
PHONE MADISON 126.
Gas Launch
KENAl
FISHING AND HUNTING
PARTIES CARRIED DOWN
LAKE KENAl FOR THE
DAY OR TRIP. TELE
PHONE ARRANGEMENTS
TO MILE TWENTY
Louis Bell, owner
iiniiiiiiiiiiiiiiiBiiiii
Ice Cream
MADE DAILY
HIGH GRADE
Candies
FRAMED PICTURES, CURIOS
AND PHOTOGRAPHS
SYLVIA’S
Phene Adame 128