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THE SOEANTON TRIBUNE-TUESDAY, DECEMBER 23, 1902.
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INFORMATION
ABOUT ALASKA
"UNCLE SAM'S VALUABLE BUT
NEGLECTED TERRITORY.
Eight Times as Large as New Eng
landWrong Ideas hb to Its Cli
mate and Agricultural Possibilities
.Going to be the Theater of Great
Developments in the Near Future.
In view of the acunl popular knowl
edge about AUislta tome accurate Infor
mation will be ot'valuu: Alaska Is eight
times ns largo as all ot New ISiiRlaml.
Its count lino Is :!0,000 miles. It has the
best yellow cedar In the world. It lias
tho greatest salmon fisheries. It has
roiV banks that beat New l-'oumilantl.
11 has the second largest river in the
world. Tho Yukon Is twenty mllea wide,
700 miles from Its mouth. With Its trib
utaries 2,ti00 miles. It discharges one
third more water than the Mississippi.
Alaska has an area oC :iV"2!t,000 acres;
272,000,000 nuiTH lie within tho temper
ate zone. In 1SG7 the Knltecl States go
crnment paid far this area .$7,200,000.
One Alaskan company alone has paid
the United States government. $7,000,
000 in rental and royalties. The value
of Alaska salmon packed In 1001 was
wcv $7.00S,0CO.
Misconceptions.
Tlieie never could be a greater mls
conecpt'on In regard to a geographical
fact ihnn the papular Idea that Alaska
la a Bnow-covered waste. As a matter
of fact, one can travel from one end
of. the Yukon to the other in summer
und never see snow. On the contrary,
one will see a tangle of luxuriant veg
etation, large forests ami such delicacies
as wild raspberiles, red currants,
hucklrberrieti and cranberries In pro
fusion. Tn places the grass grows as
high as a man's shoulders.
Hardy vegetables nre grown with
marked success nil over Alaska south
of the Arctic circle, except on the coast
of Bering Sea. Fine potntoes, cnuli
llower, cabbage, p.ilp peas, lettuce and
radishes have been grown nt the ex
perimental stations at Sitka und Kenal.
At Dawson the Chamber of Commerce
rooms of that town display fine samples
of barley, oats and wheat in many va
rieties, perfectly normal in all partic
ulars, and grown there by a local ex
perimenter. At Eagle a luxuriant
growth of sweet peas, popples, mignon
ette and a host of flowers in full bloom
may bo seen in summer.
Dawson truck growers now raise rad
ishes, lettuce, turnips, celery, cauliflow
er, beets, parsnips and all such stocks
in abundance and supply the market,
and some have succeeded in maturing
potatoes. The vegetables enumerated
nrs finer than grown elsewhere In the
ivoild, because tho twenty-four hours of
sun In summer rushes the growth so
that they have no time to harden or
grow tough, and are sweet and delicious
and almost melt in the mouth.
Alaska can furnish homestead ot 320
acres each to 200,000 families. She has
abundant resources to support a pop
ulation of at least 3,000,000 people. Tho
development of agriculture -would re
duce the cost of living, make labor more
plentiful and give rise to better trans
portation facilities.
When the fishing Industry of Alaska
is developed It will engage the labors
of hundreds of thousands of people who
must be fed In a large measure from the
farms. The salmon Is as yet the only
fish that has attracted attention. There
nre thousands of square miles of cod
banks: the enormous halibut grounds
have not been touched, and tho myriad
shoals of herring go by unheeded. An
oil and guano factory has been estab
lished at Klllisnoo, a little village near
Sitka, in which herring are used. There
is room for fifty such enterprises. The
guano sells readily for $30 a ton.
With such facts as to resources, why
is Alaska not settled? Simply because
settlers cannot get title to land. To
get title the settler must buy soldiers'
additional homestead scrip, which can
be located on unsurveyed lands. This
will cost anywhere from $5 to $l!i an
acre. Then he must deposit In the sur
veyor general's oiilce an amount which
will cover tho cost of survey. Deputy
surveyor's charge $13 to $20 a day and
traveling expenses hi Alaska. The re
sult of all this Is that a piece of raw
land In Alaska will cost him ns much
ns n good, Improved farm in tho states.
Such conditions are prohibitive und
Alaska will not be settled as long as
.(they prevail.
One Congressman's Views.
Congressman Woolen, of Texas, who
jpent last summer In investigating
Alaskan conditions, upon his return is
sued a. statement from which we make
the following extracts:
"Tho American people and the gov
ernment at AVashlngton are wonderful
ly Ignorant of tho actual character of
that territory ami oC its almost unlim
ited possibilities, Ever since it wns
acquired In 1S07 the prevalent concep
tion of Alaska has been that It Is n
land of eternal winter, where perpet
ual gloom enshrouds a desolate land
scape of snow and Icebergs, peopled by
a squalid and hopeless race of degrad
nd Indians and Eskimo dogs, nnd pos
sessing a limited supply of gold, fish
and furs. It was and is still called by
those who are too Ignorant to bo sus
ceptible of Intelligent opinion or too
Indolent to acquire accurate knowl
rdge, 'Seward's Ice-Box,' and when
Jharles Sumner proposed its name, de
rived from tho Indian words meaning
Great Country, everybody sneered at
'the Irony of the title,
"A distinguished United States sen
u'tor ten years after tho purchase de
scribed It aa a pluce of 'nine months
Winter nnd tluee months damnation
'cold weather,' Similar expressions were
nuco current in regard to the great
, Louisiana Purchase and tho mnanlfl
?ent domain acquired by the Mexican
"war, ana they sulllce to show the slow
in ogress of Intelligent knowledge even
ajnong those whoso business It Is to
Know and to promote the true Inter
ests of our great Ilepublle,
"Few penplo know or will credit the
fact that Alaska comprises a tenltory
ns largo as all of the United States
enst of the Mississippi river; thut It
has a coast Hue of 20,000 miles, reach
ing with Us outlying Islands almost to
Japan; that Its great ilver the Yukon
with Its tributaries, furnishes threo
thousand miles of splendid uavlgutlon,
watering n, valley of surpassing beauty
and fertility, whose lowlands produce
in 'wild profusion every kind of fruit
and borry and where cultivation yields
crops of vegetables tho like of which
for abundance, sliso and rapidity of
growth cannot be found nnywhere In
tho world; that Its cousts und Inland
lakes and streams are swarming with
salmon, hullbut, cod-fish, trout and
lively valuable variety of fish, while
nllltjj mountains und waters contain
today the principal w.orld's supply pf
tur-produclng animals; that Us timber,
output Is almost Inexhaustible; that it
possesses the richest placer and quartz
gold mines in all the world; and that
on tho lower Yukon and In that vaBt
region thht lies to tho northwest and
reaches tho far Westward Islands, all
capable of raising Immense crops of
within American territory, there nre
many millions of acres of arable land
wheat and oats nnd Illimitable ranges
for cattle, horses and sheep. And yet
nil these are plain facts about Alaska,
demonstrable by a visit there and ver
ified by tho recorded observations of
perfectly candid and credible men. I
myself have seen most of these things
with my own eyes and the others have
been vouched to mo by those whose
kuowludgo nnd veracity nro beyond
question. And these physical facts arc
In entire accord with natural condi
tions and with accredited achieve
ments under similar conditions else
where. The Climate.
"The latitude of Juneau, Sltkn,
Skngway and Valdcz Is practically
tho same as that of Christiana and
Copenhagen, nnd tho well developed
agricultural regions of Nor'wuy and
Sweden. Finland Is six degrees further
north than Alaska, and Its climatic con
ditions nro far more favorable; ilnd
yet that little realm produces annually
for export 300,000 head of horses, 3,000,
000 cattle, 1,000,000 sheep, 2,000,000 hogs,
and ducks, chickens nnd geese Innumer
able. In the last live years It has ex
ported 133,743,216 pounds of butter and
1,972,184 pounds of cheese. And Finland
has no gold mines, no furs, no fisheries,
no lumber, In oil of which products
Alaska Is unequaled by any country.
"I do not hesitnto to declare that in
Alaska the United Stutes possess a
storehouse of every form of material
wealth that cannot be surpassed and
hardly equaled by any like area of land
and water on tho face of the globe. The
country hns been neglected and misun
derstood, Its conditions have been mis
represented and disparaged, Its sturdy
pioneers nnd dauntless miners have
been unustly taxed and unnecessarily
burdened by the government, and even
its territory has Ibeen pilfered nnd Its
political integrity menaced by the ag
gressions of British greed and the ig
norance or indifference of American
diplomacy. The time has come when
the facts should be known and justice
should be done to that splendid coun
try nnd Its enterprising, intrepid, mas
terful pioneers.
What Alaska Needs.
"Men and women who have the hard
ihood to travel to that far-off land and
to endure the privations and perils of
the struggle necessary to explore and
develop such a vast and unknown
region, certainly deserve to bo treated
justly and generously by their own gov
ernment. They have enough to bear
nnd to do without having the heavy
hand of needless taxation laid upon
them, and without being perpetually
harassed by a pitiful system of official
and legal dlspotism. All they ask, and
it is as little as they deserve, is that
they be allowed some voice In framing
tho legislation that Is to govern them,
that they bo given a few wise and just
laws the fewer and simpler the bet
terand that they then be permitted
to work out the destiny of their great
country with as few restrictions and as
little interference by tax-gatherers and
legal functionaries as possible. That
was the way the great West and South
west were developed, nnd that is tho
way that Alaska can attain her true
destiny.
OXFORD UNIVERSITY.
How It Differs from and Compares
with American. Universities.
From the llovlew of Reviews.
The college enrolls the student; feeds
him; provides his bed: assigns to him
a tutor ns his special advisor; opens its
gates for him in the morning nnd
closes them for him nt night; asks him
to worship in its chapel, play In Its
cricket matches, wear its colors, and
row in its boat; watches over hlin, re
ceives most of his fees, and provides
within its walls a considerable portion
of his teaching.
The university assists in matricu
lating the student, provides part of his
teaching, examines him, and graduates
him. The facilities for study offered
by it, as distinct from those offered by
tho colleges, nre the lectures of Its un
iversity professors, its galleries, mus
eums, and libraries. To the student,
however, it will be known mainly as a
great, grim, and terrible examining
board for the university system of
England illffeis from the American in
that the student's scholarship, instead
of being passed upon plecpmeal by half
a hundred professors nt the conclusion
of as many courses, is determined by
the result of three meat examination
tests. All the Instruction irlven by
the colleges, by private tutors, or by
the university leads toward these
three examinations. They are the key
to the whole educational system, and
must bo passed, in one or other of tho
authorized forms, before a degree can
bs had.
Tho examinations are held in the
"Schools" building In which 1,500 stu
dents can bo examined at one time.
There are no freshmen, sophomore,
junior nnd senior clnsses, though somo
times a student who has not yet taken
his second examination may be spoken
of as a junior, and one who hns taken
It, but not the llnal, as a senior. Yet
slnco students can enter college at the
beginning of any term, and can bo
graduated at the close of any semester,
there Is in Oxford no ranking by years
of residence. Students are grouned bv
colleges, and not by classes. The three!
sets of examinations roughly divide the
student's educational life Into threo
parts, and nre taken, successively, at
or near the beginning of his career, to
ward the middle, and at Its dose. Tho
first, or entrance examination, corre
sponds quite closely with the entrance
examination at an American college,
with tho exception that tho candidate
docs not necessarily pass It before he
Is entered upon tho books as a stu
dent, llo very likely will not pass It
till his fourth term. This is tho ordeal
known in college slang ns "Smalls''
and In oillclal language as "llespon
slons." This examination muy fairly
be said to be about equal In severity
to tho similar test at Harvard or at
Yule, As at American colleges, also,
under somo circumstanced, certificates
are accepted, and it Is quite possible
that the educational tests which may
bo Instituted for the Rhodes scholar
ships by the trustees of the fund may
bo accepted as part, ut leubt, of this
examination requirement. The second
examination may bu passed by any stu
dent ufter his fourth term, or at tho
end of his first year; and usually Is
passed before he has completed his
eighth term, or second year,
WHAT THE! BISHOP SAID.
The Episcopal cleric now Jn New York
attending the services Incident to tho
observance of Advent yesterday added
another to the many stories told of that
kindly man, the late Bishop Williams,
who prior to his death in Mlddletown.
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season, so we
next two days.
Vicunas .among
twist soutache silk cord. See them in our Lacka
wanna Avenue window. $7, $8 it C fid
and $10 Jackets, now . , . . O.XJU
UMBRELLAS
Some beautiful handles in ivoru,
gold, silver or natural wood.
Don't let the beautiful handle
tempt you when buying Umbrellas.
Examine the quality of "Taffeta" or
"Gloria" Silk, that's where you want
the value. We show this season
some of the richest handles to be
had, but we never slight the quality
of cover good qualities all the way
through. It
man friend to receive such an
Umbrella. Prices are from . . .
Here's some Ladies' Umbrellas
at areatlu reduced prices. :- :-
There's about 150 altogether, many of them
have Mother of Pearl handles, mounted with
gold and silver, taffeta and gloria silks, plain
black or colored. Original values
up to $8. Reduced prices from
r$&fe' SnM,TOi
msziit&Effimmmr
WmrWMi M ffi 1 111 TTM M-i
vnK
J$J
fl packed one in
sentation, from
SAMTER BROTHERS,
Complete Outfitters
Conn., a year or two ago, was accorded
the unwritten title of Prclato of Amer
ica of tho Protestant Episcopal cluiroji,
"Bishop Williams, whose charities
were as well known as his humor, loved
a good dinner and wus not adverse to a
hottlu of good wine 'for his stomach's
sake as an accompaniment," Mild the
clergyman.
"On one occasion he wns invited hy a
friend of similar tastes to go on a fish
ing trip. A single bottle of generous
size was added to the luncheon hamper
by tho host, The clouds which covered
the sky when tho little fishing boat
started were dispelled hy the sun, which
shone hotter and more hot by the time
tho llshlng grounds were lenche).
"Tho bottle of wine, attached to ji Cord
knotted about lis neck, was suspended
overboard In the water to cool. Now,
as every skipper, great and small welt
knows, water is a great loosener of
knots,
"Luncheon time found a very thirsty
bishop anticipating the cooling draughts
from the suspended bottle. With edibles
spread upon the small deck tho wlno
was sought hut the host found nothing
but the rope's end. '
" 'Bishop that bottle of wine has sunk
to the bottom. If you will pardon me.
I'll Bay damn! What do you say?' "
" 'Considering the provocation,' said
Bishop Williams with a umlle, 'I think
I'll say Amen!' "New York Mall and
Exoress.
$7, ' $5 and $10
Lounge or Smoking
Jackets at $5.
Here's the opportunity for
,a handsome Xmas gift.
You probably know that Smok
ing Jackets do not sell readily all
the year 'round. We don't care
to carry them over until next
give you this opportunity for the
There's many fine double-faced
them, all trimmed
will please your gentle
Mufflers and Neckwear
When buying presents of this
kind it will certainly help you in
Pw yur selection to look at the larg
est display in this
find the choicest of
here. Mufflers
a box, for pre
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fi"i''laS'$'l'l'i''l''2'S''S''2'i''al'S''S',Sf'I"Sa'l''i''i'i''l''i''(''i''i'!''$'"2''i'2'ai'll'l'ai'
Have You ALL
Your Christmas Presents.
Isn't there some one you ought to remember ?
If so, here are a few things, just as sugges
tions that would help solve the Christmas
problem,.
Sheet Music or music books are very welcome
to anyone who plays, We have the latest oper
ate pieces and popular successes and the stand
ard works as well,
Violins, Mandolins, Banjos and Guitars at
prices from $2. 50 to $50.00, and all the smaller
musical instruments at all sorts of prices from
live cents up, Some of these would please any
boy. Come in and let us show you,
N. A. HULBERT
117 Wyoming Avenue.
f
with double-
$2 to $6
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city. You 11
silk patterns
and Neckties
to $1.50
J 1 Don't Forget SM Toylatid
1 1 n ' 1
Christmas Is Very Near
Right now is the time to make up your mind what
you're going to buy. At the Big Store is the place to
carry out your conclusions.
Plltc on the second floor. Practical and pretty
15 presents for mother, sister and friend.
Genuine Lynx Scarf, 6 tails,
$55.00
Sablo Fox Scarf, single skins,
$6.68
Opposum Scarfs, 6 tails,
$3.98
WONEN'S WAISTS, COATS, SUITS AND SKIRTS
at nrices that tell a convincing story. Frecnh Flannel Waists all colors
24 rows of corduroy in front, 1 2 row3 on the back, new
sleeve and cuff trimmed with steel buttons, value $3, special
WALKING SKIRTS
$6.60 and $7.50 Melton Walking Skirts, pleated or slot
seams, rows of stitching, black, blue, oxford and mixed
novelties at
WOMEN'S SUITS
$20.00 to $30.00 Suits, made from Broadcloth, Chev- a.
iots, Serges, Zlbellnes "and Homespuns at p 1 dUU
$10.00 to $12.00 Women's Monte Ca'rlo Coats and Box &,.
Coats at PO.y O
Handsomely Designed Furniture
That will make beautiful and useful presents.
Rockers
AJl woods and finishes; also
reed from
$1.89 to $40.00
iVusic Cabinets
Oak or Mahogany shaped tops,
moveable shelves and drawers,
$7.00 to $22.50
Chiffonieres
Oak, Mahogany, or birds-eye
maple; very fine finish, at
$5.90 to $30.00
Office Chairs
Rotary typewriter and station
ary; cane, wood and leather seat
ings, $3.50 to $27.00
Upholstered Pieces
Odd and fancy upholstered
pieces, in gilt, mahogany and oak,
in choice silk coverings,
$7.25 to $18.75
Hall Racks
An extensive line to make selec
tions from.
$3.98 to $38.00
JONAS LONG'S SONS
I Sensible People
I Sensible People
K
s Want Sensible Presents
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We have never been as well prepared for the Holiday s-eason jj
as we arc now. Our assortment of high class Morris Chairs,
V handsome Parlor Rockers, etc.; Joint Willow Chairs, in new j
" and artistic designs ; Jardinier Stands, etc., is matchless in its M
CClilipii:ii:iii.-aa. gg '
Parlor Rocker, Upholstered Seats , $2.50 to $10.00 jjj
Large, Willow Rocking Chairs ....-. , 5.00 to 0.00 Jt,'
Morris Chairs, Solid Oak, very heavy, hand $
carved, with hair cushions ...........i 9.00 to 20.00 jt
Solid Oak Tables, highly finished, , Goc.to 5.00 j
Jardinier Stands, many styles, (to close) , 50c
Hassocks, Carpet Sweepers, Rugs, Lace Curtains, (Tapestry,
H Porlicrs, etc., at specially low
With every $20.00 purchase of Carpets, your
choice of any Parlor Rocker in stock, marked
at from $8.00 to $8.50 each. This offer closes
on Wednesday evening.
FREE
J. Scott
419 Lacka. Ave., Scranton, Pa
- 'A 'A A 'A "A 'A 'A 'A mA A A A A 'A A A A'A
joun s. jKC'.vm:.
St. Clou
flcCABE & O'CONNOR, Proprietors,
Corner Wyoming Ave. and Linden St., Scrauton, Pa.
Heals to Order O C-r
at All Hours. , &OK,.
Oysters in Every Style,
J 2 1-2 yd long Sable Scarf, gen.-
uino tails
$25.00
Sablo Fox Scarf, double skim,
$12.50
Long Martin Scarf; lias 6 tails,
$75.00
$2.55
$4.90
Parlor flirrors
Gilt, Ebony and Spanish oak
select designs, at
$3. 75, to $22.00
Mahogany parlor cabinets,
$25.00 to $37.50
florris Chairs
High grades, in French and
Verona; velour cushions, oak or
mahogany frames; all the cush
ions strictly hair, filled.
$9.00 to $28.00
Toilet Dressers
Oak, mahogany and birdseye
maple,
$6.50 to $40.00
Couches and Divans
The finest collection in this city
upholstered in velours, panta
sote, candacos and genuine leather
$3.98 to $50.00
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prices.
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Inglis,
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A A 'A 'A 'A A A 'A A A A A A A A A A Aft
MAKTIN O'CONNOn.
Game in Season,
Siote
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