Page:Catholic Encyclopedia, volume 17.djvu/38

 ALAGOAS 22 ALASKA

importance of Mobile as a port was greatly in- parts of Alaska are passing through the stage of

creased by the opening of the Panama Canal. Ala- the deserted mining camp. The adoption of a

bama'fl contribution to the World War was 74,678 broad constructive policy that will make for the

soldiers, or 1.99 per cent of the United States Army, rational development of Alaska through the peo-

They trained either with the Slst Division at Camp pling of the country and the ' financing of indus-

Wheeler, Georgia, or with the 82d Division of the tries will do much, indeed, for the nation.

National Army at Camp Gordon, Georgia. Of the Resources. — In 1918 the output of canned salmon

casualties in the Expeditionary Forces, 46 officers and was 6,605,835 cases, and the total value of the

1,205 men died; 6 officers and 40 men were taken fisheries of the territory was $59,099,483.

prisoners; 156 officers and 3,705 men were wounded. The output of gold for the fiscal year 1918 was

Reugion.— According to the most reliable in- $9,108,500; 1919, $9,036,300. The national forests formation, the Southern Baptists in Alabama num- of Alaska have an area of about 20,579,000 acres ber 207,603; the Methodist Episcopalians, South, (30 June, 1920). The total wealth accruing to the 167,938; the Southern Presbyterians, 20,428. The United States from its Alaskan possessions between Catholic population of the state in 1920 was about 1867 and 1919 is calculated at nearly $600,000,000. 40,000. Convents and schools are conducted in During the fiscal year 1919 the bulk of trade, ex- Montgomery by the Sisters of Loretto, in Selma by port and import, amounted to $135,115,025. There the Sisters of Mercy, in Cullman by the Sisters of are 180,000 animals farmed out in herds to the the Sacred Heart, and in Birmingham by the Sisters various mission centers, of St. Benedict. Government and Revenue.— By Act of Congress,

On 5 March, 1911, Catholic Mobile, under the approved 24 August, 1912, Alaska became a terri-

leadership of its Bishop, Rt. Rev. Edward P. Allen, tory with a legislative assembly consisting of eight

celebrated the bi-centenary of the foundation of senators and sixteen representatives. Congress re-

the city, by a solemn pontifical Mass at which the served to itself the right to legislate on certain

late Cardinal Gibbons presided, followed by other subjects, so that the territorv is now governed

imposing ceremonies. conjointly by Congress at Washington and its local

Legislation. — ^The sale of liquors has been pro- legislative assembiv. The delegate to Congress

hibited by state and federal legislation. Alabama participates in the debate but has no vote. Regular

was the thirtieth state to ratify the prohibition sessions are held biennially at Juneau, the capital,

amendment, 14 January, 1919, but refused to ratify Special sessions are called by the governor, who is

the suffrage amendment, 2 September, 1919. After appointed by the President of the United States for

the passage of the Federal Suffrage Act, an ex- four years, and is assisted by a sur\'eyor-general,

traordinaiy session of the legislature was called who is ex-officio secretary of the territory. In

(1920). It was decided that the same conditions November, 1916, Alaska voted for territorial pro-

which applied to male voters were to extend to hibition. The judicial power of the territory is

women voters, and an amendment was proposed vested in the United States District Court for

providing that in order to register or to vote the Alaska, and in probate and juvenile courts and

elector must be of good character and must under- courts of justice. The District Court is divided into

stand the duties and responsibilities of citizenship four divisions. There is no provision for taxation

under a republican government. This was designed of real or personal property, except in municipalities

to prevent the voting of undesirable females of (2 per cent only). The revenues are derived from

the negro race. business licenses. There is no funded debt. The

Alagoas, Diocese of. See Macbio. governor's message to the Alaska legislature urged

^, j^^^ooo M K>^^ A* v.i«v. ^jjg revision of the act to regulate marriage and

Alaska (cf. C. E., I-246c). — ^Arba and Accebsi- marriage licenses, in order that any person author-

BiUTY. — ^According to the census of 1920, Alaska ized to solemnize marriage between parties living

embraces, inclusive of the islands, 590,884 square more than twenty-five miles away from the office

miles. The total area including water surface is of the United States Commissioner could issue mar-

378,165,760 acres. There is a railway of 112 miles riiixe licenses as agent for the commissioner,

from Skagway to the town of White Horse in the Editg\tion. — ^The federal (Nelson) law provides

Canadian Yukon region; thence transport is by for schools outside of incorporated school districts

coach or, in summer, by steamer. The Copper and receives for their maintenance 25 per cent of

River and Northwestern Railway completed its the Alaska fund. The territorial laws provide for

line from Cordova to Kenfiecott, a distance of 197 schools in incorporated towns, one-fourth of the

miles, in 1911. In 1915 the route for the Alaska cost of maintenance being borne by the town or

railroad was decided upon, to run from Seward to district by taxation of real and personal property;

Fairbanks, a distance of 471 miles. Of this 398 this includes night schools. The Board of Educa-

miles are alreadv being used. lion, which is composed of the governor and four

Population. — ^The census of 1920 revealed a sur- senators, appoints the territorial commissioner of

prising decrease in population from 64,356 in 1910 education. The schools for the education of the

to 54,899. natives are imder the supervision of the United

Recent History. — Intensely patriotic, the first States Commissioner of Education in Washington,

thought of the Alaskans during the World War In 1920 there were 67 schools in Alaska with 3,418

was service to their country, and by the end of enrolled pupils and 163 teachers. The total cost of

1918 the exodus assumed the proportions of a instruction was $330,038. An appropriation of $60,*

t3rpical Alaska stampede. Alaska's contribution was 000 has been made for the uncompleted Alaska

2,102 soldiers, or 1.06 per cent. The heavy drain Agricultural College and School of Mines near Fair-

of man power resulted in curtailing the output of banks. The report on education for 1918 (156-57)

many industries and in the interruption of all new enumerates in Alaska three schools of the Russian

development, with the exception of the fishing and Mission ministering to Indians of their own com-

lumbering industries, which were enlarged to meet munities and to Russian white children,

the demand for food and airplane material. T^e Catholic Missions. — ^The Prefecture Apostolic

production of gold dropped nearly 45 per cent comprising the 586,400 square miles that make up

Detween 1916 and 1919, and the labor employed in the Territory of Alaska and the Aleutian Islands

all forms of mining was cut in half. Considerable was erected into a Vicariate Apostolic 22 December^