Page:Statesman's Year-Book 1921.djvu/691

 COMMERCE AND COMMUNICATIONS — REFERENCES 639

fisheries of the Pribilof Islands are under the charge of the Federal Depart- ment of Commerce. In 1920 the seal herd contained 525,000 animals.

The salmon fisheries are very valuable, and Government has provided for their preservation by securing legislative enactments for the construction and maintenance of hatcheries. The catch of salmon in 1918 was valued at 53,424,765 dollars. In 1919 there were 134 salmon canneries, employing 28,534 men. The capital invested was 74,181,560 dollars. Halibut, cod, herring, and whales are also caught, the herring and whales for the manu- facture ot oil and manure. In the fisheries in 1918 there were employed 31,213 persons, 639 vessels and 7,587 boats. Total value of fish products in 1918, 59,099,483 dollars ; total capital invested, 73,764,289 dollars.

Gold is worked in South-East Alaska, where a low-grade ore is found ; in the interior on the Yukon river ; and at Nome and other places on the west coast. The output of gold in 1919 was 437,131 fine ounces, valued at 9,036,300 dollars ; of silver 690,151 fine ounces, valued at 705,273 dollars; and of copper, 56,534,992 pounds, valued at 8,783,063 dollars. From 1880, when gold first began to be mined in Alaska, until 1919, 15,039.922 fine ounces have been produced, valued at 302,944,234 dollars. Tin ore deposits near Cape Prince of Wales are of a high grade ; lead is produced ; coal is worked ; petroleum, gypsum, and marble are found. Total value of mineral output in 1919, 19,620,913 dollars; in 1920, 22,070,000 dollars.

Commerce and Communications. — The value of the domestic mer- chandise shipped from the United States to Alaska in the year ending December 31, 1920, amounted to 36,876,855 dollars, and from Alaska to the United States 60,939,061 dollars, besides gold ore and bullion. In the calendar year 1919, 1,130 vessels of 477.878 tons entered the ports of Alaska in domestic trade, and 1,367 of 486,744 tons cleared. The chief ports of shipment of the United States to Alaska are on Puget Sound.

There is a railway of 112 miles from Skagway to the town of White Horse (in the Canadian Yukon region) ; thence transport is by coach or, in summer, by steamer. The Copper River and North Western Railway completed its line (standard gauge) from Cordova to Kennecott, a distance of 197 miles, in 1911. In 1915 the route for the Alaska railroad was decided upon, to run from Seward to Fairbanks, a distance of 471 miles (509 miles with branches). Of this 398 miles are already being used. The Alaskan towns are con- nected with the United States and with Canada by telegraph. There are about 164 post-offices and good mail services in the territory.

References.

Alaska, Compiled Laws. Washington, 1913.

Commercial Alaska. In Monthly Summary of Commerce and Finance of the United States for July, 1903. Washington.

Compilation of Narratives of Explorers, 1869-99. Washington, 1900.

Annual Report of the Governor. Washington.

Publications of the U.S. Geological Survey. Washington. — Geographic Dictionary of Alaska. By Marcus Baker. '2d ed^ U.S. Geological Survey.

Fur Seals in Alaska. Hearings before the Committee of Ways and Means, House of Representatives. March 9 and 10, 1904. Washington.

Gordon (G. B. ). In the Alaskan Wilderness. Philadelphia, 1918.

Kent (Rockwell), Wilderness: A Journal of Quiet Adventnre in Alaska. London, 1920.

Higginson (Blla), Alaska— the Great Country. Xew York and London, 1909.

Salm (Edgar), Die wirUchaflliche Entwickelung von Alaska. Tubinvren, 1914.

Stuck (fl.), Voyages on the Tukon and its Tributaries. New Vork, 1917.

Uwimtood (J. L.), Alaska, an Empire in the Making. London, 191 S.