26 



GRASS LANDS OF THE SOUTH ALASKA COAST. 



No i:)redictions can here be ventured concerning the future devel- 

 opment of south Alaska. The j^i'e^ent resources are mainly furs, 

 fisheries, and mines. The fur industry is becoming less and less 

 important. The fisheries are alreadj^ highly developed, but are 

 capable of considerable increase. The mines undoubtedly will bo- 

 come more and more important. It is probable, too, that the exten- 

 sive explorations now carried on in prospecting for oil will result 

 in the development of another important industry. 



FREIGHTS AND TRANSPORTATION. 



At the present time both freight and passenger rates to and be- 

 tween Alaskan ports may be considered moderate. The great bulk 

 of the freight traffic is northward, a condition that is not unlikely 

 to continue. Any permanent increase in the traffic to and from 

 Alaskan ports will naturally be accompanied by a corresponding 

 lowering of rates. The transportation companies doing business in 

 south Alaska seem to be quite as liberal as conditions will permit, 

 and so far as expressed sentiment goes their general policy will be 

 the wise one of encouraging as far as possible an}^ industry that 

 promises to add to the sum total of the traffic. 



DESIRABILITY OF SOUTH ALASKA AS A HOME. 



Climate. — The south Alaska coast lies in the same latitude as 

 northern Labrador, the north of Scotland, and the south of Sweden, 

 but none of these regions is very similar to it. In fact, south Alaska 

 has several peculiarities which render close comparison with any 

 other region difficult. In general, the climate is a moist one, accom- 

 panied by no great extremes in temperature. The thermometer very 

 seldom reaches zero in winter, nor does it exceed 75° F. in summer. 



The following tables give the more important meteorological data 

 as compiled from various published reports, localities in Sweden, 

 Canada, and the State of Washington being included for comparison : 



Monthly diul (innucil mean temperatures at points in Alaska and esleicJicre. 



Station. 



Sitka« 



Sitka'' .-- 



Kadiak-. 



Unalaska" 



Unalaska'' _ 



Port Angeles 



Wash 



Ottawa. Canada . 

 Stockbolm, Swe 



den 



" From records kept by the Russian Government. 

 '' From records of the United States Signal Service 



