POPULATION 273 



the coast, in forested as well as non-forested parts. More- 

 over, the forest-fire fiend has not been here. 



The interior of the territory is forested, mainly with 

 spruce, as far north as the valley of the Koyukuk, and as 

 far westward as the delta of the Yukon. In this enormous 

 region there must be a very large amount of coniferous 

 timber, sufficient to supply our country for half a gen- 

 eration in case our other supplies become exhausted. 



POPULATION. 



The population of Alaska in 1900, according to the 

 Twelfth Census, was 63,592, having nearly doubled in 

 the preceding ten years. Of the total increase, 31,540, 

 about three-fourths was acquired by that portion of the 

 territory lying north of the Yukon River, and only one- 

 fourth by that portion south of that river, including south- 

 eastern Alaska. Half of the increase in northern Alaska 

 consisted of the people of Nome, which had a population 

 of 12,486, by far the largest aggregation of people any- 

 where in the Territory; the remainder were scattered 

 widely over its great area, but mainly in the valley of the 

 Yukon and along the coast north of the mouth of that 

 river. 



In southern Alaska the population increased almost 

 everywhere, but not by any means at so rapid a rate as in 

 certain localities in northern Alaska. Skagway had a 

 population of 3,117, Sitka of 1,396, Juneau, 1,864, Doug- 

 las, 825, Wrangell, 868, and the Indian village of Metla- 

 kahtla, 465. 



Of this total population about 25,000, or a little more 

 than two-fifths, were Indians, Eskimos, or mixed bloods, 

 the remainder being whites. The increase during the 

 past ten years probably consists entirely of whites. 



The population is in high degree a floating one, with 

 the slightest possible attachment to localities, and subse- 



