146 REPORT OF ALASKA INVESTIGATIONS. 



SOME NEEDS OF ALASKA. 



The needs of Alaska are many, but some are so self-evident as to force themselves upon one's attention. 

 I had an excellent opportunity on my trip this past summer to observe these conditions and to answer 

 questions pertaining to them. 



CHARTING AND LIGHTING ALASKA'S COAST. 



The greatest need of Alaska is the charting of her coast. The fact that to-day the United States Govern- 

 ment has many vessels going to and fro, in and out of Alaskan ports and waters, vessels of the Revenue- 

 Cutter Service, the Navy, the Coast and Geodetic Survey, the Bureau of Lighthouses, and the Bureau of 

 Fisheries, to say nothing of the fleet of commercial vessels, makes one wonder that the Government is 

 willing to so constantly risk many lives and such valuable property in uncharted and dangerous waters. 

 Many of the waters, especially in western Alaska, are not charted, and although there are many very 

 dangerous points there are almost no lighthouses. One hardly realizes the vast amount of shore line — 

 about 26,000 miles, or more than the total coast line of all the States of the country bordering on the 

 Atlantic and Pacific Oceans and the Gulf of Mexico. With the exception of a lighthouse on Hinchinbrook 

 Island and two at Unimak Pass, there are no lighthouses from Icy Strait to Nome, a distance of nearly 

 3,000 miles, and the region thus neglected is traveled yearly by many fishing and passenger vessels. In 

 view of this condition, it seems remarkable that there have not been more shipwrecks. In recent years 

 there have been lost over 500 lives and property valued at over $8,000,000. I saw several wrecks of vessels 

 serving as landmarks, and it emphasized to me the fact that, to insure her development Alaska needs to 

 safeguard her waters, which are the gateway to her vast riches. 



Lighthouses are important; but there is also the urgent and absolute need for wire-drag operations 

 on the Alaskan coast, for the purpose of locating the many unknown pinnacle rocks which are so fatal to 

 safe navigation. This comes home to me, for I myself encountered such dangers, increased by much fog 

 and storm. Three vessels this season went to the bottom by striking these pinnacle rocks and uncharted 

 reefs — the United States revenue cutter Tahoma, the ship Parameta, and the Gayhead, worth approximately 

 $500,000. It seems marvelous that others escape, though many do not entirely. I heard of a number 

 this summer that "scraped" or "touched" pinnacle rocks. Absolutely no other method but the drag 

 can locate these peaked mountains hidden under the water. 



ARE THE FISHING INTERESTS TO LEAVE THE UNITED STATES? 



There is another vital matter for Alaska's consideration regarding the protection of certain features 

 of her fishing industry. Seattle is at present the fishing center of the Pacific coast, but is being hard 

 pressed to hold this place, as Prince Rupert, British Columbia, only 90 miles from Ketchikan, and a 

 terminus of the Grand Trunk Pacific Railroad, bids fair to become a formidable rival for the Alaska trade. 

 The fulfillment of such a prophecy is not far off. In fact, it is close at hand, and unless something is done 

 in the way of correcting certain conditions relative to the handling of salmon, halibut, and other fishes 

 after they are caught there will be serious loss in business and trade between Alaska and the States. I 

 mean by this that the American boats, their fishermen, their base of supplies, and the shipping and 

 receiving point for most of their fish will be in foreign waters instead of within our own boundaries. I 

 have thought of several solutions for this approaching condition. To-day Prince Rupert is offering every 

 inducement to the fishing interests to come there, establish their plants, and make it their permanent 

 home, sites being offered at practically no cost. Furthermore, fish may now be shipped into Prince 

 Rupert from Ketchikan and from farther north for $1.50 a ton, while it costs, including wharfage fees, 

 $4 a ton to effect delivery at Seattle from Ketchikan and points north of there. 



The railroads can help largely to overcome the first problem by offering terminal rates to the people 

 who are shipping from Alaska. This applies especially to shipments from southeastern Alaska. Unless 

 this is done, they can not expect to compete with the Grand Trunk Pacific, or in fact with any of the other 

 Canadian railroads. The present situation and what it is leading to is deplorable and should be dealt 

 with promptly and with the seriousness it deserves. 



One of the possible ways of overcoming this anticipated difficulty is for Congress to pass a law requir- 

 ing all American bottoms to deliver their fish at American ports. But if this is done, assistance in the 



