UNLOCKING ALASKA 



477 



try which may have something to do 

 with solving the meat supply problem of 

 the United States. 



CABLE AND TELEGRAPH 



The Secretary discusses at consider- 

 able length the cable and telegraph sys- 

 tem in Alaska, now operated by the Sig- 

 nal Corps of the War Department, and 

 proposes that this should probably be 

 managed by the Development Board. 

 This system comprises the ocean cable 

 from Seattle to Sitka, which the Secre- 

 tary says must soon be replaced with a 

 new cable to cost about a million do'l- 

 lars, unless a way can be found for sub- 

 stituting wireless service for this cable. 

 The present military telegraph system 

 includes, besides the cable, 1,064 miles 

 of land lines and ten wireless stations. 

 These latter do not include the seven 

 wireless stations in Alaska maintained 

 by the Navy Department. The Secre- 

 tary quotes figures to show that it costs 

 about $400,000 a year now to maintain 

 and operate the cable and telegraph 

 system, and that this service is about 

 self-supporting, if the government busi- 

 ness transacted is charged up at com- 

 mercial rates. Referring to a demand 

 in Alaska for lower telegraph rates, he 

 says : "This demand should, of course, 

 be considered seriously, as the experi- 

 ence of the Post Office is to the effect 



that reduction in rates makes for larger 

 business and bigger revenues." 



It is pointed out in the report that 

 under present conditions it is difficult to 



ON THE SCHOOL FARM. 



This field of oats was sowed as late as June 11, 

 on the school farm at Klukwan, Alaska. Agri- 

 culture is taught in those parts of Alaska where 

 climatic conditions permit. 



secure accurate information as to Alas- 

 kan revenues and disbursements, be- 

 cause they are handled by so many 

 agencies. He advocates an Alaskan 





ST. MICHAELS, ALASKA. 



THIS IS A FAMOUS SHIPPING POINT FOR YUKON RIVER TRAFFIC. THE PICTURE IS MADE FROM A PRINT 

 LOANED BY THE NORTHERN NAVIGATION CO. OF SAN FRANCISCO, CAL. 



