Northwest History. Alaska. Development.

• Format: Text
• Language: English
• Published: 1918
• Subjects: Alaska; Redfield; Washington; Governor Thomas Riggs Jr.; department of commerce; territory; fish food resources; bureau of fisheries; lighthouse service; Ketchikan; Alaskan port; physical condition; salmon; the United States; agricultural experiment service; Northwest; Pacific > History > 20th century; Pacific
• Online Access: http://content.libraries.wsu.edu/cdm/ref/collection/clipping/id/90423

Uncle Sam Preparing To Bolster Up Alaska: Redfield Writes To Riggs Telling Of Important Development Planned. UNCLE SAM PREPARING TO BOLSTER UP ALASKA Redfield Writes to Biggs Telling of Important Development Planned. WASHINGTON, July 10—"Every interest in Alaska should have the fostering care of the country, so that its development may be rounded and not partial," Secretary Redfield declared today in a letter to Governor Thomas Riggs Jr., outlining important work planned by the department of commerce for the benefit of the territory. Secretary Redfield's letter in part said: "It will doubtless be well to begin by saying that, in view of your interest in the work of demonstrating to the people of Alaska the best methods of curling and packing and otherwise preparing for market the invaluable fish food resources of that territory, we have determined to double the number of expert demonstrators from the bureau of fisheries, sending four instead of two. "Deeds speak louder than words and the earnest wish of the department of commerce to assist Alaska rests upon definite performance in the present and the past rather than upon promises for the future. New Vessels Designed. "Three of the maritime services of this department affect Alaska -- the lighthouse serivce, the coast and geodetic survey and the bureau of fisheries. The equipment of these services. The equipment of these services has long been inadequate for the important and growing work that Alaska requires. Therefore, in each of the three, new vessels have been specially designed for the Alaskan service. "At the same time provision is made for extending the seacoast lights in Alaska and I hope before this letter reaches you to learn that congress has provided a fund of $90,000 for constructing at Ketchikan a modern lighthouse depot, adquate for the home station of that service for the entire Alaskan coast. I took pleasure in personally appearing bfore the senate committee and asking that this matter be expedited. "I have recently caused inquiries to be made in Ketchikan as to whether the wooden steam lighter for the fisheries service could be built at some Alaskan point and regret to find that there seems no yard adequate for the purpose. "Let me suggest that a good boat building yard would seem to have an excellent opportunity at some Alaskan port. There is, I take it, abundant material and the amount of labor would not be large. If such a yard existed now be large. If such a yard existed now we would give it an opportunity to recur from time to time. We shall ask congress for four more launches in addition to the four now granted and of these two more could be built in Alaska. "Furthermore, there are so many fishihng vessels of moderate size along the Alaskan shore that there must be a steady demand for boat repairs, and it would seem that a moderate size yard could keep busy pretty steadily. "Passing to matters of future policy, we intend to actively continue the work of imporving the physical condition of streams so that spawning salmon may find their way upward and young salmon may pass downward. By dynamiting obstructions a considerable number of streams now altogether or partly devoid of salmon runs may be made suitable for particular species and the production of salmon in certain regions can be thereby materially increased. Plan to Patrol Streams. "The bureau of fisheries is now in position to carry out for the first time the special patrol of salmon streams, a matter which has been advocated from time to time by people in Alaska. This year about 20 of the principal streams will be under the constant supervision of watchmen to see that the fishery laws are enforced and to report on fishery conditions. Each of these patrols will have a motor boat and the services will, if it proves satisfactory this season, be extended and made permanent. "It is the earnest hope of the department to establish on the northwest coast of the United States a fisheries experiement station to serve the same function to the fishing industry that an agricultural experiment station services to agriculture. Such a station if located on Puget sound, would be expected to meet inlarge measure the immediate needs of Alaska. If, however, it were found after experience that Alaska's interest in this respect could be more adequately served by a station within her own territory, the bureau of fisheries would be ready to submit an estimate for such an additional station to congress.