Northwest History. Alaska. Development.

• Format: Text
• Language: English
• Published: 1936
• Subjects: gold; Spokane; Captain John C. Benson; Alaska Bay Shore company; gold deposits; salmon; Caucasian; communications; Nome; Cordova; Seattle; Fairbanks; powerful machinery; dog team; old salt; Northwest; Pacific > History > 20th century; Alaska; Pacific
• Online Access: http://content.libraries.wsu.edu/cdm/ref/collection/clipping/id/90434

New Alaskans Amaze Old Salt: Dig Gold With 65 Dredges -- Fly To Spokane In 12 Hours -- $2000 Per Capita. NEW ALASKANS AMAZE OLD SALT Dig Gold With 65 Dredges -- Fly to Spokane in 12 Hours —$2000 Per Capita. The transformation of Alaska since he was there before, 36 years ago, amazed Captain John C. Benson, president of the Alaska Bay Shore company, occupied in the investigation of placer gold deposits on the floor of the ocean in the last two months. "A miner was flown out of the mining region in two hours. He told me the journey, made afoot, had occupied 53 days," the captain said at the Spokane yesterday." He had passed 30 years in mining and was emerging with enough to keep him in ease the remainder of his life. "Thirty-six yearsago, salmon were caught from a few row and sail boats. Today the catch employs fleets of about 2500 power boats and occupies perhaps 100 canneries. "Then, natives were pure-bloods. Today they are bleached out till they are nearly white, being half to three-quarters Caucasian, and educated. In 1900, the first dredge was installed. Today, 65 dredges are active, in season. The Alaska gold production of the first year was $900,000. Statistics reveal that it is high in the millions today. People Hospitable. "In 1900, there was much scurvy among miners, due to a lack of vegetables. Today, vegetables of many kinds are grown and scurvy has disappeared. Then, communications with the outside were far apart, sometimes every other month. Today, mail arrives every week. Then, the voyage to Nome was long. Today, Cordova, 1600 told me the journey, made afoot, miles northwest of Seattle, is reached by plane from Spokane in 12 1/2 hours and Fairbanks in 151/2 hours. "Then, rocker, pan, pick and shovel produced the gold. Today, it is produced by powerful machinery. Then, a journey by dog team occupied three weeks from some points to a seaport, and the dog team, for which $500 had been paid, was given away. Today, the same trip is made by airplane for $85. "The beautiful shores of those days were uninhabited except by small groups of natives. Today substantial towns are found at intervals. In one of them the wealth was $2000 to the person. There are comfortable buildings, good schools, intelligent citizens, hospitable people."