Northwest History. Alaska. General.

• Format: Text
• Language: English
• Published: 1921
• Subjects: Alaska; Vilhjalmur Stefansson; Canadian arctic explorer; the United States; Chinese wall; rapid transportation; Governor Scott Bone; Montana; Rotary club; automobile chamber of commerce; Hillyard; chautauqua; Northwest; Pacific > History > 20th century; Arctic; Pacific; Stefansson
• Online Access: http://content.libraries.wsu.edu/cdm/ref/collection/clipping/id/91884

Great Future Faces Alaska During The Next Ten Years: Stefansson Says Far North To Be Developed Faster Than Once Wild West. GREAT FUTURE FACES ALASKA DURING THE NEXT TEN YEARS Stefansson Says Far North to Be Developed Faster Than Once Wild West. Alaska in 1931, as visualized by Vilhjalmur Stefansson, the Canandian Arctic explorer, will include at least one new state of the United States, and rich in the production and export of lumber, pulp, copper, coal and meat. "I can sec Alaska not as one state of the union, but as many states," replied Stefansoon on the future of Alaska. "And," he added, "I should be surprised if it were more than 10 years before a new state is created in Alaska. Stefansson is enthusiastic in forcasting a big development in Alaska. He places the Alaska of today in a more advantageous position than the west of 40 years ago. "Nothing keeps back the development of Alaska and the north more than ignorance," he declared. "But ignorance is no small thing. A wall of ignorance is more effective than the Chinese wall. "Those who undervalue Alaska today are the same type of people who undervalued the west 50 years ago. They said the west was remote. Well, the west is not remote now. Some say that Alaska is remote, but Alaska is not remote. "The development of Alaska will be more rapid than the development of the west. We are living in a rapid age, and the rapid transportation of today is a bigger help than the west had." Climate No Drawback. Stefansson expressed regret becasue Governor Scott Bone, recenty named as the head of Alaska, had failed in any of his talks to discuss the possibility of a big meat industry. "I look upon the reindeer meat indsutry of Alaska as one of its three or four biggest posibilities," the explorer explained. "In 10 years, Alaska's export of meat will be greater in annual value than its exports of salmon or gold. Lumber and pulp will be the principlal exports, followed by copper, coal and meat." He declared that the greatest misunderstanidng on Alaska was in climate. "Too cold!" he exclaimed. "That's ridiculous! Why, Montana is prosperous, and Montana's winters are equally as cold as the winters of Alaska." Stefansson spoke Friday at a joint meeting of the Rotary club and automobile chamber of commerce and will lecture tonight at chautauqua in Hillyard.