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Show SEWARD'S SEWARDS ' TOLLYWhen FOLLY rOLLY TOLLY FOLLYWhen When Secretary Secret1ry of State Seward Se\\ard Se ard \ negotiated theiurchase the thesurchase urchase iurchase : > of Alaska fiom flom fionr Russia in m 1867 IB67 for $7,200000 7200000 $7,200 7200 $ , 000 000the , tl1e the transaction \ was as se\ se se\erly se erly seerly severly \ erly cuticized cutlclzed criticized by many andby and andby andby by some itas it was \\as as \ termed 'Sewards Sewards 'Se\\ards 'Se Se ards 'Se'aards Seaards ' \ ' folly foIly " But SUb- SUb SUbsequent subsequent sun-sequent sun sequent - sequent e\ents e ents events even \ is have hme hale proved it to have been a very verygood verygood verygood good buy bu after all aU - " ' Since Smce the discovery of gold in m 1880 more than than400 400 iml milhon milli ' il dollars \ worth \ orth of the precious preclous metal has hasbeen hasbeen hasbeen been pioducedand pioduced ploduced , and the output still sllll exceeds 10 nul- nul mul- mul nulllon mullion mil million - lion llon dollars a year vear ear Until the price of copper dropped droppedso so low , fiom flom from five to seven se\en se en \ million nulhon dol1arsorth dollars dol1ars worth \\orth orth \ 01 or 01that orthat 01that that metal was mined each year , while the salmon salmonpack salmonpack salmonpack pack value has ranged from 21 to 45 million mlmon doUars dollars dollarsIn doUars1D dollarsin 1D In recent years The normal lumber cut from Alaskanforests Alackan Alaskan Alackanforests AIaanforests ; ' * forests is from 40 to 50 million mllllon board feetAlaska's feetAlaska's feet Alaska's Alaskas ' present population is 1S 60,000 60000 , , almost almostequally almostequally almostequally equally divided between bet\\een bet een \ \ whites v.hltes vhltes . and Indians Ind.1-ans Ind.1ans Ind.1 Ind1 ans . - There Thereare Thereare Thereare are 88 elementary schools and 15 high schools be- be beSIdes besides be besides - sides 98 day schools and three industrial schools pro'vided pro- pro pro'Vlded pro prodded - ' ' dded 'Vlded Vlded 'vided vided by the government govermnent govermment for native natlve children Sevenhospitals Seven SevenhospItals Sevenhospitals hospItals are maintained mamtamed , alsoThe alsoThe also Theast The vast \ast ast \ tenitoryi tenltoryj tenttory of 586 586400 400 square miles mlles is richin rlch rich rlchIn richin In natuial natUlal natural resources set yet et untouched , and could sup- sup support support sup support - port several times tlme , its present population populatlon While the thewmters thewinters thewmlers wmters winters aie ale are severe seere , in m the interior mterlOr , the temperature temperaturesometImes temperaturesometimes temperaturesometimes sometImes going gomg to 60 degrees below zero , the chmate climate chmateon climateon climateon on the coast is very moderate , , the thermometer therniometer rare- rare rarely rare rarc rarely , - ly falling faIlmg below zero or going gomg above 80 degreesAlthough degreesAlthough degrees Although the development of Alaska is ; still ctlll inits m in mIts inits Its infancy mfancy , the progress prOgI'QSS prOgIQSS ' made ras leas l as long since 81nCe vm- vm vin- vin vmdicated vindicated vin vindicated - dicated Secietary Secletary Secretary &mard mard Seward & Sevvards s judgment In sears years ears to tocome tocome tocome come lt111 it lt ' will \111 111 \ doubtless be one of our greatest natlonal national natlonalassets nationalassets nationalassets assets |