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Show Alaska Has Had Very Prosperous Year TT "T WASHINGTON. Nineteen TA'A twenty-three probably will Y y stand out in Alaskan history his-tory as the most notable year in territorial history, Gov. Scott C. Bone declared In his annual report. Development was pushed nt unprecedented unprece-dented speed, lie said, with record production of wealth from various activities. ac-tivities. Governor Eone listed President Harding's visit and those of preceding and accompanying delegations of congressmen con-gressmen and press representatives as among the assets of incalculable value which had been added to the territory during the year. Recommendations made In his report re-port for 1922 were renewed by Governor Gov-ernor Bone, among them being: The placing of the affairs of Alaska under one department head at Washington Wash-ington and the substitution of a coordinated co-ordinated and centralized system of administration for the present inefficient inef-ficient bureaucratic system at the earliest possible date. An appropriation of $300,000 to supplement sup-plement a fund of $150,000 heretofore authorized for the erection of a Capitol Capi-tol or administration building. Adequate provision for the operation opera-tion and upkeep of the Alaska railroad, rail-road, and for the building of branch lines. An appropriation of $1,500,000 annually an-nually for the building of roads and trails in the interior. The vesting In the Department of Commerce of complete authority over the fisheries of Alaska. The consolidation of all law-enforcing agencies in Alaska under the Department De-partment of Justice. A colonization plan to be operative In connection with the Alaska railroad, rail-road, with priority rights to lands freely granted to Alaska soldiers of the World war and their dependents. Allotment of a fair percentage, at least one-half, of the net revenues derived de-rived from tlie Pribilof islands, which are in Alaskan waters, to the general fund of the territory. The report says, among other things : "The season of 1923, In bringing thousands of visitors to Alaska, emphasizes em-phasizes decidedly that a systematic development of tourist facilities offers great immediate opportunities for Alaska. The American and Canadian steamship lines carried 20,089 passengers passen-gers to Alaska from January 1 to August Au-gust 31, 1923. Of these it is estimated that two-thirds were transients or tourists and the number exceeds all records. The previous year 5,537 tourists tour-ists came to Alaska. "Alaska requires conservation favors it and welcomes it, and gives steadfast support to every practical safeguard, existent or proposed, necessary nec-essary to prevent reckless exploitation exploita-tion in any direction In the development develop-ment of the territory." |