Alaska

ALASKA. - Territory of northwestern America, belonging to the United States, which bought it from Russia in 1867.

1. GEOGRAPHY

It has 1.5 million sq. km., 5 times the size of Italy; it comprises the northwestern tip of North America, and is still imperfectly known. It became famous at the end of the last century for its gold deposits, which drew a large immigration of whites, soon halted. More than minerals (also copper, tin, platinum), fishing is important today: canned salmon (7-8 million cans a year) alone absorbs more than half of the exports (cod fishing and whaling are also carried on there). The forest reserves are imposing (1/3 of the territorial surface); agricultural possibilities, on the other hand, are scanty for climatic reasons (subpolar or polar regimes). The breeding of reindeer and fur-bearing animals is another sure source of profit.

Alaska is a territory of the U.S. It is administered by a governor assisted by two Chambers. The population stable population is still very small (135,000 inhabitants; of whom 2/3 are whites; the rest Eskimos and Indians), and is gathered chiefly along the coasts, where the inhabited centers are. During the summer there is a considerable influx (20,000 souls) of floating population. Catholics number about 15,000.

The capital is Juneau (5,700 inhabitants); the main port Ketchikan (4,700). Communications are still scanty (2,050 km. of railways) and are mainly by sea.

The Aleutian Islands (v.) depend on Alaska, as does the small Pribilof Archipelago (4 islands, 160 sq. km., 440 inhabitants), which are reserved for the conservation of animal species (seals, reindeer, foxes, birdlife).

2. MISSIONS

Christianity was first introduced into Alaska in 1764 by the archimandrite Ivassof, accompanied by 10 Orthodox priests, by order of Catherine II. Some attempt had already been made before by other Russian missionaries, but without any notable fruit. Ivassof settled on Kodiak Island, headquarters of the Russian-American Fur Company, and from there his priests spread out in various directions under the protection of the merchants. The one who deserved the title of "Enlightener of the Aleuts" was the archimandrite Ivan Veniaminov, learned, zealous, spirited, who spent almost thirty years of his life there.

Catholic missionaries, however, could not enter until Alaska passed under the dominion of the United States (1867). Then, in the autumn of 1871, the Oblates of Mary Immaculate reached it from the neighboring district of Athabasca-Mackenzie under the guidance of Msgr. Clut and devoted themselves especially to the southern region. Meanwhile, Alaska having passed under the jurisdiction of the bishop of Victoria, Msgr. Charles John Seghers, the latter made a first voyage of exploration there, pushing north as far as Nulato (1877). On a second voyage (1886) he was accompanied by two priests to whom he was to entrust the mission, Fathers Paschal Tosi and Louis Robaut; but on reaching Ysseelatch, 10 miles from Nulato, he was killed by his servant. The mission, taken in hand by the Jesuits in such painful circumstances, was carried on with methodical constancy and with an ever greater number of fathers and sisters; the first school was opened in 1888 and for the Eskimos in 1894. The apostolate kept developing ever better, despite the unavoidable and severe difficulties caused by inveterate superstitions, the very cold climate, the distance of the villages, the various economic crises and contact with the whites. Alaska was detached from the diocese of Vancouver and erected as an apostolic prefecture on July 27, 1894, and its first apostolic prefect was Fr. Tosi; on Dec. 22, 1916 it became an apostolic vicariate. Principal residence: Juneau.

The apostolic vicariate has (1947) 48 churches, of which 20 are parishes. The Jesuits of the Oregon province (U.S.) number 35 (some of them natives), of whom 25 are priests, 2 students and 8 coadjutor brothers. The male religious houses are 19 with 36 members, the female 10 with 79 members. The religious institutes of education for boys number 9 with 338 pupils, those for girls 9 with 305 pupils. There are also 7 charitable institutes (hospitals with dispensaries and orphanages) with 300 inmates.

Catholic Action is established in the Ladies Instruction League and in the Catholic Youth Organization. There is also a periodical to defend the interests of Catholics: the Alaskas Catholic, of about 1,500-1,600 copies.

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