Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1901-10-07
SOLDIER LIFE IN ALASKA
ANNUAL REPORT OF GEN. GEORGE
NJ. RANDALL.
Recommends That Troops BE Kept In
the Frozen North Not Over
Two Years.

The adjutant general made public today
the annual report Of Brigadier General
George M. Randall, commanding the de-
partment of Alaska General Randall lays
much stress on the rigors of an Alaskan
winter. The cold he says, is intense, and
continues so from November to April. with
severe and frequent blizzards. He speaks
of cold day at Fort st. Michael the nth
of last January, when the thermometer reg
istered SO degrees below zero.
There is no dockage for ocean vessels at
the supply post. Fort ST. Michael, and all
supplies must be Iightered from ships in
open roastead The difficulty and expense
of Tightening. 1t Is stated, increase with the
distance from the shore at which vessels,
according to their draught must lie. If the
weather is at ali rough the work Of lighter
ing becomes impossible
The Military Telegraph and Road.
General Randall says that the most i'm
portant work in the department., after pro-
viding for the housing and supply of troops.
was that of constructing the military tele-
graph line and military road through Alas
ka. The total length of line constructed up
to the date of the report, August 10, was
about 400 miles. The work is being pushed
as fast as possible, and by the close Of
navigation this year it is hoped that tele-
graphic communication between Fort st.
Michael and Fort Gibbon 400 miles distant
will have been established. The construct
ing of these lines, says General Randall, is
attended with the many difficulties peculiar
to an arctic climate. The surface of the
country in the valley of the Yukon is COW
cred with moss and decayng vegetable
mold to the depth of from twelve to twenty
four inches. From the frequent rains this
layer is soft and spongy in summer, and
animals sink to their knees waen they at
tempt to walk on it. while wagon wheels go
in up to their hubs, even without a load
These conditions make it impossible to place
poles and wire and supply construction
camps during the summer, that all work
toward telegraphic construction in this re-
gion must be done in winter.
Not More Than Two Years.
Owing to the isolation of army posts in
Alaska and to the lack of facilities for in
struction in drill and for converting courts
martial General Randall says that it Is but
natural to expect that troops left to serve
for several years under these conditions
must deteriorate in military efficiency He
therefore recommends that troops stationed
IN alaska be relieved every two years. and
that only men with more than two wears
to serve be ordered there.
General Randall says that the mail serv-
Ice to Alaskan posts has been as satssfac-
tory as could be expected. The average
time consumed in its transmission ma. been
from two and a half to three months. In
consequence of the exclusion of printed
matter no orders or circulars had been
received from the War Department since
the close Of navigation in last October, and
important information has come through
personal channels. The general earnestly
recommends that advance copies Of orders
be sent by letter mail in ordinary en-
velopes and not in those marked printed
matter
The Preservation Of Order.
In conclusion General Randall saws. 'eThe