The Alaska prospector., 1904-09-22
Give A Good Argument
In Favor of The Government
 Wagon Road.

The following communication
 was presented to Mir. Clapp, enyi-
 neer in charge cf the wagon road survey, with the hope that it might
 impress upon him the 6aancial ben eft to be derived Icy the govern ment from the Valdez Eagle road. The argument advanced is a good one and will doubtless help along the wagon road project.
 "ln compliance with a resolution of the Valdez Chamber of Com- merce the undersigned were a,e pointed committee to prepare for you a statement, showing the ben eft to be derived from the ocrstruc- tion of a wagon road frena Valdsz to Eagle, Alaska, and beg leave to report as fellows.
 The United States government IS asked to appropriate sufficient money to build a wagon road from Valdez, at the head of Prince Will. liam sound, to Eagle, on the Yu- kon river, Alaska, as strictly bus iness proposition, and We submit the following facts and figures to establish the fact that leaving aside the great value road would be to the general welfare and prosperity oi the district, it would pay q hand- some dividend on the am ou mt in- vested.
 At the present time the route of the proposed wagon road is used by the government more than all the individuals put together, that as to sayit spends more for trans portatien per annum than all in combined.
 1t now costs the post office de- paftment $35, 5,OO0 per year to main- tain a service twice menth with a weight limit of not exceeding 200 pounds trip, between Valdez and Eagle. and $22,OOO for an eig Int months service, two trips month, between Valdez and Ia mana, one- fourth of the latter route being over the route of the proposed wagon road, viz: from Valdez to a point on the Copper river about nine miles beyond the crossing of the Gakona river. These two mail reu;es supply practically the entire interior population of Alaska, and the only reason that there is not sere frequent service is the enor- sacus cost of transportation. Last spring several tons of mail matter addressed to points on these roates were returned to Seattle for lack of transportation facilities. This works decided hardship on the pioneer of Alaska, who is carving an empire from a wilderness. He looks forward to the mail not only to bring him letters from home, but also reading matter that will keep him ia touch with the events of the world. ln the United States noth- ing less than daily would be d,- manded by the same number of patrons Of a route as now reside on these two great trunk mail routes of Alaska With a wagon road completed a daily mail ser- vice would follow as a matter of course. as the contractor would no longer be dependent on the revenue from the mails alone but would OF crate a stage and express line and the carrying of the mail would be . supplementary resource.
 The war department has in op- eration between Valdez and Eagle a military telegraph line. This line requires linemen and opera. tors to be stationed at intervals of about 40 miles to keep the line in repair and serve the public. In order to equip these stations with the actual necessaries, the depart ment expends about $35.O0O per annum for transportation alone. It will thus be seen that the two departments of the government are expending annually
 Mail Ea0lo umuta &2S 0O0