The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1906-03-19
BOND GUARANTEES
| ASKEDOF CONGRESS
Territory's Enormous Resources
Need Development, Is Basis
of Appeal.
BY w. w. Jermane.

Washington, March 10" You need
map before you,'' said Representa-
tive Hamilton, chairman Of the house
keep your mind upon the numerous rail-
roads that have been projected in
Alaska. Ever since the president made
the suggestion to congress that Alaska
must have railroads to reach any de-
gree Of development and that congress
could not do better than to give such
aid as might be found expedient, rail.
road companies with an eye upon
Alaska have multiplied exceedingly, and
naturally have come to this committed
to get the aid they thought themselves
entitled to. Hence we have had an
opportunity to learn much about the
questiontthis winter.
"You maySwonder, if%$Gou haven It
loked into it, why the president recon-
mended congressional aid for railroads
in that far-off territory. He must, I
think, have had in mind for one thing
the amazing size of the territory. You
will observe by brief comparison that
t is almost as large as all the territory
east Of the Mississippi river. Then he
L
the fact that all the rivers that are
big enough to be of any use in the
! development Of the country empty into
Behring sea, where they are not acces
sible for more than small fraction of
the year. Next and most important
of all, of course, he must have con
sidered the natural resources Of the
| country and when you do that you
must confess that railroads are needed
and needed badly.
! Alaska's Resources.
eff the same people have seen the
president that have appeared before
this committee, and presume Of course
they have, then he has been Informed
by whose word ought to be good fo1
all they call for, that Alaska has ter
ritory capable Of supporting rura
population of from 100000 to 90,
100000 people, that it is capable O.
producing an immense output Of gold
estimated by some as high as 100000,
900 q year, or more than all Of Afric;
produces, that it has copper mines ia
richer than any developed elsewher
in the world, and that it has more Goa
than Pennsylvania and Ohio.
"In addition to all this there Is tim
Der in vast quantities and the fur AM
fish interests, as we all know, are mar
velous in their extent. I tell you
ween people of first class, unimpeach
able standing tell you these things yo'
have got to believe some Of them. AM
when they tell you that the territor,
cannot be developed without railroad
it makes you want to see some rail
roads built there.
"Now, as to the roads that hav
been projected. There IS lot Of then
think the committee has had men
toned in one form or another not les
than seven trunk lines to run from tn
Pacific ocean on the southern side o
the territory up thru it to the Yuko
country. There are five, as I remembe
it. that want to 60 up the Copper rivel
; four of which have asked for govern
} ment aid and all Of which are watch
ing each other in way to thoroly il
dictate the thing that is said to be tn
price Of liberty. I
Alaska Central.
!, .tThe next road west of the Cope
Z river roads is the Alaska Central, whic
T may say is quite q railroad alread,
This road starts from Seward on Re-
,, direction Bay on the south coast c
. Alaska, and runs almost due north