Douglas Island news., 1906-02-07
AID FOR ALASKA RAILROADS

D0 6NG6Qu6u IO Iu6 OuSIlNSOAOh Ot iaAA road lines in Alaska. The war depart ment has supplemented this recom- mendation of the president by present. ing for the consideration of congress, a comprehensive scheme for railroad construction in Alaska, which has been prepared by Maj Richardson, at pres ent at the head of the military road commissioners of Alaska.
 Mai. Richardson takes the affirma- tive on three propositions; that the mineral deposits of Alaska are of an extent and value to give employment for an inde6nate time; that the condi- tions of soil and climate justify the belief that interior Alaska will always have permanent white population; and the difficulties in and expense of transportation are such as to justify the government in giving support to transportation companies. With these conclusions he discusses the manner in which aid should be given to best serve the whole district.
 The essential thing, in his opinion, is terminus on harbor open the whole year round and line which will trav- erse the districts in which the largest future development may be expected. The construction of a railroad from an open harbor to the headwaters of the Tanana, or at least to the centers of present mining activity on the Tanana, byNprivate capital, he believes to be full ly assured. The main line to which he thinks government aid should be eX' tended, therefore, is one to it's western terminus at Council, where connection can be made with the system of small roads already in operation on the Sew ard peninsula. Thence he proposes a line eastward via the head of Norton bay; thence northeast toward the mid dle Koyukuk, with a branch reaching down the Yukon at or near Nulato. From the crossing of the Koyukuk, the line should turn southeasterly to the lower ramparts of the Yukon, be- low Rampant City, where the Yukon could be bridged at a reasonable cost. From the Yukon, the route should pro- eeed easterly to the Rampant and Fair banks mining districts to the head of navigation on the Tanana, thence up the Panama to some point near the in ternational boundary. The proposed route will be interSected by the line al- ready under construction from Seward and also by the proposed line up Cop per river from Valdez, thus giving con nections with open ports.
 Maj Richardson recommends the payment by congress of a dat bonus per mile for the construction of the proposed road, with the guarantee of interest for a term of years, or direct interest on a specified sum per mile for term of years, with an invitation for capital to bid on the various proposi tions.
 Maj. Richardson points out i'll his re- port, that Alaska is creditor of the United States to the extent that it has paid into the federal treasury vastly more than has ever been appropriated for it's benefit. The opening of the country, by the proposed railroad con, strnction, further, will so develop it that the further income of the govern ment from the territory will be greatly expanded On the other hand, until the country is opened by railroads its development in the future, as in the past, will be exceedingly slow, and it will be many years before its interior resources and mineral wealth will be an asset of value to the people of the United States.
 Such a recommendation from such a source, following on the recommends tions of the presidents message, should have sufficient weight with congress to bring about the passage of an act to . aid in the construction of railroads in Alaska, more particularly as congress has already passed similar legislation for the construction of railroads in the Philippines, the people of which cer- tainly have no claim on congress super for to that of the American citizens ] who have opened Alaska to the world and made it possession of enormous value to this country, without any gov ernment aid extended to them in the past.