New-York tribune., 1909-01-31
MAKING ALASKAN ROADS.
Major Richardson Wants $3.50. 900
-LkeIv to Get 1t.
[From The Tribune Bureau-I

II.
son, 18th Infantry. United States army, plump.
full Of Alaskan stories and hopeful is in Wash
ington again asking for money. He generally
reaches the capital about this time and.
upon his former visits makes unblushing
demand for cash. This year ne wants only a
trife Of $550,0OO much of that sum as he
can persuade Congress to give him, and has no
hesitancy whatever in asserting that he needs
the money" Far from being surprised or pro-
vOiled the attempted hold up, the Con-
gressional watchdogs of the Treasury hint that
they will give Richardson a tidy lump sum. if
they cannot see their way clear to handing him
all he asks for, and, what is more, add that they
think he deserves every cent of it,
With these facts in view, would suppose
that if the generously built major is not in
league with congressman to loot the Treasury
he must have a mighty good reason for demand
ing big third of a million. And he has. He is
the man that is building the roads of Alaska;
the man that will make it possible for the miner
in Klondike to get his mail at ali seasons of the
year; the that will give you, in time, your
share of the golden harvest from our Arctic
province, matter whether the Frost King has
the trails shackled in ice whether the mos
quitoes are fighting for the gore of the express
man who brings down the golden nuggets when
the summer makes the trail as hot as Park
Row in August. But he can't build roads
through rocky canyons, over high mountains
and across rushing rivers without money, so
has come to the guardians of the territory to
ask for his yearly allowance.
Just at present the most important work on
the hands of the road commission of which
Major Richardson is president is the construc-
ton of the road from Valdez to Fairbanks.
Valdez is the most northerly open port in South
ern Alaska, and Fairbanks is the rapidly grow
ing metropolis at the head of navigation the
Tanana River The road connecting the two is
most important because it follows the line Of
the military telegraph, and is the avenue in win
ter for all the mails for the interior as well IS
for Western Alaska and the Seward Peninsula.
Just before Richardson started for the States he
made the journey over the 3S5 miles Of trail be-
tween the two cities, going part way on h"rse~
back and part by blackboard.
Many persons travelled the route last summer
on foot and on horseback" said Major Richard
son, "and during the season three drOves Of cat
tie were driven from Valdez to Fairbanks, ar
rfvine, at their destination in first class condi-
ton. This route is of the highest Importance in
the development of the territory and believe
the time has come when the entire distance
should be improved so as to permit of wheeled
traffic during the summer season I do not ask
for enough money to build first class road
over which heavy traffic could be hauled, for
that would cost enormous sum, and would
still not be as good the frozen road OF winter.
But we really ought to have a road over which
buckboards and wagons with small outfits could
pass and over which the mails could be trans
ported to advantage"
The work already accomplished by the COM
mission on the road between Valdez and Fair
banks while but a small portion Of the amount
to be done, has had the effect OF reduc-
ing the time between the two cities. n year
ago the best time made between the towns In
the winter was from nine to ten days; now it Is
eight and a half. Last summer it was made
by one man in six days and eight hours rec
ord which, so far is known, still stands.
The road builders encounter innumerable diff
culties in their progress through the Alaskan
wilds Many streams encountered which
must be forded or bridged and when they arc
too deep for the former and money is not at
hand for the latter means floats or ferries must
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