The Roswell daily record. [volume] (Roswell, N.M.) 1903-current, 1909-12-23
REPORT GOV.
OF ALASKA


Pacific Slope may be furnished with
a high grade coal at less cost than
the product now brought half way
around the world and that the war
ships of the United States Navy in
the Pacific may be provided with a
first class fuel of American production
is advocated by Governor Wilford B..
iHoggatt, of Alaska, in his annual re-
port for this year before being sue
ceeded by Governor Walter = Clark.
Alaska, according to Governor Hog
gait, passed a year of quiet develop
.nent of its resources and without any
marked incidents to excite unusual
interest. The population remained
practically the same, there having
been a redistribution but no gain.
Commerce between Alaska and the
United States increased, satisfactory
experiments in raising grain and cat
tie where made and the mining indus
tries were successful and without re-
currence of the labor troubles which
materially interferred with operations
last year.
Recommendations of Importance
made by Governor Hoggatt include
the placing of the governor under the
authority of the Department of JUS
tice( instead of the Department of
the Interior as at present, a fair me
thod of disposing of the coal lands of
Alaska, the inspection of the mines
by the United States Geological Sur
vey in order to protect work9nen, The
extension to natives of Alaska of the
right to acquire public lands and to
hold and transmit property, appro-
priations for aids to navigation and
the establishment of a lighthouse
district or sub-district with a tender.
Encouragement should be given to
those engaged in mining coal in Alas
ka,' says Governor Hoggatt; Unless
a way is found to open the coal fields
of Alaska the population will de-
crease and the unknown resources of
the country be undiscovered for an
indefinite period Coal mining can
be made a permanent and profitable
industry in Alaska and the establish
snent of camps would mean much to
the people living in that section as
the cost of fuel under present condi-
tions is very nigh and the consu-np-
tion per capita is very great. The
mineral is widely distributed through
out Alaska and is found to be of very
higa grade in the Matanuskr and
Bering River valleys. Workable depo-
sits are also to be found on Seward
Peninsula No titles having been Sc
cured to any coal lands in Alaska
development of the deposits has not
been made. Once title to the land is
given to the locators, development
will follow rapidly, as transportation
seems to be assured. Charges OF
| fraud in the location of coal lands
should be sifted and determined with
expedition and patents issued TO
those entitled, and rejection of pat
ents promptly made to those VINO
lave in any way violated the coal
lands relating to Alaska and the
United States
The future development of Alas
| ka viii depend very largely upon all
the year round easy communication
| between the coast and the interior
This naturally depends upon transpor
| tation facilities. There seems to be
| ample business reasons to warrant
the construction of railroads from the
coast to the Bering River and Matan
uska coal fields, and to the coppel
mines in the Alaskan range of noun
tains Beyond these points there Is
no present business to warrant capita
unaided, to construct railroads. Suf
ficient knowledge of feasible routes
| from tle coast to the interior | be
| lieve is now to be had and could bc
obtained by the Government througi
a board OF army and railroad engi
neers, who should determine upoI
| such lines as should be built for the
development of Alaska. When the
work of tnis board is completed th'
Government should secure the con
struction of tle railroads in a simi
lar manner to that adopted for the
construction of railways in the Philip
pine Islands. If a railroad is to bs
built from the coast of Alaska to ths
Yukon Valley. it will be necessary fo
the government to bear a part of th'
htrr of of e.,
ten or fifteen years after its construc
tion. which period will be required
| for the development of the interior O
| Alaska to sucn an extent as to mak'
the railroad self-sustaining. The mo
ney now paid for a very extensive
mail service, If paid to a railroad
| wlen built, would go a long way to
| ward its maintenance. / have, there
fore, to urge that a board of army
and railroad engineers be appointed
| for the purpose outlined above.
the Government does not assume Z
part of the burden of interior trans
portation, We will have to wait for
permanent development of the inter
ior of Alaska until such time as dis
| coveries of phenomenal mineral de
posits will justify private capital il
the construction of railroads.
II a railroad is built to the Mata
nuska coal fields. it will establish
permanent community north OF th'
viii have an opportunity to earn
livelihood throughout the year, ant
establish a base from which they cal
prospect for a radius of 100 or 20'
miles. within whica in all probabili
lfy something will be found which vii
justify tae extension Of the railroas
still farther toward the interior.