The Chitina leader. [volume] (Chitina, Alaska) 1910-1928, 1911-12-16

BUILDING
TROUBLES

Delegate Wickersham seems to
have many misconceptions regard
ing the Alaska Road Commission
and their work. While the judge is
gradually getting over his crouch, as
affecting many of his former friends
who at times felt impelled to differ
with him, he cannot entirely re-
strain himself from taking an occa-
sional fling at Major Richardson. As
showing how this subject appeals to
other observing and well informed
men we quote from part of an adj
dress delivered before the recent
meeting of the American Mining
Congress by Duncan NJ. Stewart. He
says:
But the building of trunk lines,
or any other lines, of railroad is not
the only essential; there is even a
more crying need for good wagon
roads. The appropriation for roads
end trails in Alaska is woefully in
adequate, and the methods of ex-
pending it are distinctly bad. l
could point to instances where new
trails stopped short in the middle of
the woods, having reached nowhere
because the appropriation for that
particular piece of work became sud
necessary repairs TO an existing gov
eminent road discontinued at a crit
ical spot for the same reason, al
though surplus remained after the
completion of other specific work,
out could not be utilized under the
regulations governing these funds.
The adoption of such methods in the
building of roads by private capital
would end inevitably in bankruptcy
and failure. And let me say here
that the excellent gentleman who are
charged with the administration of
he Alaska Road Commission are not
to blame for the unfortunate condi-
tions to which l have alluded. The
people of Alaska owe a great deal to
| the road commission for the zeal
and efficiency it has displayed and
the work it has accomplished in the
face of red tape and ridiculously in
| adequate appropriations. These
gentlemen do the best they can, but
| quate. Some of the government
roads in Alaska are a disgrace to
| the nation. Even the government
employees themselves are ashamed of
them. and with a view to bringing
home TO congress and the people of
the United States the wretched re
suits of their efforts, as compared
with those achieved under a policy
Of enlightenment and common sense
hey have inserted in some of the
publications issued at Washington
Illustrations taken from actual pho
.ographs of American and Canadian
! roads in Alaska and the adjoining
| Yukon territory. On one page you
will see a beautifully smooth, we'll
| drained level road, fit for automo-
| biles, while On the opposite page you
will see a strip of mud, roots and
rocks. unfit for the use of man or
beast, and positively ruinous, both
to mans soul and body.
In the administration of justice
and the building of public roads and
trails in the far Northwest, the
| Canadians have us completely beat
en-. We have just the same kind of
a country they have, yet they have
more people and infinitely better
-ransportation facilities on their side
Of the imaginary border line. Why
shou ii eshdblbEp DunQJarCMFW
should this be? 1 have given you
the facts and leave the answer to
you. l venture one reply to this
question, and it is, that the average
member of the Canadian Parliament
is in much closer touch with the &C
tual conditions prevailing in his
country as a whole-even to its re
hottest corners-than is the average
member of the United States Con-
gress regarding his great country.