Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1912-02-03

! Controller Day lS not gOOd naFDo
but could probably be made practical
with the expenditure Of considerable
money. The railroad Of the Morgan.
| tSnggenheim interests. running fropl
| Cordoya. could be mace q coal carry
ing road for the BeriDg river fields by
the construction Of a branch to those
fields not exceeding fifty or sixty
miles. 1t Is practicable, and if the
/ coal measures were to be opened up
| doubtless the branch would he built.
! In the present condition OF things
/ there is no motive to build the road,
| because there il no title or opportunity
to open and mine the coal. "a
| The Matan,lska coal fields are long
er distance from the coast. They are
from $50 to 200 miles from the harbor
! of Seward. on Resurrection bay. rms
e! is one of the finest harbors in the
! world, and reservation has been
! made there for the use Of the navy OF
the United States. a road construct.
! ed from Seward to the Matanuska
| coal fields would form part of system
! re,ching from the coast into the heart
of Alaska and open the great interior
valleys of the Yukon and the Tanana,
| which have agricultural as well as
, great mineral possibilities. .a-
The Alaska Central road has been
constructed some seventy-one miles OF
| the distance from Seward north to
| the Matanuska coal fields, but the con-
struction beyond this has been dis
couraged. first. by the fact that there
has been no policy adopted OF opening
up the coal lands upon which investors
could depend and. second, because
there seems to be lack of financial
backing of those engaged In the enter
! prise. The secretary Of the interior
has ascertained that the b0ndholders
who are the real owners of the road,
are willing to sell to the government,
and he recommends the purchase Of
the existing road. such reconstruction
as may be necessary, Its continuance
to the Matanuska coal fields and thence
into the valleys Of the Yukon and the
Tanana. It would be great trunk
line and would be an opening up OF
! Alaska by government capital.
am not In favor of government
ownership where the same certainty
ana emciency Of service can be had
BY private enterprise, but think the
conditions presented In Alaska are OF
such character as to warrant the
government, for the purpose OF en-
couraxing the development Of that
vast and remarkable territory, to build
and own q trunk line railroad. which
It can lease on terms which may be
varied and changed to meet the grow
ing prosperity and development OF the
territory. '.E5,
There Is nothing in the history Of the
United States which affords such just
reason for criticism a. the failure OF
the federal government to extend the
benefit Of it's fostering care to the ter
,ritory of Alaska. There was time,
| of course, when Alaska was regarded
| al 80 far removed into the Arctic
ocean az to make any development Of
It practically impossible, but for years
the facts have been known to those
who have been responsible for its gov
eminent, and every one who has given
tho subject the slightest consid
has been aware of the wonderful pos
sibilities in its growth and develop
ment IL only capital were invested
there and a good government put over
It. l think the United States owes 1t.
| therefore, to Alaska and to the peo-
pie who have gone there to take an
exceptional step and to build a rail-
road that shall open the treasures OF
Alaska to the Pacific and to the people
who live along that ocean on our west
eru coast. The construction Of rail-
road and ownership Of the fee do not
necessitate government operation. Pur-
suant, however, to the recommends
ton Of tho secretary Of the interior,
suggest to congress the wisdom OF pro-
viding that the president may appoint
q commission Of competent persons, in
Guiding two army engineers, to exam
Inc and report upon the available
routes for q railroad from Seward to
tho Matanuska coal fields and into the
Tanana and Yukon valleys. with an
| estimate Of the value Of the existing
partially constructed railroad and Of
tho cost Of continuing the railroad to
the proper points in the valleys named.
This proposal is further justified by
the need that the navy Of the United
States has for secure coaling base in
! the north Pacific. The commission
ought to make fun report also as to
the character Of the coal fields at Ma
tanuska and the problem Of furnish
ing coal from that source for mercan-
tile purposes after reserving for gov
ernment mining a sufficient quantity
for the navy. .. s..
I have already recommended to con-
| gress the establishment Of a form Of
commission government for Alaska.
The territory is too extended, Its needs
are too varied and It's distance from
! Washington too remote to enable con-
| gress to keep up with its necessities in
the matter Of legislation Of a local
cha racter r...t.