Perth Amboy evening news., 1912-02-02
CONSERVATION
MESSAGE READ


IlonS into the successful working of
the leasing system leaves no doubt as
to its wisdom ANA practical utility. Re
quiremeuts as to the working Of the
mine during the term maj bs SO fran
ed as to prevent any holding OF large
mining properties merely for specular
tfo1, while the royalties may be made
sufficiently low not unduly tie increase
Tho cost Of the coal mined and Mt the
same time sufficient to furnish a rea-
sonable income for the use Of the pub
lie In the community where the mining
goes on. In Alaska there IL no reason
why a substantial income should not
thus be raised for such public works
as may be deemed necessary or useful.
There IL no difference between the
reasons which call for the application
OF the leasing system to the coal lands
still retained by the governmental the
United States proper and those which
exist in Alaska.
There are now In Alaska only two
well known high grade coal fields of
large extent. the Bering river coal Geld
Wt1xu ZIG N4dtdk1USAA t4dA AVkQs AAU
Bering river coal field while 1t has
varying qualses of coai FROM the BIZ
luminous to the anthracite, 10 very
much iessened In value and usefulness
by the grinding effect to which In geo.
logical ages past the coal measures
have been subjected, SO that the coal
does not lie or cannot be mined In large
humps. 1t must be taken out In almost
q powdered condition. The same diff
Guilty does not appear to the same ex-
tent In the MatanuskH coal fields. The
Bering river coal fields are only TWEEN
er-fve miles from the coast. They are
within easy distance Of an existing
Sailroad built by the Morgan-Guggen-
helm interests and may also be reach
I'd through Controller hay By the cen,
atruction OF other and competing rail.
roads. !.
Controller bay IS not a good harbor.
but could probably be made practical
with the expenditure OF considerable
money. The railroad OF the Morgan
Gugecnheim interests. running from
Eordova, conld be ma0e = 49,. AIRY
Ing road for the Bering river ferns by
the construction of a branch to 1os
fields not exceeding fifty or sixty
miles. 1t Is practicable, and IL the
coal measures were to be opened up
doubtless the branch would be- built,
1nthe present condition OF things
there Is no motive to build the road,
because there is no title or opportunity
to open and mine the coal.
The Matanuska coal fields are a long
er distance from the coast They are
from 100 to 200 miles from the harbor
of Seward, on Resurrection bay. This
Is one OF the finest harbors In the
world, and a 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 a system
reaching 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.
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, BIZ the fact that there
has been no policy adopted Of opening
upthe coal lands upon which investors
could depend and, second. because
there seezas to be a hack Of financial
Backing OF those engaged In the enter
prise. The secretary OF the interior
has as~certained that the zboadholders.
who are the real owners of the road,
are willing to sell to the government,
and be 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 a 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
and efficiency OF service can be had
by private enterprise, but / think the
conditions presented IN Alaska are OF
such a character as to warrant the
government, for the purpose of e
eouraging the Development Of that
vast and remarkable territory. to build
and a trunk line railroad, which
1t ian lease on terms which may be
varied and changed to meet the grow
ing prosperity and development of the
territory.
There Is nothing In the history OF the
United States which affords such just
reason for criticism as the failure Of
the federal government TO extend the
benefit OF its fostering care to the ter
ritory of Alaska. There was a time.
OF course, when ALASKA was regarded
as SO far removed into the Arctic
ocean as to make any Development OF
1t 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 gfven
the subject the slightest consideration
has been aware of the wonderful pos
s1bilities In it's growth and develop
xaent If only capital were invested
there and a good government put over
IT.. think the United States owes II.
therefore, TO Alaska and to the peo-
ME who have gone there 70 take an
exceptional step ana 10 build a rail-
road that shall open the treasures of
Alaska to the Pacific and to the people
N +AN