The San Juan islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1913-09-05

- EFORE the present congress
LIZ ends it is possible that the
~ United States government will
- be in the railroad-building bust
ness on a huge scale with the
construction of two great trunk-line
roads for Alaska. 1t is an experiment
that will be watched with keen inter
est throughout the country, for If sue
cessful the experiment will have pro-
found effect upon the regulation OF
railroads in the states themselves.
But the more immediate results of the
building of railroads by the govern
ment in Alaska will be the develop
ment Of a territory of imperial rich
ness, and it is expected that there will
be a rush for Alaska land that will
lean history. When the railroads tap
the enormous resources of Alaska
there will come another ringing chal-
lenge to American brain and Drawn
for the conquest of the new west.
Starved and neglected as Alaska has
been by the federal government, it
already has produced $3.50, 100000, but
when railroad development comes this
total can be added to easily by $780,
10000 a year. Alaska is coming into
its own-not for soulless exploitation
by greedy monopolists, but for the
benefit of all it's people and the people
of the United States who own it.
May Build Two Trunk Lines.
The promise of hope for Alaska is
held out most strongly at this time in
the work and recommendations Of the
Alaska railroad commission which
Uncle Sam sent to Alaska last fall to
study the railroad needs of the coun-
try, and whose report to congress was
made public this spring. In transmit
ting this admirable document the
president made an outright recommen-
dalton for the construction by the
United States of two trunk line roads
at an estimated cost of $4,000, 900,
and the friends of Alaska are now
presenting all the arguments they can
think of to the senate committee
which has the matter under consider
alton. Apparently we are about to
embark in Alaska on governmental
construction and ownership of rail-
roads. The commission consisted of
j. J. Morrow, major corps of engineers,
United States army, chairman; A. II.
Brooks, United States geological sur
vey, vice-chairman; L. M. Cox, civil
engineer, United States navy, and G.
M. Ingersoll. consulting engineer, of
New York. Three of the members are
engineers and the vice-chairman is
the head of the division of Alaska min
eral resources of the geological sur
vey. Proceeding Immediately to Alas
ka, the commission visited the south
ern and central parts of the territory,
including the valuable harbors and
practically all of the railroads, and by
an overland trip of 700 miles to Fair
hanks gained knowledge of the in
terror.
The report made by the commission
is not only favorable but optimistic,
and it comprises just, such close
analysis of the situation as might well
be expected from body of men so
eminently qualified to consider the
railroads. Not only is it entirely feas-
ible to provide adequate railroad IA
cilities for Alaska, but the commission
points out the immense results which
will follow. It calls attention to the
vast undeveloped mineral resources,
and also the large areas of farming
and grazing lands in Alaska. These
are south Of the Arctic circle and fully
as capable of high development as
Norway and Sweden lands and Of as
great an area as all the states lying
cas- of the Mississippi and north of
the Ohio and Mason and Dixon's line.
The climate of the Pacific coast region
Is comparatively mild, and while that
Of the interior is more severe it Is
not unfavorable to colonization and ag-
riculture..
Two Great Problems.
Alaska's development, 1t Is well rec
ognized, centers around two great
questions, opening Of the coal fields
and transportation. The former is de-
pendent upon the latter The fabulous
resources Of this enormous territory
are unquestioned, but without an ade-
Quate transportation system they viii
remain largely potential, undeveloped
and unused; but with railroads Alaska
must respond to degree which Will
make even the great activity and the
large production Of the past dozen
years seem as It has been In reality,
mere pioneer work.
At the present time ali sorts Of
ransportation methods are in use.
In Alaska. Some railroads, it Is true,
are IN operation. but the development