The Alaska daily empire., 1913-11-04

RUSTGARD DISCUSSES
 ALASKAN PROBLEMS

-O-O-
 United States District Attorney John Rustgard, who returned yesterday from Washington, D. C., was called to the National capital six weeks ago for a consultation with the Department of Justice officials with relation to the trial of the so-called transportation cases," which have been pending since 1911, when the indictments were re- turned.
 These cases include the United States against the Pacific and Arctic Railway and Navigation company (the American end of the White Pass and Yukon), Pacific Coast Steamship com pany. Alaska Steamship company, Ca nadian Pacific Railway company, and the North Pacific Wharves and Trad ing company (Owners of the Moore wharf. Skagway). The indictment charged combination in restraint of trade. The case was up in the district court and the government was beaten on a demurrer sustained by Judge Ly- ons District Attorney Rustgard took an appeal and the district court was reversed and the case sent back for trial, which has been set for the first Monday in February, 1914.
 i'm al oil ,f the officers of the defendant corpora tiOns, but it is likely that the indict- ment will be dismissed against several of them for various reasons. Those who will probably stand trial will be C. E. Winn-Johnson, J. C. Ford, Chas. E. Peabody, and G. H. Higby.
 A separate trial to follow will be the retrial of the case tried last Jan uary wherein the jury disagreed and in which the North Pacific Wharves and Trading company, The Pacific Coast company the Pacific Coast Steamship company and the Pacific and Arctic Railway and Navigation company and all of the officers of the company were defendants. In this case the indictment contained two counts one of which was dismissed The trial was on the count charging the defendants with monopolizing the wharfage facilities of Skagway bay
 The history of these cases was gone into fully with the Department, and as result they will be tried early next year. In addition another suit will be commenced against the White Pass road in addition to the one now pend ing.
 Mir. Rustgard states that his visit to the National capital was eminent Iy satisfactory, and he discussed Alas ka affairs at length with the Cabinet members, heads of departments and members of Congress. At the Interior Department he took up the matter of securing title to manufacturing sites within the National forest reserves in Alaska. Under the present method of procedure leases for sites for manu- featuring and trading purposes are re- vocable at any time, within the dis erection of the forestry bureau, the re- suit being that persons desiring to en- gage in business, as for instance, the cannery business, or any other kind of industry, are often unable to finance their propositions because of their in ability to secure a lease of land that may not be revoked at a moments notice.
 Mir. Rustgard says he has reason to hope that the Interior Department will recommend to Congress an amend ment to the law that will remove the existing disability and that as a result an increase of industrial plants will follow. Another matter discussed with the officials was the abolition of the eighty-rod reservations of land along the shore line of Alaska, which has long been considered as entirely un- necessary in nearly every case where the issue has been raised, and which has resulted in retarding the develop ment of the country. This and other matters will also be presented to Con- gress for it's consideration, and there is a reasonable prospect that affima- tive action will be taken.