The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-02-24

it was inevitable that there be eonsid-
cradle railroad construction from the
coast and along the coast il the resources
of the territory are to be adequately
developed.
Mr.. Seward also stated that it was his
firm conviction that railroad construc-
tion would ultimately penetrate and bi-
sect much of the interior, SINCE 1t was
inconceivahle that the known as we'll
as the presumed wealth of the territory
which is only waiting to be developed
would remain untouched az II had been
for ages.
Ii Is in Part Assured
Mr.. Seward has been permitted to live
long enough TO know that the govern
ment at Washington has now decided to
undertake the work of railroad construc-
ton In Alaska. The adoption by the
House of Representatives or the bill
which authorizes the construction of the
railroad systems in Alaska, the cost OF
which is to be met by the government
itself. makes 1t certain that the tim5
is near at hand when an important gov
ernmental work of this kind will be
undertaken.
Some years ago John 7. Jones. for
merly senator from Nevada, and one ot
the leading authorities of the United
States upon precious metal production
and the geological formations which
point to deposits of precious metal. stat
ed to the writer that somewhere in the
territory of Alaska is the mother lode
of gold from which have trfekled cur.
rents of that precious metal through
Alaska and along the Rocky Mountain
slope. Senator Jones states, Furthermore.
that the construction of the railroads
over the White Pass. waerepy rail and
water communication with the Yukon
district nOGcihlR Sin1piy
the pioneer railroad construction of the
territory. He made this statement be
fore private capital had begun the coI,-
struction of the railroad which nov
stretches from the Pacific coast to the
copper regions.
When speaking of railroad construction
in Alaska Mr.. Seward said that he had
been informed that there still remained
visible some of the supports or posts
which the Russian surveyors and engi-
neers had placed across the territory
from Behring Strait to point where
communication with British Columbia
could be established.
But for the achievement of Cyrus W.
Field, Peter Cooper and few others.
who demonstrated that it was possible
and commercially practicable TO lay a
cable upon the bed of the ocean. Rus
sa would have established the telegraph
line running through Siberia thence
across Russian North America to Brit
ish Columbia.
If 1t were possible, Mr.. Seward saio,
for the Russian surveyors and engineers
to blaze a path for a telegraph line
across Alaska it should not be impos-
sible to make adequate surveys for rail-
road construction bisecting Alaska on the
west and penetrating far into the inte-
rior.
Senator Jones is convinced that the an
nual production of gold in Alaska would.
We're there adequate transportation.
amount to about S200o0,000 a year for
many years. He had already proved his
faith by considerable investment in the
gold mines which are near Stka.
Ii seemed to be Mr.. Seward's opinion,
as il certainly is that of others who are
familiar with Alaska, that when ade-
quate transportation has been furnished
when 1t is possible to secure from Alaska
mines sufficient coal so that the heavy
expense entailed by shipping coal from
Pacific ports to Alaska is eliminated,
there will be established large smelling
works and there will be developed very
rich copper properties. all of this work
being carried on in conformity with fed
eral statutes of a kind which does not