The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1914-02-21

men and supplies being used up and
down the route of the Panama canal
In constructing and operating the
Alaskan railroad the president is au-
thorized to employ i'm its construc-
ton End operation any number Of men
he may think necessary, choosing
them as he pleases, only that those
chosen from civil life shall be under
the supervision, in the work of con-
struction. of the engineers taken from
the army. The appointment of any
engineer from civil life whose salary
exceeds $4,000 a year must be con.
firmed by the senate.
The president is authorized, and the
Alaskan railroad commission recon-
mends that it be done, to utilize in
Alaska all the machinery and equip
ment used in the construction Of the
Panama canal as rapidly as it is not
needed in Panama and can be used in
Alaska. the president to fix the price
TO be paid for it 10 the isthmian canal
commission.
The interstate commerce commits
sion. subject to the approval Of the
president, Is empowered to regulate
passenger and freight rates on the
new railroad, and the rates are to be
uniform, with no discrimination in
favor Of agents Of the government en-
cept the usual provision for employees
and their families.
IL the railroad line connects with
n steamship line for the joint trans
portation OF freight and passengers, or
with any other railroad now or here
after constructed i'm Alaska. the lines
so connected must be operated as a
through route with through rates on n
fair and reasonable apportionment of
revenue and expense.
The bin creates tho Alaska rail-
ways redemption fund" into which is
TO be paid 75 per cent, Of all money
'VN'iNSU Aioii thc Siie OF reuse Oh
public lands i'm Alaska; from the sale
Of coal or mineral or timber on pub
lie lands. and from the net earnings
of the railroad above maintenance
charges and operating expenses.
The debates in congress on this bill
have developed the fact that until re-
Gently Alaska has been unappreciated
as was the great northwest country
when acquisition by the United States
was considered. Even people who do
business along the west coast Of
Alaska are said u be ignorant in great
measure Of it's interior. But the coast
except for the fishing industry. is Of
relatively little commercial import
ance. The discussions have developed
that in the interior there are immense
resources capable OF sus-
tanning the population of sweden, Fin
land, Denmark, Russia and Siberia
This has only been known within the
last few years. AS result OF rail-
road construction this fertile land is
expected 10 be taken up at once by
boards OF homesteaders, for Alaska
has what are admitted to be good
homestead laws.
As TO coal. Alaska is rich. 1t has
two notable coal fields larger than any
in the United States or possibly In
the world. The Behring river field
covers 75 square miles and the Ma
tanuska field So. They are practically
virgin. only one title having been per-
fectcd. The rest belongs to the gov
ernment and IL is the expectation that
this land will be opened. The gov
ernmcnt is willing and transportation
facilities are expected to bring it
about. The railroad development will
open the coal lands and the coal will
furnish the power to operate the rail-
roads and bring about other develop
ment. Under present conditions it
costs $500 ton now TO ship mining
machinery to points along the Yukon
river and 81 a ton for each mile TO
transport il into the interior or sleds
and by other means.
The opening OF mines in Alaska.
together with tho building of rail-
road and the opening OF the Panama
canal. IL is estimated, will save the
government from Sc to $5 a ton on its
coal burned in the Pacific Alaska it.
self now buys coal from British CO.
lumbia. One satistician figures that
Alaska has as much coal as Pennsyl-
vania and West Virginia together and
that IL is us good in quality.
Senator Chamberlain, i'm meeting
the opposition to the proposal that
the government go into the railroad
business to the extent Of S4O,OOO.O 900.
admitted that this would he the first
time the government had ever owned