Iditarod pioneer., 1914-01-24
ALASKA RAILWAY
 BILL

The Alaska railroad bill, known as H. R. l739, by Mir Wickersham, with the com mttee amendments as reported to the house, is as follows. The senate bill IS almost
 identical with the house bill:
 That the President of the United States i is hereby empowered, authorized and direct
 ed to adopt and use name by which to
 designate the railroad or railroads and
 properties to be located, owned, acquired or operated under the authority of this act j;
 to employ such officers agents or agencies, | in his discretion, as may be necessary to carry out the purposes of this act, such of ticers, agents or agencles to be appointed or designated by him or under his direction j; to authorize and require such officers, agents or agencies to perform any or all ot the duties imposed upon him by the terms of ! this act to detail and require any officer or officers in the engineer corps ln the
 army or navy, or any official Tn the clVll list of the United States, to perform serv-
 ice under this act without additional pay, but upon the allowance of actual subsl6t- ence and travelling expenses; to locate and | designate a route or routes tor line or lines of standard gauge ralroad Tn the Ter ritory of Alaska to be so located as to connect one or more of the open Pacific ocean harbors on the southern coast of 1 Alaska with the naygable waters ln the Tn
 terior of Alaska, and with coal field or 1 fields yielding coal sufficient in quality and quantity for naval use, so as best to aid in the development of the agricultural and mineral or other resources of Alaska, and the settlement of the public lands therein, and so as to provide transportation of coal tor | the army and navy, of troops, arms num- | tions of war, or the mails, and for other governmental and public uses; to construct and build a standard gauge railroad or rall- roads, with the necessary branch lines, iced CTS, sidings switches and spurs along such route or routes as he may so locate and designate to purchase or otherwise acquire all real and personal property necessary to carry out the purposes of this act to eXer- else the power of eminent domain ln sc Quiring property tor such Use, wulc4I Use Is hereby declared to be a pubic use, by con demnation in the courts of Alaska Tn ac- cordance with the laws now or hereafter in force there; to acquire rights ot way, terminal grounds, and all other rights; and to exercise all the powers granted to rall- road companies under and by virtue ot the act of congress entitled An act extending the homestead laws and providing for right
 way for railroads in the District Of Alaska, and for other purposes" approved May IA, 1898, and all amendments thereto; to pur- chase or otherwise acquire all necessary equipment for the construction and opera ton of such railroad or railroads for the transportation of freight and passengers; to build or otherwise acquire docks wharves, terminal facilities and all structures needed for the equipment and operation of such railroad or railroads; to fix, change or mod lfy rates for the transportation ot freight and passengers subject to the supervlslon ot the interstate commerce commlsslOn, as hereinafter provided; to receive compensa- tlon therefor, and to perform generally all the usual duties of common carrier for hire; to make and establish rules and regu- lations, not in violation of law flor the con trol and operation of said railroad or rall- roads to employ agents and employees tor the conduct of the business Of sad railroad or railroads and to fix and provide tnelr compensation; to lease the said railroad or railroads after completion upon such terms as he may deem proper, but no lease shall be for longer period than 10 years, or Tn the event of failure to lease, to operate the same until the further acton ot congress; to lease, purchase, condemn or otherWlse acquire any other line or lines ot ralroad in Alaska which may be necessary to com plete the construction of the line or lines of railroad designated or located by hlm Tn the first instance, upon such terms as he may deem proper; to make contracts or agreements with any other railroad or with any steamship company for joint trans portation of freight or passengers, and to | make such other contracts as may be nee 1 essary to carry out any of the purposes of this act; to transfer any tools, equip ment or other property belonging to the United States and used in the construction of the Panama canal or other government work for the use of such railroad or rall- roads in Alaska; and no charge shall be made therefor, but credit may be taken for the fair value thereof by the department having aem in charge.
 Sec. 2. That the interstate commerce commission shall have as full power and
 authority over all matters connected with said railroad or railroads as 1t has by law over other railroads, and nothing Tn this
 act shall in anywise limit its powers or duties in respect to said railroad or rail roads.
 Sec. 3. That the secretary of the treas ury, upon the order of the President IS hereby authorized to borrow, on the credit of the United States, from time to time
 as the proceeds may be required to defrsy expenditures authorized by this act (such
 proceeds, when received, to be used only ! for ebe rlr2esa cf r2est,ns e-ch eznenIt