Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1914-02-19
ALASKAN RAILROAD
IS NOW ASSURED
House Passes Measure for
$35,OO0,00O Government
Line to Coal Fields.
EXPECT WILSON TO SIGN
BILL BEFORE END OF WEEK
Bond Issue or Appropriation
From Treasury Is Only
2 Question Remaining.

" TAoiilA OINs co. l5.-AuiIllnAo-
tration leaders were confident today
that before the end of the week Pres
ident Wilson would put his signature
to the bill authorizing him to build
thousand miles of railroad from an
Alaskan seaport to tap the great coal
fields in the interior of the territory.
The measure has passed both
branches of Congress by overwhelm-
ing votes, and today advanced to the
stage of conference on House amend
ments with everybody anxious for its
passage to the White House.
AS passed by the House last night,
go to 81, the bill would provide that
the President construct the railroad
with $35, 100000 to be appropriated as
needed from the treasury, $1,000, 900
being made available Immediately,
and in his own discretion, to have
the line operated by the government
or leased to private contractors. The
Senate bill proposed a bond issue of
S40,000,000 to be redeemed out of
Alaska's resources to finance the
project.
Sentiment in the Senate is strong
for the bond issue, while in the House
Representative Fitzgerald's proposal
to have the money taken directly from
the United States treasury was
adopted by vote of S8 to 81. This
question is the only stumbling block
in the path of the conferees, and
while 1t is admitted that it will give
trouble, both sides are satisfied that
no disagreement as to methods will
long delay an agreement.
First Govt Ownership Test.
The project is of more interest than
even the expenditure of the $40,000,0 900
81 a.
Coming as soon after the completion
of the Panama canal it is attracting
attention as another great engineer
ing project under the direction of the
American government. In a sense,
too, it compares with the govern
ment's undertaking in the SOS to push
the Pacific railways across the un-
broken prairies and mountains of the
West and thus link together the West
and the East. Moreover, the new
project is TO be the first test IN this
country of government ownership of
a public utility; 1t is expected to open
to the commerce of the world great
and rich resources that until now
have been for the most part lying
idle; it will afford employment to a
large army of men, both in it's con-
struction and in its maintenance; it
will develop Alaska agriculturally as
well as in other ways by attracting
homesteaders, and it will cheaper
greatly various commodities of COM
merce, notably coal. At least these
are all things which the friends of
measure claim for it.
The bill places great power in the
hands of the President and was op-
posed by some on this ground, not
that they expressed any fear in re-
gard to President Wilson's judgment
and integrity but that they thought it
was too much power to put in the
HANDS of any one man.
To Utilize Canal Machinery.
In constructing and operating the
Alaskan railroad the President is
authorized to employ in it's construc-'
ton and operation any number of
men he may think necessary, choos-
ing them as he pleases, only that
those chosen from civil life shall be
under the supervision in the work Of
construction of the engineers taken
from the army. The appointment of
any engineer from civil life whose
salary exceeds $4,000 a year, must be
confirmed by the Senate.
The President is authorized, and
the Alaskan Railroad Commission
recommends that it be done, to util-
ize in Alaska all the machinery and
equipment used in the construction
of the Panama Canal as rapidly as
1t is not needed in Panama, and can
be used in Alaska, the President to
fix the price to be paid for 1t to 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,
except the usual provision for en-
ployees and their families.
If the railroad line connects with
a steamship line for the joint trans
portation of freight and passengers,
or with any other railroad now or
hereafter constructed in Alaska, the
lines SO connected must be operated
as a through route with through
rates on a fair and reasonable APP
rortionment of revenue and expense.
Redemption Fund Created.
The bill creates the ALASKA rail-
ways redemption fund" into which
is to be paid seventy-hve per cent.
of all money received from the sale
or lease of public lands in Alaska;
from the sale of coal or mineral or
timber on public lands, and from the
net earnings of the railroad above
maintenance charges and operating