The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-02-19
ALASKAN RAILROAD
MEASURE is PASSED
BY VOTE OF 23O TO 81
CONTINUED From Page One,

the settlement of Alaska, develop its re-
sources and provide adequate transpor-
tation for coal for the army and navy
for troops and munitions of war, and
for the mails.
The total of all railroads bought or
constructed is not to exceed 1000 miles
and the appropriation for tne purpose IS
$35, 900 009.
The President is authorized. if he sees
fit, to permit the government railroad to
be operated by contract or lease or it may
be operated by the Panama Railroad
company. In constructing and operating
the Alaskan railroad the President is au-
thorized to employ in IT'S construction
for operations in any number of men ne
may think necessary, choosing them as
he pleases, only that those chosen from
civil life shall be under the supervision,
in the work of construction, or the engi-
neers taken from the army. The appoint
ment of any engineers from civil life
whose salaries exceed $1,000 a year must
be confirmed by the Senate.
The President is authorized, and the
Alaskan railroad commission recommends
that where it can be done, to utilize in
Alaska all the machinery and equipment
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 to the isthmian canal commits
sion.
To Regulate Rates
The interstate commerce commission,
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 io
discrimination in favor of agents of the
government except the usual provision for
employees and their families.
The bill creates the Alaska railways ie-
demption fund" into when is to be paid
70 per cent of all money received from
the sale or lease of public lands in Alas
ka, from the sale of coal or mineral
or timber on public lands; and from the
net earnings of the railroad above main
tenance charges and operating expenses
The debates in Congress on this bill
have developed the fact that until re-
Gently Alaska has been unappreciatcd
and that in the interior mere are i'm
mense agricultural resources capable of
sustaining the population of Sweden, Fin
land. Denmark, Russia and Siberia. This
fertile land is expected to be taken UP
at once by homesteaders.
Has Two Notable Coal Fields
Alaska has two notable coal fields
larger than any in the United States or
possibly in the world. The Behring river
field covers rs square miles and the Mat
gin, only one title having been per-
fected The rest belongs to the gov-
ernment.
The opening of mines in Alaska, with
the building of a railroad. the opening
of the Panama canal, 1t is estimated, will
save the government from SO to So ton
on it's coal burned in the Pacific. Alaska
itself now buys coal from British CO.
lumbia. One statistician figures that Alas
ka has as much coal as Pennsylvania
and West Virginia together and that
it is as good in quality
Senator Chamberlain, in meeting the
opposition to the proposal tnat the gov
ernment go into the railroad business
to the extent of $95, 100000 admitted that
this would be the first time the gov
ernment had ever owned railroad but
he argued that the sum involved was
small compared to what the government
had spent in giving aid to railroads,
which he estimated at nearly s40o000,0O
mostly in land grants.