Daily Kennebec journal., 1914-02-19

IL passed the Senate, Inere DelHB u lew
miles of railroad already constructed,
is that 1t must not exceed the ply
steal value of the railroad property.
The total of all railroads bought or
constructed is not to exceed 1000 miles
and the appropriation for the purpose
is $4o,O00,0O0, so that he is limited to
an expense Of $4,000 a mile.
The President is authorized, II he
sees fit, to permit the government
railroad to be operated by contract or
lease or it may be operated by the
Panama Railroad Co. This latter COM
pany has been referred to in the de-
bates on the Alaska railroad bill as
an example of successful government
ownership, but it has been pointed out
in reply that it is not an example OF
government ownership in the sense
the phrase is generally used, because
It is not a commercial railroad, its
purpose being to transport 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 in its construction
and 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 su-
pervision, 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 rec
omrnends that 1t be done, to utillze
in Alaska all the machinery ana
eouipment 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 nx
the price to be paid for 1t TO the ls'h-
mian Canal Commission.
The Interstate Commerce ComHlls-
sion. subject to the approval OF ehe
President, Is empowered TO resuiale
passenger and freight rates on sthe
neu. railroad. and the rates are TO De
uniform. with no discrimination III
favor of agents of the government
except the usual provision FOR EN-
ployes and their famliies'
IF the railroad line connects Win d
steamship line for the joint transpor-
ration of freight and passengers or
with anv other railroad now or mere
after constructed in Alaska, the lines
9, connected must be operated as
ftrouph route with through rates on
f.ir and reasonable apportionment
of revenue and expense
The bonds proposed IN the oehate
bill from the sale Oh winch
the $40. 900 900 is to be ootaineo aie "
he sold that any citizen HAY
opportunity to SUBSCRIBE
Tbe Senate bill creates the ALASKA
railways Redemption Fund ii.o
which is to be paid rs per cent. oi eii
money received from the sale OF ieaeo
of nnblic lands In Alaska; from .he
colo of coal or mineral or timber OH
nnblic lands; and from the net earn
inps of the railroad above maintenance
charges and operating expenses. me
redenntion fund is to be drawn on ny
der of the President to pay interest
- Tho bonds or to retire them Inc
/ bora of the friends of the Dill Is ina.
.ta bonds will be successfully retired
so rnat the government, so 10 speah'
/ will simply HdNe iiAe'
/ Alaska. 49, .b;s hill,
The debates in Congress oii 'n,9
b.vs developed the fact that until re-
Gently Alaska has been unapprecia'eu a'
was the great northwest country "Ae"
acquisition by the United states was coh-
sidered. Even people who 90 business
along the west coast of Africa are saiu
to he ignorant in great measure oi i''
interior But the coast, except TOT 'hee
fishing industry, is of relatively i'''e
/ ---,,,,o,o,aI Importance. The discussions
ho,,o develoued that in the interior there
are immense agricultural resources cap
chile of sustaining the population OF o"e-
don Finland, Denmark, Russia ana elpe-
ria This has only been known within
.ba last few years AS d result OK rail-
road construction this fertile iano Is eA'
n.o+ad to be taken up at once by hoaros
of homesteaders, for Alaska has what are
aar,,t+ed tn be good homestead laws.
| t 70 coal. Alaska Is rich. 1t has TWO
o.oble coal fields larged than any In the
,-.,.os Stotes or possibly in the world,
THO Rehring river field covers 10 square
miles and the Matanuska heio %.
! are practically virgin, only one Title ii"
| ing been perfected. Inc rest oStoe ~
the government and it is the expectation
that this land will be opened. The gov
eminent is willing. and transportation ia
! ci,ities are expected to bring II ABOUT
The railroad development Will open the
coal lands and the coal will furnish the
mower to operate the railroads ana prins
about other development. Under present
conditions it costs s2Oo ton now to snip
,,,ining machinery to points along the
yukon river and 81 ton for each mile to
tronsnort It into the interior on sieos
and by other means.
The opening OF mines in Alaska togetn-
.r with the building of railroad anu
the opening of the Panama canai' II Is
estimated, will save the government from
sa to IS a ton on its coal burned IN the
Pacific. Alaska itself now buys coal from
british Columbia. One statistician ngures
that Alaska has as much coal as Fehh-
sv,vania and West Virginia together and
that 1t is as good in quality
Senator Chamberlain, in meeting the op-
nos;tion to the proposal that the govern
mont go into the railroad business to the
v.a,t of s4O 600 600 admitted that this