The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1914-02-25
WILL BUILD RAILROAD
HOUSE IN FAVOR OF A GOVERN
MENT line FOR ALASKA.
President to Have Entire Charge Of
Construction Work-Total Cost is
Not to Extend Over $50, 100000.

Not TO Extend over S30,OUO,UUO.
The administration Alaska railroad
bill, authorizing the president to con-
struct s35,000,O00 railroad from
Alaska's coast to it's great coal fields,
was passed by the House late We'd
nesday by vote Of 230 to 81. A
similar measure already has passed
the Senate and the bill will be taken
up at once in conference between the
two houses, with a view to sending it
quickly to the president, who has sig
niied his intention of signing it.
At the eleventh hour, after sharp
parliamentary skirmish, the House
eliminated from the bill, as reported
by the territories committee, a pro-
vision authorizing bond issue Of
100000 to finance the railroad
and to be paid off by the proceeds Of
government land sales in Alaska. The
Senate bill provides for a $4,000
900 bond issue. Representative Fitz-
gerald of New York led fight which
resulted in striking out the entire
bond provision from the bill.
Under the amended measure the
project would be financed out Of cur
rent funds in the treasury, the presi-
dent being limited to s35,000,O00
and s1,000,00O being appropriated
for immediate expense. Congress
would appropriate eacl year the
amount estimated as necessary for
the construction of the road.
The bill provides for the construc-
ton of a road mot to exceed 1000
miles, to be so located as to connect
one or more of the open Pacific ocean
harbors on the southern coast OF
Alaska with the navigable waters in
the interior of Alaska and with &
coal field or fields yielding coal sufi-
cient in quality and quantity for
naval use so as to best aid in the de-
Of the agricultural and
miner or other resources Of Alaska"
The project is of more interest than
even the expenditures of the $780,
100000 proposed would ordinarily
create. Coming so soon after the
completion Of the Panama canal it IS
attracting attention as another great
project under the direc- |
ton Of the American government. In
q sense, too, it compares with the
governments undertaking in the sos
10 push the Pacific railways across the
prairies and mountains OF
The West and thus link together the
West and the East.
Moreover, the new project is to be
he first test in this country Of gov
ownership of a public util-
ty; it is expected to open to the
commerce of the world great and rich
resources that until now have been
:or the most part lying idle; it will
afford employment to a large army OF
men both in its construction and in
is maintenance; it will develop AL
aska agriculturally as well as in other
ways by attracting homesteaders;
md It will cheaper greatly various
of commerce, notably
,oal. At least these are all things
which the friends of measure claim.
The bill places great power in the
hands Of the president and was op-
posed by some on this ground, not
hat they expressed any fear in re-
gard to President Wilson's Judgment
and integrity but that they thought 1t
was too much power to put in the
hands of any one man and directs
him to locate and acquire by purchase
Or construction, or by both means,
inc or lines of railroads from tide
water into the interior Of Alaska and
70 navigation on the Yukon, Tanana,
or Kuskokwim rivers.
In choosing the route he is to use
his Judgment as to what will best pro-
mote the settlement Of Alaska, de-
Yelop it's resources, and provide ade-
1uate transportation for coal for the
army and navy, for troops and NUM-
lions of war and for the mails. The
limitations as to price in case OF pur-
chase, there being few miles OF
railroad already constructed, is that
i must not exceed the physical value
IF the railroad property. The total
Of all railroads bought or constructed
Is not to exceed 1000 miles and the
anpropriation for the purchase Isl