The Alaska citizen., 1914-10-12
TERM Of COURT
ASKED FOR BY
TEAMMATES

If the hopes of those of the citi-
zens of the city of Tanana who have
cast their lot with her for better or
for worse are to be realized. Tana-
ma will one day be the seat of
term Of the district court of the
Fourth judicial division. If not the
headquarters for the entire DIVISION
Fairbanks at the present time en-
ioys the distinction of being court
headquarters but, in the opinion Of
the TEAMMATES. a change is contem
plated by the government, and they
have high hopes of being able to
swing the next courthouse to Tana-
ma. when the government decides
that a new federal building is neces-
sary.
The chief argument in favor OF
the establishment of a federal build
at Tanana and the holding of court
terms. is its centralized relation TO
the surrounding country, all OF which
is tributary to it. Located as 1t is
on the banks of the Yukon at the
mouth of the Tanana river. it is,
especially from a commercial point
of view. the center from which all
other points of the Interior, on
the Yukon, Tanana and other rivers,
are accessible.
Another item which should be
taken into consideration is the ex-
pense to which many are put in
attending the winter terms Of court
in Fairbanks and the danger to life
incurred by them in travelling dur
ing weather which almost at times
establishes a worlds record for its
intensity Along this line the en-
pense to the government is also to
be considered.
From the Koyukuk country to
Fairbanks is something over 600
miles by trail in the winter, by
summer much further In the win
ter when the mandate of the law
Fairbanks the miners of the Koyu-
kuk must drop their work and make
the long trip. The government pays
them s4OO per day and their ex-
penses while travelling, amounting
to about $500 per day. Then, too,
the travellers are allowed the cost
of their transportation which may
be more or less according to the
size of their dog teams if they
make the trip In winter, the regular
amount allowed by the government
for transportation being about $500
per day If those who are attending
steamboat transportation is paid in
like manner On distances shorter
than 100 miles from the seat of the
court. the traveller is paid his per
diem and personal expenses. being
allowed Is cents per mile for
transportation.
1t can, therefore. be readily seen
that for each person attending court
at Fairbanks from the Koyukuk.
the expense is enormous. Were
that session Of court which demands
their attendance held at Tanana the
expense to the government would be
reduced by at least one half.
In the event that a term OF the
district court was held at Tanana.
Justice in a great many cases would
be greatly facilitated and the piline
up of the court calendar at Fair
banks relieved Many there are
who now make the journey to Fair
banks and have to wait sometimes
for long time Ton full pay. tool
until the matters on which they
are called come to the attention OF
the court Should session OF
court be held at Tanana the long
and strenuous Journeys of the many
who now have to go to Fair
banks would be shortened consider
ably, although trip would neces-
sarily have to be made by a few,
comprising chiefly the personnel OF
TIE district court.
The establishment of district court
at Tanana would give that atmos-
phere of solidity, stability and per-
manence which is now lacking in
the eyes of the impressionable sum-
mer tourist or to the traveller who
is seeking information about the
country. Many such travellers an
nually pass along the great inland
waterway bisecting the Interior, the
Yukon, seldom finding time to take
trips to the more out OF the way