The Chitina leader. [volume] (Chitina, Alaska) 1910-1928, 1914-02-17
DELEGATE MAKES GLAR1NG ERROR


The Congressional Record is interesting reading these
DAYS. The Alaska railway bill bringing forth much argument
in favor against the and to the fact that
It one important matters at before
Congress- the introduction OF statements or errors IN
the Record much be deplored On page four OF the
Record Of Wednesday, December IT, 1913 being
the speech of Davenport of Oklahoma the question Of
railroads in Alaska appears the quotation by the
tatye from page of the Senate hearings between Senator
Nelson chairman of the committee and Mr. James Wicker
sham delegate Alaska The question under discussion
at that time was Copper River Northwestern Railway
and Nelson suggested that if the took
the railroad the would have operate same
and their chancs which Mr. Wickerham replied The
would their for about 9Oc probably
while they charge for grade $3.50 freight per ton
This matter being officially reproduced part OF the Con-
gessona Record the statement should not be allowed to
without setting forth the facts
Mr. Davenport be criticized for reproducing the
statement he naturally would consider the delegate from
Alaska authority Alaska affairs, but it is indeed
strange that Delegate Wckersham would allow such
to published We that it is the dele
gates part and for the sake properly correcting this state
ment the following facts are given Mr. Wckersham, by
inference clearly indicates that rate of $3.50 per ton
charged the copper for the 1876 miles of the railroad
This the first be corrected The 10 ton rate
quoted applies only copper where the valuation
does exceed $500 per ton figured meer returns and
certainly the delegate from Alaska should know that such
being transported the present time Also the rate of
$3.50 per ore the actual value of which does not
exceed $500 per ton mine Alaska
the smeer Tacoma in the state of Washington and
instead being covering 1876 miles of railroad and
cost of handling from the to the steamships at
Cordova and from the steamship to dock at Tacoma.
Mr. Wckersham does not state that the rate copper
from the interior of Alaska Tacoma which the actual
value per does exceed $685. only $11 per including
landings of the and the rate from $ up
TO- the most important omission being that is being
shipped at the higher rate Mr. Wickersham certainly must
have been muoted when he said the would
copper for 80 cents under the conditions for
this rate would hardly for the bare handling from the
to the ship and from the ship to the smelter DOCK but that
what he must have meant when he 80 cents
The individual in Alaska who has to ship by carload from
points the Copper River has rate which is graduated
from 1919 per on which tremendous difference from
bold statement that the rate $3.50 ton Instead of being
railroad rate covering 1876 miles it is railroad and steam
ship of nearly 1900 miles and most startling of all the
figures the rates graded to the producer of low grade
chance to develop his property. Summed therefore,
Mr. Understands statement of anywhere from So
$ 80 per ton in the credited freight rate and of
nearly 1900 miles in distance It is absolute physical
mpossbity of accomplishment, his suggestion that the
could handle copper for 500 miles, including
distinct landings of the the rate of 80 per
and is only fair that this should also be inserted in the
Record.-Seattle Railway and Marine News.
Sewardtes find considerable consolation the that
Capt CHM Moore has annonced that Resurrection Bay
advantages Portage Pass and that Of the
government trunk lines will have its terminus at Seward But
this is matter that engineers will undoubtedly
settle and the meantime Cordova has believe
that the first road built by Uncle Sam will start from Chtna
with Cordova the sea port terminus.
While the people back East being frozen death
railroad traffic practically suspended going
driven ashore Cordova is enjoying spell Of mild bamy
weather and it's railroad interior Alaska running regularly
and on schedule time
Ben Greet informed the Salmagunai Club in New York
that Damaged Goods" is ridiculous and badly written
play. Which indicates that Mr. Ben Greet is striking
example of ignorance the function of the great moral up