The Chitina leader., 1915-03-30
Of INTEREST TO ALASKANSEVENTS Of THE BIG WAR

" UIIlIlUI ~ nl0UI1VU
WASHINGTON, March 27.-It is known that President
Wilson about ready to make of his selection
OF routes for the building of railroads in Alaska
He take the public into his confidence on Monday unless
ne decides to wait little longer until Secretary Lane
reaches here from California.
Attorney General Gregory has decided that the President
has authority to contract for the purchase of either both
the Alaska Northern and the Copper River Northwestern
Railways He has the right to do right any
sort of contract for acquiring them the full
that provided for in the railroad bill
1t is authoritave known that negotiations for the pur
chase of the Alaska Northern have been practically closed
The price 81 100000 That the valuation placed the
road by Engineer Eugene Underwood brother of Senator
Underwood He Of the engineers employed by the
Engineering Commission last summer and made exama
ton of the road and placed valuation on it.
In the agreement for the purchase Of the Alaska Northern
half of the money is to be paid in cash and the balance in
two years.
party is being dispatched Seattle establish
purchasing agency for the Alaska Engineering Commission
to buy the supplies for in the building of roads
this summer :, @~ "a
One of the engineers employed by Commission is H. P
Warren He in Panama selecting material from the
Panama Railway for in Alaska 1t presumably
sent to Ship Creek for in building the Matanuska line
This material will be charged up the Alaska fund only the
transportation charges Although gauge the locoo
tves built that they may be converted to broad gauge
SEATTLE, March 27-An arrival from Washington
of prominence and with close connections with the
administration that early possibly Monday
the President will the for government rail
roads He states that Seward will be the permanent
terminus and that the line will then the Alaska
Northern the present Mile Creek then
past Ship Greek Matanuska Junction distance of II
miles spur of SO miles will from this junction the
Matanuska coal fields But he that the main line will
continue north from Maanuska junction through the Susna
Valley, through Broad Pass to Nenana the Tanana
River with ultimately branch Mile 1877 Nuato
the lower Yukon river.
This informant the purchase
of the Alaska Northern has been signed and that the
ent has not time seriously considered the purchase of
the Copper River Northwestern Railway He states that
talk of probable purchase thrown out in order to
the Alaska Northern reasonable price, He states
that the pay 100000 for that railroad He
further adds that the Alaska Syndicate has known for
time past that there not much likelihood of the govern
ment taking their road Notwithstanding that additional
information sought to operating and maintenance
This only secured the that the mprob
able resulted and the Alaska Northern deal had to be
thrown up.
WASHINGTON, March 24.-William G. Edes, chairman
of the Alaska Engineering Commission, announced this
morning that Alaska would practically furnish all the labor
needed for the construction of the first unit the
railroad He states that of the thousands of applications
from every section of the United States all
been rejected, with few exceptions
The labor will be secured in Alaska and Chairman Ede
further states that early month several will be
from Seattle to recruit and assemble labor in the north At
least members Of the Commission also expect sail from
Seattle about the middle of April to get the work started