The Cordova daily times., 1915-12-30
GREAT NEED IF ALASKAN
 WATERS

Redfield, secretary of commerce, sub mitted to Congress, deals with Alaska at length, and the secretary uses some strong language on the loss of ships and the lack of proper equip ment on the part of the government in charting navigable waters. He says that the past attitude of the government toward the coast and geodetic survey, if the magnitude of it's task be considered and the qual- ity of it's work be weighed, has been both with respect to it's housing. it's vessels and to the necessary appar- atus for it's serious tasks, and par ticularly as regards the Pacific coast and Alaska, like that of a wealthy and prosperous man refusing to give to his loyal children the necessaries of life.
 "I speak of this in detail later. It is thus placed in the forefront of my report and with intended emphasis that this department may not have upon it's conscience and it's record the responsibility for the loss of human life and property that has ensued from i penuriousness respecting this service in the past and will ensue unless this policy is changed.
 "These are strong words. They are amply justified. Their truth cannot be successfully challenged. Our citi- zens have been drowned (31 in one easel and both private and public property repeatedly lost because the United States government has not more rapidly provided the force and apparatus with which to survey and chart the dangerous waters of our Pacific, and particularly of our Alas kan coast"
 Again tho secretarv savs'
 "A former tender of Alaskan waters was wrecked upon an unknown rock. This was a needless waste Of prop erty, but there have been many more like it in those waters. LegisIotion is now pending to provide a suitable vessel.
 "The paramount need of the light house service in Alaska Is the esti- mate for an appropriation of $25O,0oo for new tender to replace the Ar meria This item appears as No. 1 in the departments estimates for the l fiscal year 1916. Tho Armeria was wrecked on May 20, 1912, by striking submerged, uncharted pinnacle rock having about fifteen feet of water over it. This rock was subsequently located with difficulty and found to be very steep on all sides, the depth dropping quickly to five and six faith oms, and 1t was estimated that the summit was about three feet square. There is In the light house service no tender permanently assigned to Alas ka. The Columbine. which Is now serving there, was borrowed from an- other district and Is needed where she belongs Furthermore, she is not large enough to do the Alaska work adequately or to be entirely safe for the long voyages and unfavorable weather conditions. In connection with the establishment of the light and fog signal at Cape St. Elias for which an appropriation was made by the act of October 22, 1913. a large lighted buoy is needed to mark the very dangerous southeast rock. A buoy suitable for the service weighs nearly fourteen tons, and the maxi mum lifting capacity of the tender Columbine is less than seven tons, so that the establishment of this much needed aid must be postponed until a vessel of sufficient size to do the work efficiently Is provided. The re- quest for authority to enlarge the pro posed new tender to vessel costing $325,OOO as compared with $25O,O0O was made for the following reasons: |: The government is charged with the responsibility of providing supplies for the natives and other inhabitants of the Pribiloff Islands. These SUD- plies include over 500 tons of coal an- nually and a thousand tons of hay. grain, lumber and all other stores and merchandise needed for the support of a community of some hundreds of Iaovla