The Cordova daily times., 1915-11-10
ALASKA $ FRIEND WRITES ON OPENING COAL FIELDS

With the close of an interesting series of articles Alas the Daily Times desires again tribute to that able ana fearless writer Colonel John A. Secher of Leses Weekly who dared to tell the truth conditions they actually exist in this norhland He personally investigated the ne of comparatively undeveoped country inquired into real of the botlng process through which Alaska passing and drew pertinent and intelligent cohc sons that made good reading and has done the territory turn by an open frank discussion of pitabe condition That incacuabe good will result there is no doubt as LeSe is widely read by patriotic and thinking Americans.
 Col Schecher believes that the storehouse of Alaska magnifccn wealth to be opened and when it s it will give d impetus to National prosperity The following eN cclpts deal with our large deposits of coal:
 Naturc preserves it's equilibrium always and everywhere It has furnished Alaska with abundant deposits of coal Some of the largest in the Arctic circle the land of the midnight sum- estimated that Alaska furnish this country with s of coal for OO0 years to comc only when higher price will justify the cost of mining in remote and almost inaccessible regions Aakas greatest need for its industrial development an abundanc of fuel While it has plenty of timber along coast wood is in the interior but it's coal fields would supply the necessary fuel if the Government which owns the coal, would permit capital to mine it.
 Sensational writers have exaggerated the immediate value of Alaska fields and created such widespread alarm regarding their seizure and appropriation by private parties that no administration Washington has had the courage to consider the solution of the problem from an econo mic standpoint without regard to partisan considerations 50 Alaska fields have remained they from the crea tion while people of the territory have pleaded m VA for the fuel they needed They bitterly resent the attitude ot those who with little knowledge of the gravity of the situation have insisted blocking the way the utilization o Alaska resources The whole country has suffered thereby and the development Ot the richest territory on the cnt has been stmted when it is most promising
 t is greatly 10 the credit of the precent Secretary O the Interior Mr. Lane that with the approval of President s0n vigorous effort develop the coal deposits o Alaska IS now mdpr wav The Government surveys show in all about dozen separate and distinct coal fields i'll Alaska ranging from Ignite to bmnous and anthracite of high and low grade Of these fields only three four tributary to seasonabe navgaon the locked in by ice fields during the greater part of the These available known The Bcrng River field COrOVa and including the much talked of and greatly msrepresented Cunningham Clam the Cook Inlet Ignite deposit covering very large in southwestern Alaska and which little work has been done and the Mata uska ed to whoch the Government is building railroad of it's own bv authority recently granted by Congress and with an initial appropriation of $O00O00 and plan that cOntem plates the construction of LOGO miles of railway at cost of $35,000000
 Secretary Lane representing the government, proposes arrange with responsible parties for the leasing Ot limited sections coal lands in Alaska. Some fear that these sections are small they may secured by those who will utilize them for stock obbng purposes It would be very easy for the owner government lease of coal land to initiate its value for speculative purposes How gub the public the post office department by its statement that single year creduous persons swnded out of $l7OOOOOO by the promoters of fraudulent mining oi pantaOn patent right and similar schemes coal mine with the governments credentials behind it would give these gold brick gamblers the chance of their lives
 'e safest and obviously the only way to avoid such scanaOus of the governments honest purpose would be for only with those whose financial standing was unouesoned just Secretary McAdoo in carrying out his patriotic purpose improve trade relations with South American states stripped of all partisan consideration and invited the aid the largest banking houses and the repre- enaves of the largest and most successful corporations Let Secretary Lane call his aid the strongest parties he can find let them unite in carrying out the avoWed purpose ot the Administration open Alaska in deed and in truth Then this nation would have abundant cause to rejoice
 
 Through ignorance mcompetency, or possibly both,