The Alaska daily empire., 1915-12-15
VALDEZ PAPER SAYS DELEGATE
 SPOKE FALSELY
lNaIdn. lIlnarl

lValdoz Minor.)
 In his speech at Seward and An- : chorago. Delegate Wickersham de' clared that Col Richardson presi' dent of the Alaska Road commissioh' instead of working for tne Alaskan ! Engineering Commission had opposeu the start and had aided the enemles of the bin until a halt had been cail- ed by Secretary Lane. The delegate also stated that che Naldez-Falrhanks wagon road was a mudh0le iu sum mer and was no better than as it ihe brush and trees had been cut off or ii. although nearly S2,000.O0O had been spent on it and indicated that he would not work for tho appropria- ton for which Colonel Richardson is asking to complete the road to inter- ! for Alaska from Valdez. He also stated that travel would cease oyor it as soon as the Seward-Fairbanks road was completed.
 It is to the interest of every person in Interior Alaska as well as the people of Valdez and Copper river section that the larger appropriation should be received at the coming ses- sion or congress.
 Col. Richardson as head Of the commission. has always insisted that the work be done by Alaskans and has favored Alaska business houses when buying supplies, all things be- ing equal During the past summer hundreds oi men were employed and were given a chance Of earning money t0 secure outfits that they might stay in the territory and continue their search for minerals and assist in the development of the country.
 If Col Richardson is successful In securing the special appropriation or S40O,O0O for the completion of the . ValdezFairbanks wagon road it is evi- dent he will have to do SO without assistance from the delegate
 When delegate Wickersham stated that the commission had spent nearly two million on the wagon road from Valdez Co Fairbanks he must have known that Che statement was not true The entire appropriations made by congress for the construc- tion and maintenance of roads and trails In Alaska up to June ], 1915, must be added the sum of SL33l6ll.99 received from the territorial tax fund. a total of $2.SO6.51799 for the entire road and trail system of Alaska
 The distance from Valdez to Fair banks is three hundred and seventy miles. and the Chitina cutoff approx imatcly forty more total of four hundred and ten miles The report of the road commission shows that Approximately S1300000 has been spent on this four hundred and ten miles Of road The commission has built a number of permanent bridges across rivers which were impossible before their construction, and these facts must be taken into considera- tion when it is stated that the aver age cost of the Naldez-Fairbanks road is SS.0O0 per mile The bridges are well built and will require little Co keep them in repair and any lu- ture appropriations to be used on the road would be for the purpose of gravcling the 'mudholes' of which the delegate complains
 Several auto stage lines have oper- ated over this road the past sum- mer and found it ln very good con- Idition for noohinae. s~-----i. ,e 'tnicp made the trip in a fraction over three days.
 Col Richardson wants $4OO.OOO to complete the wagon road from Valdez to Fairbanks and the people of Interior Alaska. the Copper river valley and the Valdez district want him Co heve it. and will not tolerate Delegate Wickersham's personal spite against Col Richardson Go prevent the appropriation being made without @ protest which will be heard at the national capital and throughout the Union
 Secretary Lane has denied Che del cgate's charge in toto. that Colonel Richardson lobbied against the rail. road appropriation. and states that the Colonel has not entered into any political fights whatever at the capi. ial but has stated what he wanted secretary has incorporated it In the : Alaska budget.
 Valdez has visions of auto stages operating at all seasons of the year between this town and Fairbanks and will not be denied her small ap- IprOprictiOn.