The Cordova daily times., 1915-05-21
LANE WASFOR THE C0 R J OVA
 ROAD
Continued from Page D

harmony if you are ambitious to be a town.
 George Hazelet seemed to be the bulls eye" that everybody was shoot ing at, and at the same time he was here in Washington working like a beaver for Cordova and the whole Cop per river country. I have been in Washington and have been a member of the Third house for eleven years. 1 have never seen men work more earnestly for locality than George Hadelet and Falcon Joslin worked for the Copper River country. Your newspapers could be a great help if they were upholding the efforts of your citizens that were here. But instead of a help they were the other thing. l did not dare show a copy of our town papers to Congressmen, Sen ators, or officials. Hazelet is entitled to the entire credit for getting the wireless station started this summer, and your know the Buffalo was a great help last summer. He also got the public building site definitely settled and did all that could be done at this time toward getting the building start ed, which will come along in due time. l do not inted to rob Judge Wicker sham of his share of credit for this good work, The Judge was always on the job and he was glad to have Haze let's aid. The Judge and George worked in perfect harmony and know that Wickersham appreciated the ser vice and help. In fact Hazelet and Joslin gave their best efforts for the railroad and every other public enter prise from Cordova to Fairbanks and they were both absolutely fair and honorable to me and my swamp inter- est at the head of the Bay.
 Tt certainly was an inopportune time to attack Hazelet. The Seward crowd took advantage of the situation and circulated Cordoya papers to kill Hazelets influence. l can't for the life of me understand how an inteIli- gent community could act in this crazy manner and over nothing, at that.
 The fact that we did not get the Copper River route selected was not the fault of the Cordova delegation in Washington. There were two factors that worked against us. First, the Morgan-Guggenheim people asked a higher price than Secretary Lane was willing to pay. The other principal reason was that many Democratic Senators and Congressmen were afraid of the effect it would have on the Democratic party if the Guggenheim road were purchased by the Presi. dent. I understand that many called on the President and pro- tested, and this must have influenced the Presidents final determination. I am satisfied that Secretary Lane fully appreciates the great resources of the Copper River country and if the mat. ter had been left entirely to him to decide l believe he would have taken over the Copper River road: and I have a strong opinion that this will yet be done. Unless it can de demon strated that the Broad Pass country contains some real mines of conse quence this summer. I feel morally certain that Congress will not appro priate money to build north of the Matanuska. There are members ot the House Appropriations Committee who are familiar with the prospects for tonnage on both routes and am certain that there will be strong ob lection to extending the road beyond the coal field unless there is suficfen, prospective tonnage to make the road pay operating expenses. From the pres ent showing the eward road will rur behind from five to seven hundred thousand dollars annually. Should the government not take the Conne, River road, the present owners wu De compelled to build into the Berine coal and extend the main line to save their present large investment
 Now don't lose heart or get colo teet' Tor you are located at the natu ral outlet for the most substantia resources of Alaska, and I am certain In my own mind that aro,,,d .h,