Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1915-05-01
MONEY AND MEN
AVAILABLE FOR
alaska RAILWAY
Crews Ready to Commence
Work of Pushing Steel Into
Interior Of Country Whose
Resources Are Untouched.
10y aoss,So ,oussAt SPECIAL LEASED w,ssi

10y MORNING JOURNAL SPECIAL lessto wlREi
Washington. April 30.-Now that
President Wilson has designated Sc
ward az the terminus of the govern
ment railroad in Alaska. the Alaska
engineering commission will bend all
its energies toward construction of
its lines into the Matamuska and Be-
ring river coal fields. This is the
statement made by Thomas Riggs,
Jr., member of the commission.
"Of course, we have not yet bought
the Alaska Northern railroad" said
Mr.. Riggs, but eventually 1t will
come into our possession. 1t has been
constructed only up to Kern creek,
and will be extended from there as
we get funds from congress.
Construction Work This Year.
ssThis year however, the commits
sion will do some construction Work
on its own account. II will start a line
from Ship creek, which win tap the
Alaska Northern when IL is extended
toward the Nenana river. This is
small bit of construction. II is a Level
country and the line will be only
four miles long. This Will take care
of the Matamuska coal. There will be
a great development, however, below
that toward seward. There are many
mineral claims in the Kern peninsula
and when the government road Is III
operation there will be further de-
velopment of mining
.'ln order to get into the Bering
river field, we will make, definite
survey through mile 3S' on the Cop
per River a. Northern railroad. rms
will provide means of getting valuaole
coal to the seaboard by the govern
ment line and the Copper River ROAD
TO seaboard at Valdez, whence II can
be shipped TO the states.
"The people of Fairbanks need nave
no fear that the government road
will not extend to that place. No def
mite location has been fixed for line
from the Nenana river because there
we're several routes that might be
followed. This summer the commits
sion will continue its surveys from
the Nenana TO Fairbanks with view
TO submitting an additional report 10
the president for a selection of road
To the Yukon.
at Is not expected that the gov
ernment road will be extended fur
Their than Fairbanks for the present
The commission is not considering
the acquisition of the Tanana Valley
road commonly known as the JOS
lvn road. That extends northward pc
Nond Fairbanks, and our present
plan is to have the government ROAD
stop at Fairbanks.
Commission Has S2,500,O0O Now.
"The commission will not attempt
any survey this summer looking to the
extension of the government line to-
ward Nome The construction OF
branch lines running in that direction
will come naturally within the next
few years as the construction OF the
main line into the interior proceeds.
The commission has available now
about S2,5OO,000 Of this the first in
stalment of 100000 on the purchase
of the Alaska Northern will be due
shortly. That will leave only $2.0OO,-
900 for our construction and survey
work during the coming season. Dur
ing the summer We Will do both eartn
and rock work on the extension oil the
Alaska Northern beyond Kern creek,
and next winter rock work Will be
continued because it is possible to do
that kind of work in cold weather. we
can't make any estimate now as to
when the railroad will reach FAIR
banks, but when all our plans are
completed, construction Will be push
ed as rapidly as possible with funds
that congress will provide from time
to time.
Positions Are Already Filled.
"In connection with our work
would like to have the fact known
that all available places at the dispo-
sal of the Alaska engineering COM
mission have been filled. rms m
cluded laborers and others who may
be used on the construction OF the
line from Ship creek this summer we
have on file no less than 10000 apph-
cations for places, and 1t viii pc use
less for anybody else to ask Tor 1oD'
Officials of the interior department
are anxious that transportation Ia
cilities shall be afforded for getting
the coal from the Matamuska ana
Behring river to the sea. 1t is because
of this desire that the engineer COM
mission has decided to run line ~
to the Matamuska field from ship
creek, and to survey the tap line from
the Behring river to communication
with the Copper river e. Northwestern
road. Secretary Franklin X. Lane is
confident that the Alaska coal leasing
law will be practical and that it Will
result in the development of these two
fields. If his hope is realized, there
will be a profitable tonnage from Doth
fields. Alaslkans who We're in wash
ington last winter, are not so confl-
dent of the efficiency of the leasing
law. They are anxious, however, that
the government roads SHAH extend
into the fields. They say That with
the road available, government off,
Gals will be anxious TO put them on
a paying basis, and will be willing to
so amend the leasing law as to make
il workable without too great a hard-
ship upon those who will put their
money into development
Falcon Joslin. of Fairbanks, VINO
came here to try to get contract ior
the construction of the government
roads. predicts that eventually the
government will buy the Copper River
& Northwestern road.
Negotiates With Morgan for Read.
Secretary Lane has been dickerlng
with j. p. Morgan for the sale of this
road but up to this time they have
been far apart on the question OF
value, and just now there Is little
prospect of their getting together. the
representative of the federal govern
ment will be satisfied for the present
to construct the branch from mile SS
into the Behring river field so that
the coal may get to the seaboard. the
Matamuska coal has been shown by
actual test to be valuable Tor naval
use and il is expected that consider
able quantities will be sent over the
Ship creek route for that purpose.
The Matamuska coal will save the