The labor journal. [volume] (Everett, Wash.) 1909-1976, 1915-06-18
First-Hand Facts About
Government Work In Alaska

townsite and terminal grounds, with
| frontage on both creek and Knik
Arm; covering about 200 acres, with
blocks 300 feet square, streets 80 feet
wide, alleys 20 feet and lots so by
120. Referring to the subject of dis
posing of lots, Andrew Christensen,
chief of the field division of the gen.
eral land office, said:
Founding a Federal City.
mo announcement concerning the
manner of disposing of the lots can
be made until that matter has been
definitely decided upon by the secre-
tary of the interior. For that reason,
it is impossible at this time to give
any idea as to how long it will be be-
fore the lots will be disposed of and
the townsite made available. Ger
tainly, the lots will be disposed of as
soon as possible after the completion
of the survey In the meantime, the
people should continue to reside
where they now are, subject to the
wishes of the Alaska engineering COM
mission, who WILL from time to time,
require some of the ground now oc-
cupied for construction and other pur-
poses with the building Of the railroad
Ample notice will be given the pub
lie as to the time, place and manner
of disposing of the lots. No one will
be permitted to occupy, or settle upon,
any portion of the permanent townsite
until the completion of the survey and
the disposal of the lots"
Sentiment here is practically unani-
nous against leasing and in favor of
drawing similar to those under
which irrigated districts and former
reservations have been disposed of
in the western states, with citizenship
requirement and registration in per-
son.
Work Under Way.
The temporary dock is nearing COM
pletion, with pile driver crews work
ing two shifts; two tracks have been
laid from the waterfront to storage
grounds for material; monster
barge that will double lighterage faci-
lities was launched this week; the
plateau north of the terminal grounds
is being cleared and surveyed for
substantial structure-wireless sta
tion and residences Of permanent EN-
ployes; machinery for a lumber mill
of 10000 feet capacity and part of the
equipment for a telephone system ar
rived this week; construction of cold
storage plant is in progress, and a
wholesale grocery house of Everett
has let the contract for building 40
by 100 feet for a branch establishment.
All of the acts of the commission
are not recorded on the debit side of
the public ledger of Anchorage. Lieut..
Mears this week earned big space on
the credit side and caused consterna-
tion among companies and individuals
operating lighters by announcing that
the government would hereafter en-
gage in that branch of business-at
least until conditions developed more
favorable to the public. The reason
for this innovation, it is claimed, was
the extortionate charges made by the
lighterage people. Lieut.. Mears is
sued warning about three weeks ago
that unless charges were reduced to
reasonable figures, the government
would go into the business. Merch-
ants paid $2S5 per ton for general
freight from vessel to shore and amy
old price" from So upwards for haul
ing; other charges were: Passengers,
81; baggage, so cents to 81, depend
ing on how anxious the traveller was
to get ashore and how anxious the
transfer man was to separate him
from his money. The government
hasn't engaged in passenger business,
but its charge for freight is $3.50 per