The Alaska citizen., 1916-12-04
SUBSCRIPTION PRICE.
Phone 262 Phone
"A STITCH IN TIME"

or COlnpItluS IItS eAu oL thc EN- aska railroad in order to get Ne mana coal to Fairbanks. instead of waiting until 1921. or until the time of the completion of the railroad predicted by Captain Frederick Mears. of the Engineering commis- sion, according to dispatches from the coast. IL says that 1t is willing to leave everything with Commis- si her Thomas Riggs. Jr.. who is in charge of the railroad work In the interior The writer of the edi- torial also proves what good coal miner be is and how much he know about the industry when he says that a smelter is necessary to Ire duce" the coal. From his statement it would naturally be supposed that wood would have to be used to start the smelter in the first place and to keep it running until enough coal could be dried out" to burn in the furnaces of the shelter and keep it going Wet" seems to have gone to his head in good shape.
 The News Miner says that Fair banks cannot help bit" And we disagree with that statement in that we believe that Fairbanks and her people can help whole lot. We are not willing at this time to say just what could be done to help beyond suggesting, as doe5 the News Miner in way which Is supposed to be jocular, but which manner we are not using, that the Commercial club get busy; we would first like to consult with Commissioner Riggs before making any other sugges- tions. For, like the News-Miner. we have every faith in Commi~ sioner Riggs and his ability and willing ness to do everything for Fairbanks that he possibly can. But we do not forget that Commissioner Riggs is but one of three commissioners; ; that, while he might be doing the best he knows how for this end of the line, he has two other members of the commission to consult with, enc of whom is the chairman. And ty bowling" and the other agrees with him in his contentious. MT. Riggs will be in the minority and his efforts fruiLess.
 And Fairbanks wants that coal be- fore 1921, or any such time IS that. Which Is our reason for suggesting that Fairbanksans get busy and agi- tate for more construction work on this end of the line. If conditions preclude the possibility of work on the coast end. as Commissioner Mears seems to tihnk.
 In times past Commissioner Riggs has asked the help and cooperation Washington the last time he asked that data be collected to show the necessity of starting construction work in the interior. He got what he a-ked for. and as consequence work was started last summer.
 But why can't the rails be laid and the rolling placed on them in the interior as we'll as on the coast, so that Fairbanks can get coal soon CT than 1921? That is the question We would raise at the present time. not consulted him in the matter, that Commissioner Riggs is just as anx- ious as we are to see the railroad in the interior on a working basis. For this reason we believe that he will need all the help that Fairbanks can give him. and that Fairbanksans should "get busy" on the matter i'm mediately.
 It Is an absolute certainty that the railroad will. as whole. never on be a paying basis until 1t is com pleted through to Fairbanks from the coast. But the interior part of 1t, or that reaching from the Nenana coal fields to Fairbanks. can be made to pay just as soon as the coal mines are in operation and their output being brought to Fairbanks and the creeks in the immediate vi cinity of Fairbanks. Then why not start the rolling stock running where 1t h most needed. whom the delay