The Cordova daily times., 1916-05-12
POLITICAL COAL IN ALASKA.

petition presented in the senate by Mr. Jones, of Wash ington from Commerce of CorIova, Aaska shows curious misunderstanding of the majestic theory and practice which the federal government follows. There arc three available Alaskan coal fields Berng river, Matanuska Nenana. In the days of darkness private capital would have allowed develop mineral You cant buy coal lands You may lease them. private railroad only lease coal lands for its This privilege is valueess for the small amount used by railroad cannot be mined cheapy
 railroad wants coal to transport we'll as to bun But enlightened laws forbid an Alaskan railroad to carry coal mined by it or which it has any interest The railroad can lease coal lands, neither coal company rail road If the two combine they guilty of conspiracy or unlawful combination. The Copper River Northwestern nearly half the way to the Berng fields Once it took an option 5OOO in those fields surveyed and would built road and dug coal mines. The stern parent at Washington forbade the crime The Copper River North western people of conspiracy and monOpolstic intention Their coal land title torn up Virtue vn cated The coal needed for the development of the rich copper region stretching hundred miles along the Copper river and Chna valleys is safe in the bowels of the earth The of claims have spent their money and time in van Save for the great which the Copper River Northwestern built the mineral treasure is mostly helpless and useless No railroad no coal; railroad; rarOad copor coal copper; mighty industry is choked, but let praise the famous wisdom of congress, of conservation Virgin Alaska!
 Leased lands means government railroads To all inclts and purposes there be private railroad building in Alas ka irrespective of the law, who going to face government cmnpetition Coal for Alaskan coal for industry vital necessity. Watch the benevolent government in the railroad snpss The CorOvan petitioners recte that under the act congress of March 2 1914 the president has had surveyed
 
 3nch the Matanuska coal fields 504 miles, while nearly miles yet be Ocated that the designated mileage will open the Matanuska and Nenana coal fields but not the Beng the the market of all the Alaskan coal lands The distance from Nenana Fairbanks is 1O4 miles, from Ma tuska Seward 1884, from Boring river Cordova 68 The estimated with time of building railroads to the three fields is $3000000 and three years $O0000 and three years ST. 100000 and months Do the simple COrdOvans wonder at the governments choice? They plead in their innocence that the Boring coal being the nearest and for great per mining and smeng, the government should build the thirty miles of road from the terminus of the Copper River Northwestern to the Boring field and twenty miles additional tO tap the Katala oil field.
 The memorandum of Senator Jones says naivey that he principal value of the (Berng) coal is for local uses" The value of Alaska coal of Alaskan in general is political Umned it fills the bunkers of the smon-pure conservatonss Shall they lack fuel that the Copper valley be Mr. Jones bares the bones of truth in another part of his argument:
 The Boring coal has long been the subject of political controversy The most astonishing lies (why asonishng?D told about and retaed the public for political purposes The BangePnco quarrel ranged about it. The enemies of the Taft administration used freely weapon of attack the Cunningham coal and the Controller Bay incident Its for such purposes ought to have passed The time have when it should be put to its natural uSes.''
 It's natural uses are political Since congress has passed about Alaska coal land Alaska coal remains political. Congress must have occupation
 Mr. quotes the Interstate Commerce law against dis crmnaon, and asks:
 eff it is criminal for private corporation to strange and kill locality while it upbuds another should not the ernment itself refrain from doing the same thing?"
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