The Alaska daily empire., 1917-06-29
NO WAR TALK BUT ACTION IS THE BIG THING
Col. Richardson Says No One Is Talking War in
 East but All Are
 Showing Speed.
ROAD WORK THIS YEAR
Little New Work Will Be Undertaken; Old Roads Will Be Put in Good
 Condition.

Col. w P. Richardson, chairman of the Alaska Road Commission, re- fused to discuss the present war in any phase.
 "In Washington it isn't done," he said. Everyone in Washington is working at top speed and minding their own business. The prepara- tions for the carrying on of the war are going ahead at rapid rate and everything possible is being done in an orderly and systematic way.
 "The War Department is doing wonders in the amount of work be- ing accomplished, but at that they are way behind in handling the vast accumulatiops of letters and tele grams which have been received from all sections of the country.
 "The newspapers through the east ire on their honor and do not dis cuss the war in any way which would be of value to the enemy, but everyone knows pretty much what is going on The papers have been prone to criticise the war depart nent, but they have stopped that as hey realize that everything is being lone to push the war to a rapid end.
 Short War Wanted
 '"The army does not want a long war because it is realized what it means and therefore are making ev- erey preparation to bring it to ipeedy conclusion after they do get .nto it. While the war may be ,ong one and everyone in the East realizes that fact, the war will be ended as fast as the resources of the United States can bring it to close"
 In discussing the road work plann- ed for the year in Alaska, Col. Rich ardson said that it is the plan of the Commission to put all roads in the Territory in as perfect a condition IS possible and that very little new work will be started this year.
 All Work May Suffer
 "The life of the Commission is rather indefinite on account of the war conditions and during the sue ceeding years it may be hard to secure the necessary appropriations 70 carry on the work" said Col. Richardson. However, if the work n Alaska suffers, we will have the satisfaction of knowing that it is only in proportion to that of other work throughout the entire United States
 For these reasons we believe that Ill roads now in the Territory should be completed. That is, they should oe gravel surfaced, the drainage i'm proved and the bridges and culverts strengthened.
 New work this year will consist If the Aux Bay extension near Ju neau and short road in the Kus kokwim section from Ophir to Ia ;otna on which we will spend prob ably $15,000 or $20,000. R. S. Gid 1ings, who has formerly been asso ciated with the Commission is now in Juneau and will leave on the first boat down the river to take charge of the work.
 Interior investigations
 Captain J. c. Mehaffey will leave on the Humboldt for the north and will take the first steamer to inves tigate the work in the Interior. He will stop at Circle, Rampant, Gibbon, and Ruby. From there he will go to Nome where he will spend several weeks Investigating roads and road work
 Regarding the work around Jul neau we intend to put the roads in as good shape as possible and keep them so. The Juneau roads are travelled more than any in the Terri tory with the exception of short piece of road out of Nome. In this work we intend to, as far as possible. cooperate with the Territorial road commissioners and also the For, estry service in order that we may all be working to the same end and