The Seward gateway., 1917-01-02
K. K. PREDICTIONS
ARE MADE BY RIGGS


 tions make it's continuance along Goldstream an impossibility."
 The foregoing was the statement made to a representative of the Citizen over the telephone from Ne mana last night by Thomas Riggs, Jr, member of the Alaskan Engineering commission in charge of all Alaska railroad construction work in the in- terior. Continuing, Mr. Riggs said that the appropriation which congress has been asked to make, if it is made, will cover all of the expense of con structing the railroad from Fairbanks to the Nenana coal fields, with the exception of the con truction of the bridge across the Panama river at Nenana. And if We get the railroad, built, it doesn't make any difference about the bridge, for we'll ferry the coal across the river in the summer and put it across on the ice in the winter" Mir. Riggs Said, concluding that part of his statement
 Mir. Riggs expressed no doubt whatever that the amount requested of congress for continuance of the construction work in the interior dur ing the coming summer will be granted. For this reason he is con fident that he will have the railroad in operation before next fall. The only doubt he expresses is the pos sibe inability of the railroad con structors and contractors to get the roadbed in shape along GoIdsream. The possibility Of cncountering frost which will not thaw in time for con struction work before fall, is the only drawback, in Mr. Riggs opinion.
 Practically all railroad work is now at a standstill, according to Mr. Riggs. However, considerable rock work is being done across the Tan ana river from Nenana, and it w..i be in progress all winter The office force of the commission is also being kept pretty busy as it is engaged in making out acquisitions for all Of the material which will be needed in construction work during the coming season if the appropriation is grant eel. The acquisitions are being made out early, in order to give the pur- chasing agent of the commission in Seattle time 70 accumulate the ma tcrial and supplies necessary on the docks there, SD that they can be ship ped north on the first boats next spring.
 The commissions accountants at Nenara have just finished the com pilation of the various amounts o' money spent during the past sum mcr. The figures show that approx, mately $975,OOO was spent for con struction work and material on the in- terior end of the railroad, according to AIr. Riggs. This amount covers all of the contracts, supplies purchased in the interior, supplies and material purchased on the Outside, and the li- abilities of the commission, or money due for contract work which Is not yet completed.
 Iris leaves the treasury, as far as th:s end of the line is concerne in very depleted condition, according to Mir. Riggs. For, although the amount which was appropriated for construction work in the interior was never made public, it is known that the expenditure of $975,OOO leaves the commission with but few dollars for emergencies which might arise on this end of the line.
 Therefore it is altogether probable that construction work on the interior end of the Alaska railroad will be m full blast just as soon as an appro- priation is made, and Commissioner Riggs is informed as to the amount which he can expect. He hopes that it will be the full three and one-haIt millions requested.-Alaska Citizen.
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