The Alaska daily empire., 1917-11-22
CONGESTION OF FREIGHT ON SITKA RUN CONSIDERED Commercial Association Acts to Improve
 Transportation
 Problem. DISCUSS COAL MATTERS Proposal for Sale Instead of Leasing the Coal Lands to Be Acted
 Upon.
DISCUSS COAL MATTERS

A movement was started at the meeting of the Juneau Commercial Association at the regular lunch con today to relieve the congestion of freight on the Sitka run, the pro- ! posal to bring pressure on Congress to have the proposed law providing for the sale of coal lands in the States to individuals was discussed, the vacancy in the council caused by the resignation of George F. Mil Ter was considered, and others mat ters taken up.
 The luncheon was held at the Gas tineau Cafe, and presided over by President Charles Goldstein. The difficulty of getting freight l transported to Sitka and way ports, which has been specially aggravat. ed by the loss of the Al-ki, was dis cussed and committee composed ] of w. George Johnson H. J. Fisher. 1 fl. J. Turner, A. J. Ficken and ] Charles Goldstein was appointed to take the matter up with the trans portation companies. The commit te decided to meet representatives of the transportation companies at luncheon tomorrow
 Sale of Coal Lands Discussed | A request from the Alaska Bureau of the Seattle Chamber of Commerce i to have the Juneau Commercial As sociation to endorse the proposal to have Alaska included within the terms of the Walsh bill for the dis posal of coal lands by sale at auc- i ton at a price not to be less than 1 s10 an acre when they are located at a distance of more than 15 miles from rail or other transportation ia | $20 an acre if within 15 miles from such facilities, and for the location of coal lands by discoverers in the future, with restrictions against mon opoly in case of sale or location was discussed at length. A com mittee, consisting of John W. Troy, Allen Shattuck, and E. c. Russell was appointed to investigate the matter, confer with the commercial organizations of communities in the vicinity of the coal lands, and to re port at the next meeting of the or ganiZation.
 Confer On Council Vacancy
 The question of the vacancy in the city council, caused by the resig nation of George F. Miller, was dis cussed, and a committee consisting of E. C. Russell, w A. Clark and E. s. Hewitt was appointed to con , fer with the City Council, on the ! matter
 Association Will Not Act on 8-Hour Law
 It was reported that the commit tee selected at special meeting of the Juneau Commercial Associa- ton held sometime ago to investi- gate as to public sentiment concern ing the suspension, during the perioc of the war, of the 8-hour law had decided that the Association should not take any part fin the matter. President Goldstein said that he thought it was not a proper matter for the Association to take up. Governor and Association to Work Together on Publicity
 A. A. Humfrey, chairman of the publicity committee, reported that the committee had found Gov. J. F A. Strong willing and anxious to work in concert with the Juneau Commercial Association on a plan of publicity for this region of Alaska It was stated that only little more than s1,000 of the appropriation ot s15,000 had been expended.
 McGrath's Successor to be Named
 Soon
 It was also reported that Gov Strong had said that he would soon appoint successor to J. J. Me Grath, who recently resigned as pub licity agent and left the Territory.