The Wallace miner. [volume] (Wallace, Idaho) 1907-current, 1918-01-10
GOVERNMENT RAILROAD
TO INTERIOR OF ALASKA
WV TITS BEING BUILT, PAssEN-
GER AND FREIGHT RATES
PAY OF LABOR.

railroad in Alaska, from which thu
following extracts are made:
since the mining business furnishes
more than half of the total freigh
tonnage of American railroads, it i.
altogether fitting that the first railroad
70 he owned and operated by the gov
eminent should be built to tap what il
boped may prove to be one of the
greatest undeveloped mining regions
If the North American continent. The
vast store Of wealth that the territory
of Alaska has contributed to the ma.
ton entities it to substantial consider.
alton. which can best be put in prac-
teal form by providing Alaska with 9
proper system Of transportation.
During the years 1902 and 1903 the
Alaska Central Railroad company
built it's line north from Seward. This
company, being inadequately financed
was unable to carry out it's purpose
and soon went into bankruptcy Al
later periods the bondholders and sue
cessors in interest constructed II miles
of standard gauge railroad from Sew
ard north to Kern creek. The inter-
ests backing the company at this time
were also practically in control of the
Matanuska coal fields. In 1906 the
Roosevelt order withdrawing the coal
fields of Alaska from entry removed
the principal source of freight antici-
pated by the railroad builders, and as
they were again in financial straits the
idea of building an Alaskan railroad
by private capital was finally decided
to be impracticable.
Recalls Old Fight.
Shortly afterward came the Balm
ger Pinchot controversy which fright
ened capital to such an extent that 1t
soon became apparent that the only
capitalist who would build an Alaskan
railroad to develop the territory was
Uncle Sam. The government could
afford to build a railroad, develop the
territory, and wait for the returns on
it's investment, while the ordinary
capitalist would demand dividends
from the beginning of operations Oh
the road. However, it might have
been that private capital would have
entered into this work had special in
ducements been offered by the gov
eminent, in the way of land grants,
or a guarantee of bond interest, but
neither Of these plans are in accord
with the policy of the administration.
1t was at this time that the Gug-
genheims were planning to open their
Kennecott mine in the upper Copper
river basin by means of railroad that
would also tap the Boring river coal
field, where the Cunninghams had To-
Gated large areas, and would have its
terminal at Katalla bay, which is the
4. nearest harbor to the coalfield. This
plan was abandoned because of ply
steal difficulties and also because Of
the withdrawal from entry of the
Boring river coalfield. The Guggen-
helms then selected Cordorva as their
terminal port, built 191 miles of rail-
road from that town to the Kennecott
copper mine, and called their rail-
road the Copper River & Northwestern
railroad.
Initial Step by Taft.
The first serious agitation for a
government owned and government
operated railroad started in 1911, dur
ing the Taft administration, While
Walter L. Fisher was secretary OF the
interior. He visited Alaska and re-
commended that the coal lands DC
leased also that the Boring river ano
Matanuska Goals be tested by the
navy department and that govern
ment railroad be built from Seward te
the Matanuska coal field, should tna'
coal prove satisfactory. In 1872
commission known as the Taft com
mission, having examined all tn'
feasible routes, recommended that tn'
government should build from the sta
ton of Chitina on the Copper Rive
& Northwestern railroad to the tow
OF Fairbanks in the interior.
with the Wilson administrator
came Franklin X. Lane as secretar.
of the interior. Although he has neve
visited Alaska, he has taken keel
interest in the development OF tn
territory. He personally pushed tn
railroad act and the coal lands leas
ing act, both Of which were passed i
1914. BY the railroad act, the presi
dent Of the United States is restrlcte
to cause to be built more than loo
miles of railroad and to expend not
exceed $35,0O0,000 thereon. Presiden
Wilson created the Alaska engineerin
commission composed of w. {. Ede
chairman, Frederick Mears and mo
Riggs, Jr., members. These are ran
road men of wide experience ana car
ability, having been engaged IN en-
cheering and construction work a
their lives They have fully justine
the presidents choice,
It's General Course.
Beginning at Seward which has a
open harbor the year round, on ~
surrection bay, the railroad pass
near the placer mines on the Ken
river There are several quartz min'
at various points on the railroad si'
OF the Kenai peninsula and fairly we