Valdez daily prospector., 1918-01-11
THE "a1TY OF BLASTED HOPES''

One peculiarity about Seward. the "city of blasted hopes,' is the bitter ness and venom exhibited by most of the inhabitants whenever any criti- cism, however just, is directed against the village. The imitation newspaper published there takes the lead in this display of ili-bred temper. and ever is ready to let loose a torrent of abuse against any person or publication which dares SO much as intimate that Seward is not now greater than New York.
 The pharse torrent of abuse" is used, advisedly, as the Times yet has to see the first logical sentence in the editorial columns of the Gateway since the advent of the new editor Opparently the only argument known to the scribe in Seward is the use of inyectives, and even in this respect he falls away below par. The Times, since it's establishment. never has stopped to the use of abuse as sub stitute for argument. At all times 1t has been the aim of this paper to deal with subjects of interest in logical manner, leaving the trough stuf' for our Seward contemporary. which in it's jealous rage froths at the mouth.
 One really cannot blame many resi- dents of Seward for feeling jealous of Anchorage. For fourteen long, lean. hungry years many of them waited in the village on Resurrection Bay living in hopes of the good times which they figured surely would come with the building of a railroad into interior AL aska.
 The railroad was authorized. Sew ard real estate bOOmed. Fortunes were made and spent Gin their minds) over night The rush started to the north. The real estate owners at Sew ard doubled their prices. They doubl- ed them again. They raised them once more. Then the people began to leave for Anchorage Real estate began to drop. It reached the original figure. It is there now.
 Now be reasonable. Can you blame many of the old timers for getting sore? They are living in city of blasted hopes, and all the world is wrong, but them. They are entitled to sympathy. But if they would let their heads instead of their passions rule, all would be well. Why blame Anchorage for their misfortune? The good God in his infinite wisdom made Cook Inlet. The engineering commits sion took advantage of the opportun- ity offered for quick and economical construction. Now why can't they be reasonable and realize that by build- ing both ways from Anchorage, the real prosperity of Seward is hastened by the fact that the coal fields will be opened that much sooner.
 A maximum force has been work ing out from Seward for more than two years and as yet that piece of road Is not ready for heavy traffic. Had that been the only work done by the commission every one of the com missioners would have been fired. And they would have deserved it. Now, however, even before the Seward road is ready for heavy trains, the gap will be closed between Seward and An chorage and then the city on the win dy bay will get all the prosperity it has coming.
 The people of Anchorage feel only pity for the disappointed residents of Seward. They are sorry the faithful walters did not come to Anchorage and share in the prosperity of this city. It is too bad that the residents of Seward should take the prosperity of Anchorage as a personal affront. However, with the closing of the gap excess money from Anchorage will find its way to the people in Seward and then they can rsap the benefits of our prosperity. which may change their way of looking on the world.
 In the meantime, cheer up, they are excavating Pompeii. Anchorage Times.