The Cordova daily times. [volume] (Cordova, Alaska) 1914-1947, 1918-01-11
MAJOR MEARS At
HEAD OF R. R.
REGIMENT

LIOill dSC dlC opOui VI tAiC hbN"iiA
er Alaska bound for the states, and
they do not intend to return to the
territory. In discussing his future
plans Major Mears said;
81 have forwarded by resignation as
a member of the Alaskan engineering
commission to Secretary of the In
terror Franklin X Lane, and upon my
arrival in Washington, d. G., expect
to be relieved of my present duties
and rejoin the active military service
of the United States. l do not care
to discuss about who my successor,
will be, even If | knew. | will go
where I am assigned by the war de-
partment but aside from these facts
do not care to discuss anything furth-
er."
Major Mears will be promoted in
the illiDlCoIdLC IuLuiS = W n IOiOiiCANJ III
the United States army and requested
to raise forthwith a regiment of rail
road engineers for service in France,
according to advices received by him
from Thomas Riggs, Jr., the member
of the Alaskan engineering commits
sion for the Fairbanks district, who
is now in Washington city.
Official announcement of the ma
jor's promotion to a colonelcy and Of
ficial orders directing him to organize
the regiment of railroad engineers are
expected within the next few days,
or week at the latest.
Andrew Christensen, manager Of
the land and industrial department of
the Alaskan Engineering commission,
since Major Mears departure, will
temporarily act as member of the en-
gineering commission for the Anchor
age division.
Aecruiting offices for the regiment
will be established at Seattle almost
Immediately and quite likely in Al
aska towns in the near future. Ap-
plications for enlistment in the regi-
ment may now be made with Mr..
Christensen.
1t is expected that the organization
will attract former employees of the
engineering commission, who may be
living in Alaska or the states. Accord
ing to the adyices received from Wash
ingtOn, it is not the intention of the
government that recruits should be
enlist from present employees of the
commission, as it is the purpose to
keep intact the railroad construction
at Anchorage.
In all likelihood, when the drawing
of Alaska conscripts takes place,
which is expected about January Is.
provision will be made for the trans
portation at government expense of
drafted recruits from the places, of
their registration to a mobilization
camp in the states, and when Major
Mears arrives in Washington he will
endeavor to arrange for the enlist
ment in Alaska of recruits for the
engineering regiment and for govern
nent transportation of them to the
states.
c. K. Breck, who was division en-
gineer of the Matanuska division. and
H. P. Warren. who was engineer OF
maintenance for the Anchorage divis-
ion, will hold commissions in the new
regiment, which is already referred
to locally as the 'Sourdough regi
ment," and one of them will be in
charge of the regiments recruiting
office in Seattle.
In explanation of the new military
organization, Major Mears has issued
the following statement:
ITO all concerned The following
information relative to organizing
railroad engineer regiment for service
in France from Alaskan Engineering