The Nenana daily news., 1918-07-11

aSSoHpiiSHeu oH NeHdHd toWnSlle, and find that the improvements which were authorized last year have been practically all completed Nearly all of the street grading has 1 been done and the sidewalks con structed. There still remains the connecting up of the water system with the pumping plant of the Com- mission. This is now being given attention by MT. Browne The sewer system is practically complete and as soon as the river lowers the pump will be installed so that the sewer can be used at all stages of water. find that the work which MT. Ryus has supervised has been efficiently and economically done and that all matters relating to the townsite are receiving his conscientious attention. It is not expected that any additional improvements will be made, except such as may be required for flood prevention or in cases where lot owners are particularly urgent for some local improvement In the future the only expenditures that will be incurred on the townsite will be the maintenance and operation. The streets and sidewalks must of course be kept in condition and the fire protection and sanitary regu- lations rigidly enforced
 have been shown petition, signed by number of people, some of whom are property owners, and some who are not, making certain complaints. I understand that this petition was submitted to Mir. Browne but that no specific complaint could be presented; that Mr. Browne asked them to show specific instances where the cost of work had been excessive or where the townsite man. agement had been inefficient, but the committee was unable to cite such instances. Apparently this pe- tition and these complaints originated from people who had personal griev- ances, and I find that it does not by any means represent the a,,i- tude of the people of the town as whole. I trust that the people who made these complaints will see these matters from an impartial standpoint and that they will forget their personal grievances.
 Before coming to Nenana MT. Ryus had had considerable experi- ence in municipal. work, and the people of Nenana are to be con- graduated on having him as their townsite manager during the period of construction. He has been con- scientious in his work, and the work shows that it has been we'll done It is not surprising that there should be complaints against taxes. That is so in every town. But the people should understand that improve ments which they request must be paid for. On the recommendation of the Alaskan Engineering Commis- sion fifty per cent of the funds re- ceived from the sale of lots was de- voted to public improvements, and out of this fund there has been pre- sented to the people of Nenana a very fine school building at cost of approximately thirteen thousand dollars. There is available from this fund in the neighborhood of thirty thousand dollars, which with the thirteen thousand deducted for the school building leave about seven- teen thousand to pay for general improvements, such as flood preven- tion and other matters which bene- fit the town as a whole. i
 find the same complaint at Ne mana that is found in all towns with reference to business conditions. Many of the people are going to the States, being attracted there by fav- orable labor conditions, and this naturally affects the prosperity of Alaskan communities. Nenana should