Roanoke Rapids herald. [volume] (Roanoke Rapids, N.C.) 1914-192?, 1919-11-07


of its dcyclol.ncnt Some of these facts are here
given, with credI, to the various representatives.
Mr. Curry of CnlIfornla-Mr Chairman In 1867
when Alaska was purchased through the efforts
Of Secretary of State Seward from Russia for
S7,2O00O0 which was less than cents an acre,
the European nations poked fun at the United
States. and the papers of the United States ridi'
culed Secretary Seward and referred to Alaska as
Stewards Iceberg"
The climate of the most of Alaska Is better than
that of Scandinavia and New Foundand. Vege'
tables and cereals can be and are raised there,
and It is the richest undeve0ped mineral section
ON the face Of the earth.
Time has justified Stewards purchase of Alaska
for the United States. Since 1869 Alaska has pro-
duced over SS4O0000O0 worth of wealth; $500;
0000OO Of that from her fisheries most of the
rest from her mines aud from her furs. In the
same time Alaska has bought from the United
States siO0.O0o0o0 worth of property. 1t has done
that under existing law that practically ties up the
resources Of Alaska and prohibits them from being
developed
In 1914 under these conditions, knowing that
Alaska should be developed and that railroad
could not and would not be built by private enter
prise the congress of the United States enacted
II law authorizing the president TO construct n rail-
road or railroads In Alaska not to exceed 1000
miles In length and authorized the expenditure
by him of S35000OOO for that purpose. The presi-
dent placed the construction of the road under the
control of the secretary Of the Interior, and he In
turn organized what is known as the Alaskan
engineering commission to take practical charge OF
the work.
The original authorization Of S35,OOO,0O0 would
have constructed this road under ordinary condl.
J,tro hntt bn oIn
wages increased 30 per cent the cost of material
increased up to 161 per cent and transportation up
to 147 per cent Under those circumstances the
s350OOOOO is not Sufficient to complete the work,
It Is. therefore, absolutely necessary, unless we
wish to sacrifice the $35,OOO0OO already Invested,
that this $17,000O00 authorization be allowed
The road. when completed, will be 60l miles In
length The main line, from Seward TO Fairbanks,
will be All miles in length The spurs and branches
and side lines will make up the G01 miles All OF
the road has been completed, with the exception
of some work to be done TO complete the first II
miles from Seward north and gap OF 100 miles
and another small gap Of % miles. Most Of the
100-mie gap has been surveyed and some of the
roadbed has been made.
The road started from Seward on the southern
point OF Alaska. and went to Anchorage Part of
that road-71 mes-had been constructed From
Anchorage over to the northern terminal Of the
road. Fairbanks Is located on the Tanana river.
The Tanana river is n branch of the Yukon river
and the Yukon river and the Tanana river are
navgable for 1000 miles, The Alaskan railroad
commission commenced building from the south
ern point north They brought the material! to
Seward and Anchorage, and they commenced to
build from the northern terminal south, So that
they could save time and save money
The road already reaches to the coal fields
There the 1902 square miles of con fields in
Alaska that have been explored and exported by
the coast and geodetic survey, the geological sur.
vey and by the Alaskan engineering commission.
That Is all on the line of this road 1t is estimated
that there are 10000 100000 tons of coal that viii
be opened to commerce by this road and 10000.
100000 tons of it will be highgrade coal which
could be used for cokng and smelling ore. and
such purposes and the rest of 1t for fuel and mat
tiers of that kind. In Alaska II has been estimated
that there are 150,0O0O00,00O tons of coal. No
person knows how muchathere Is
Mr. Strong of Kansas.-There has been dscov.
cred in Alaska not only gold but silver copper.
coal lead iron, anthony. tungsten and platinum
IN large quantities. In addition, there has been
discovered large fields of oil. 1t has splendid agri.
cultural advantages. II Is estimated that II has
over 100000 square miles of tillable land. 1t has
growing season of 100 days, and because of the