The weekly Alaska citizen., 1919-09-15
PROGRESS OF RAILROAD
 BILL HAL TED IN SENATE

SEATTLE Sept S. R Special despatches from their Washington correspondents received by all local news papers are to the effect that the senate not planning to take up the hearing the Alaska railroad bill at present time This is due to the fact is to here, that the sena tors bsy engaged in discussing the peace treaty
 Many are, however, predicting the passage of the railroad bill by the senate according to the despatces
 number of them in attendance at the house hearings the bl nclsding New, Jones, Pittman and Chamberlain all of whom known to be enthusiastically in favor o1 continuation of work on the railroad and its completion possible
 GRIGSBY SPEAKS FOR BILL,
 WASHINGTON, Sept. S.-(A9-Deegate George b. Grgsby of Alaska being given considerable credit for the passage of the Alaska railroad bill in the house without dissenting voe He spoke in favor of the appropriation o S17OOOOOO for the completion and when interrupted with questions, answered them promptly and satisfactorily One thing said that congress could either appropriate the S1z0OOOO for the completion of the railroad or else give the territory of Alaska back the ndans which speech was loudly applauded from all corners of the house.
 BY J. J. UNDERWOOD.
 SEATTLE Sept S-A9-The Seattle Times is in receipt of despatch from J. J. Underwood, its Washing ton corrcsponlent which says that is uncertain when the senate will take up the hearing of the Alaska railroad bill of the debate the peace treaty which now pre- vais daily. Mr. Underwood adds however, a prediction that the railroad bill will be taken up possible after the peace treaty is disposed of, if not before.
 THOSE WHO SPOKE
 SEATTLE. Sept. S-(H9-Among those who spoke in the house on Saturday in favor of the passage of the Alaska railroad bill providing for the appropriation of $7OOOOOO with which complete the railroad Representative Curry chairman of the house committee territories Dele Grgsy of Alaska, Representatives Mler Mondell Strong of Kansas Raker agford of Georgia and Kincaid o Nebraska Representative Mohdel generally consider ed have been the pessnnisc of any who spoke in his vews his speech being the effect that the management of the project had been very poor The management lacked intelligent direction. he said the Alaskan Engineering mission having been prone to direct the work from head quarters at Washington. Mr. Mondel further stated, how eve that he tfot that the bill should pass the project should not be left in such uncompleted state. Mondel interrupted at this juncure by Representa- live Watkins Mir. Watkins speech made in defense o the engineering commission. He said that labor and sup py conditions chiefly blame for the failure of the commission finish the work the original $35,OOOOOO allowed Nontell acknowledged this to be- but, ling another subject, said that Aaskas coal had been greatly overesmated that the Berng river field was superior the Natalska field and that the Alaska coal leasing law had proved to be gigantic fzze These statements denied by Representative Miller who said that he had studied the question carefully possible from ia distance and that he had found, from government maps charts and photographs exhibited in the cloalroom of the house by J. McPherson secretary of the Alaska Bureau of the Seattle Chamber of Commerce, that of the state mcns concerning Alaska coal fields had been exaggerated
 nerrogated regarding these displays by Representa- tive Clark and others and generally considered that his statements had much do with putting the bill thru the house without dissenting vote.