Audubon County journal. (Exira, Iowa) 1884-1993, 1919-11-06


Observation-Disclosures
I Ths 5ansans w ssssts al w atr
The grayling aleap in the river,
The strong life that never we KIN knows harness,
The freshness the freedom. the farness
COD Th nog gp e 81 atq tSs S yukon t az servce
HE house of representatives the other
day passed an amendment to the gov
eminent Alaskan railroad act by
.ss which the additional sum of SIT OOO,-
coo was appropriated for the compile
NAM ton of the road by December 81, 1922
: ]
s NLZlGS1N The debate was presumably more or
a.lIYE WA less tinged with partisan politics.
#k WI Leaving out the politics many inter-
.SSlaG -lH1 esting facts of value were brought
out concerning Alaska-Land of the
Midnight Sun--which has proved a ,
E6ND ~ >vertable treasure trove to the United
States and is only at the beginning
Eof its development. Some of these facts are here
given, with credit to the various representatives.
Mr.. Curry of California.-Mr. Chairman, in 1867
when Alaska was purchased through the efforts
Fsof Secretary of State Seward from Russia for
I S7,2OO,OO0, which was less than 2 cents an acre,
the European nations poked fun at the United
States, and the papers Of the United States ridi-
8 culed Secretary Seward and referred to Alaska
Stewards Iceberg
The climate Of the most of Alaska is better than
that of Scandinavia and New Foundland. vege-
tables and cereals be and are raised there,
and it is the richest undeveloped 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 $S40,0000OO worth of wealth; $780,
Of
rest from her mines and from her furs. In the
same time Alaska has bought from the United
States 600 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 a railroad
could not and would not be built by private enter
prise, the congress of the United States enacted
law authorizing the president construct rail-
road or railroads in Alaska. not to exceed 1000
miles in length and authorized the expenditure
by him of $35,O0O.OO0 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 $S5 600 600 would
have constructed this road under ordinary condi-
lions and circumstances, but the war came along,
wages increased SO per cent the cost Of material
increased up to 161 per cent and transportation up
to 147 per cent. Under those circumstances the
S35O0O,00O is not sufficient to complete the work.
1t is. therefore, absolutely necessary, unless we
wish to sacrifice the S35.O00,OOO already invested
that this $170o0,O0o authorization be allowed.
rhe road, when completed, will be COL 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 6O1 miles. All OF
the road has been completed, with the exception
of some work to be done to complete the first n
miles from Seward north and a gap Of 100 miles
and another small gap of 25 miles. Most of the
10O-mle 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 miles-had been constructed From
Anchorage over to the northern terminal Of the
road, Fairbanks is located on the Tanana river
The Tanana river is branch of the Yukon river
and the Yukon river and the Tanana river are
navgabe for 1000 niles 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 1,2O2 square miles Of coal 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 a on the line OF this road It Is estimated
that there are 3OOOO.OO0OOO tons Of coal that will
be opened to commerce by this road and 10000.
100000 tons of It will be high-grade coal which
could be used for coking and smelling ore and
such purposes, and the rest of 1t for fuel and mat
tiers OF that kind. In Alaska It has been estimated
that there are 150OOO,OO0O tons of coal No
person knows how much there is.
Mr. Strong of Kansas.-There has been discoy-
cred in Alaska not only gold. hut silver, copper
coal, lead, iron, anthony. tungsten and platinum
in large quantities In addition, there has been
discovered large fields Of oil. It has splendid agr
cultural advantages. 1t is estimated that IT has
over 100000 square miles of tilahle land II has
q growing season of 100 days and because of the