The Nenana daily news., 1919-01-22
FUNDS AVAILABLE ID BE CONSERVED
 BY COMMISSION

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 kan Engineering commission, F. D.
 Browne, engineer in charge, stated
 that the funds available for a con-
 tinuanc of the railroad building program on this division would not
 permit of the employment of as
 large a force as he would like to
 keep going, and in consequence, the reduction in force became ab- solutely necessary.
 Although the reduction has af- fected a large number of employees, yet the number of employees on the payrolls of the A. E. c. at the pres ent time is greater than during the corresponding period last year. The bulk of the preparatory work such as putting the rolling stock
 and equipment in shape for the commencement of active operations
 in the spring, has been completed,
 and the men engaged in this branch
 have ben laid off. The cold weather
 has seriously hampered steel laying
 and other outdoor work, and it was deemed advisable to reduce the steel gang to such proportions as will permit of their handling the full amount of material salvaged by the gang working on the aband- oned line. In fact, every man that
 can possibly be employed to advant-
 age has been retained in the em-
 ploy of the Commission, and such
 works as can be successfully ac- complished and is necessary only is being continued
 Al but four million dollars of the original 35 million dollars asked and provided for in the Alaska Railroad Bill, have been exhausted. Of this remaining four million dol lars, only portion of it will be allotted for continuing the work on this division of the road. The en- hanced cost of all construction ma terial ".l supplies during the war has rendered impossible the com pletion of the road at the original estimated cost of 35 million dollars. and it will be necessary to intro duce special legislation in order to have the necessary money allotted for the completion of the work. This means some delay, and until such time as this matter is atis- factorily disposed of, it will be up to those in charge of the railroad
 building program to husband the available resources and so arrange matters that any halting of the construction work will be avoided, In making the reduction, MT. Browne stated that married men will be given the preference and retained on the payroll. Such of the married men that it is found i'm possible to place will be allowed commissary privileges for period corresponding to their term of serv- | ice; for instance, if married man has been on the payroll of the Commission for a period of six months immediately preceding the lay off, he will be allowed full commissary privileges for period of six months following the lay-off.
 In fact, Mir. Browne stated that such employe would be treated just as if he was on furlough and treat
 ed in every respect just as though
 he was still on the Commission
 payroll.
 1 Every effort will be made to ob-
 tain funds to continue railroad
 work as soon as possible, and ac-
 cording to the present plans of Mir.
 Browne, just as soon as conditions
 are right and funds become avail
 able, large force of men will be
 put on to build the road between
 Nenana and Fairbanks, and to put
 the finishing touches to the line
 south of town as far as Lignite.