The daily progressive-miner., 1919-03-15
ALASKA'S U. 5. RAILROAD
 SHOWN EXCESSIVE IN COST

With labor and materials now avail able, the government is preparing to rush work on the Alaska railroad and
 Secretary Lane asked congress for thirteen millions to complete the job
 The Alaskan railroad commission es
 inmates it will take three years. The appropriation of that sum now
 asked includes four millions of the
 original estimate of $35,ooo,ooo for the
 ec-.struction of the road and a defi- ciency appropriation of $9,soo,o00 re-
 presenting the increase in the cost of practically everything that is necessa the road can be finished for $44, 900, ,ooo
 While work never was stopped. it was slowed down materially by the war; At the offices of the commission it was said that several thousand ap- 'plications have been received forwork on the railroad both from men former ly there and others who never have visited Alaska. Ple1ty Of steel for next seasons work is already on hand i and between IS and 13 hundred tons of materials and supplies will be ship ped north this year.
 l At least three seasons work re- mains to be done officials of the com mission say. The bulk of the heavy work such as grading, virtually is com plete now, but there remain at least three large bridges to be finished. As l fast as track is laid, the traffic is begun over it.
 Extensiono of the road is not being considered until the task in hand is complete. Rumors that outside con tractors would be called in to take over portions of the work were said to be without foundation.
 Figuring the total length of the line from Seward to Fairbanks, and includ ing the Matanuska branch, at 511 miles the above estimate that the road may be finishhed for 44,soo,ooo would mean a cost of construction per mile in excess of $s7, $50.
 Debuctins from the total mileage the 72 miles of the old Alaska Nor thern and deducting from the total estimate the purchase price of that railroad, $1,5oo,ooo, the average cost per mile for all construction of the new lines would be in excess of $98,- 900, less any appropriations credited ! to the reconstruction of the Alaska Northern. In either case the cost per mile in excessive even when giving due consideration to the high cost of labor and particular reference to the increased cost of labor and supplies during 1918. As frequently pointed out, the en- tire route with the exception of the heavy work around the Turnagain Arm section, does not present any for midable obstacles, and the crossing of Broad Pass probably requires less heavy work than any construction ov- CT mountain pass of & prominent western transcontinental line.
 The above estimate Of cost does not include the cost or valuation of sec ond-hand equipment transferred from Panama. Neither does it provide for the snow-shedding of some 48 miles of the track, nor the heavy standard freight equipment that will be needed if the coal is developed on a big scale.
 The cost of the operation of the transport Crook Is also left out, all of mile.
 Defenders of the project in Wash ington fall into grave error when they bring out comparisons in costs be tween the Copper river road and the government line. Granted that ESQ., GOO per mile was the cost of the Cop ] per river line as stated by Secretary Lane of the Interior department. But that figure includes the three expens ! i've steel bridges, the cordova termin- ais, the equipment, the snow sheds and all costs covering eight years.
 The government road has yet to buy its standard equipment for to date it has nothing but secondhand equipment on hand. 1t must erect snow sheds, steel bridges, and rebuild the Alaska Northern.
 Based on the estimate of $44.800,- 900 required now to merely finish the line, the additional expenses not in cluded in that estimate will bring the grand total of the railroad project up to $51 100000 or s1oo,4oO per mile. That would merely include the same amount of equipment on the 511 miles as wac included in the equipment in the average given for tho i97 miles of tho Copper rIver road or $2o,ooo per mile excess over the cost of the Cop [ per river road.
 But if the Copper river road costs