The Nenana daily news., 1919-06-23

ing the late session of the terri
 torial legislature, threatens to cre- ate a very embarrassing situation in
 Interior Alaska, as regards road
 work. In fact, road matters are
 already greatly confused and there
 is the danger that districts greatly in need of improved transportation facilities will not receive attention
 as a result of the unfortunate situ-
 ation created by this new law, which no one seems to understand-not
 even the men who helped to pass it.
 The situation, as explained by
 Territorial Road Commissioner Rob-
 ert E. Sheldon, who arrived in Ne
 mana yesterday on the steamer Alas ka, is simply this: The sum of s50,000 has been apportioned as the Fourth divisions share of territorial road funds for the years 1919-192O. and of this amount S15,000 has been turned over to the federal road builders and $5,000 reserved for the salary of the local commissioner, leaving a balance of $30,O00 which may be expended under the direction of Road Commissioner Sheldon, who was elected by the people to direct Interior road building.
 Under the terms of an agreement between the governor and the fed eral or Alaska road commission, all road work in this division, except certain projects started by Sheldon before the agreement was made, is to be done under the direction of Captain Zug, local representative of the federal commission. Zug has about $5,0OO left over from last year and S15,000 turned over to him by Governor Riggs. More money will be provided by Congress before the end of the present session, but | it seems doubtful at this time if the Fourth division will receive more than enough to put the Fairbanks Valdez road in good repair. The 1 S20,000 which Zug now has, and the S3O,000 allotted to Sheldon, must suffice for all Interior needs other than the Fairbanks-Valdez road-a total of $50,O00 for a district re- quiring very much larger sum.
 The agreement between the gov ernor and the Alaska road commis- l sion, made possible by the Allan law, practically makes a fgurehead of Road Commissioner Sheldon. He is to be permitted to go through with some of the projects which he started before the agreement was made, but there is probability, he thinks, that next year will find him without work to do, except draw his salary, since it appears to have been the desire of the late legisla- ture to turn all road work over to the federal commission.
 Mir Sheldon says that there is no one in Fairbanks, in the courthouse
 pr among the members of the legis- lature, who appears to know much about the Allan law, beyond the 1 fact that it aims to turn all road work over to the federal commis- sion. It seems to have been the i impression of Fourth division mem bers that the law was intended to become operative in 1921, but the fact that the governor has already turned over portion of the terri torial money to the federal commis- sion indicates that the law is al ready in operation, partly, and MT. Sheldon expects to be further re- lieved of his work next year.
 II was elected by the voters of this division for term of two years" said Mir. Sheldon to a repre- sentative of The News this morn ing, 'and it was my ambition to do lot of road work in regions where roads are greatly needed. I know the value of roads, and I planned to spend the greater part of my time in the field, giving my personal at tention to the work But this new law has knocked my plans galley west and threatens to put me in bad