The state herald., 1919-11-07
S0EzRWeNv- v-AI.A1Kzu44zNar

kGxDk
Go,zRWH01-AZ-A1
The summer-no swceter was eyer:
The sunshiny woods all athril:
The graylng aleap in the river,
The strons Ssor lie P that never Knows harness.
The Tsf xhshs Rs as seSom hs
GOD a's spell % Of s'aSs ,Ss In YUKON /; s.rvce
@\HE house Of representatives the othef
day passed an amendment to the gov
eminent Alaskan railroad act "
which the additional sum Of $l1OoV'-
600 was appropriated for the compe-
nrNA tion Of the road by December 81. lvzz.
Nf6S9N The debate was presumably more OF
G&p HM less tinged with partisan poiitics'
WI Nh Leaving out the politics many Inter
w. GM esting facts of value were brought
M1pfNSN out concerning Alaska-Land OF the
VHNSXk Midnight Sun-which has proved q
S W veritabe treasure trove to the United
States and is only at the beginning
Of Its development Some Of these facts are mere
given. with credit to the various representatives
Mr. Curry Of California.-Mr Chairman. In 1857
when Alaska was purchased through the emorts
Of Secretary Of State Seward from Russia for
F.200.000, which was less than cents nm acre.
the European nations poked fun at the United
States and the papers of the United States ridi.
culed Secretary Seward and referred to Alaska as
Stewards Iceberg"
The climate Of the most Of Alaska is better than
that Of Scandinavia and New Foundlsnd vege-
tables and cereals can be and are raised there.
and II is the richest undeveloped mineral section
On the face Of the earth.
Time has justified Stewards purchase Of Alaska
for the United States. Since 1859 Alaska has pro-
duced over $s40O00.O00 worth Of wealth: $780,.
000,O00 Of that from her fisheries, most Of the
rest from her mines and from her furs. In the
same time Alaskn has bought from the United
Stata hofnr rfv Il hasA Inns
that under existing Inv 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 n railroad
could not and would not be built by private enter
prise. the congress Of the United States enacted
law authorizing the president to construct rail-
road or railroads In Alaska. not to exceed 1000
miles in length, and authorized the expenditure
by him Of s35.OO0.OO0 for that purpose. The pres
dent placed the construction OF the road under the
control Of the secretary of the Interior and he In
turn organized what Is known us the Alaskan
engineering commission TO take practical charge Of
the work.
The original authorization Of &S50O0O0O would
have constructed this road under ordinary cond
tions and circumstances. hut the war came nlong
wrges increased 10 per cent. the cost OF material
Increased up to 161 per cent and transportation up
10 141 per cent Under those circumstances the
$35O0O00O Is not sufficient to complete the work
II is. therefore. absolutely necessary. unless we
wish to sacrifice the $4,000 900 already invested,
that this sl7ooo.ooo authorization he allowed
The rond. when completed. viii be col miles In
length. The main line. from Seward to Fairbanks.
will be All miles In length. Tie spurs and branches
and side lines will make up the COL miles All Of
the road has been completed. with the exception
of some work to he done to complete the first II
miles from Seward north and q gap OF 100 miles
and nnother small gap OF % miles. Most Of the
100mie gap hns been surveyed and som. OF the
roadbed has been made.
tn. rond started from Seward on the southern
point Of Alaska. and went to Anchorage. Part Of
that road-Ii miles-had been constructed From
Anchorage over TO the northern terminal OF IN.
road. Fairbanks is located on the Tnnnna river
The Tnnnnn river is n branch of the Yukon river
and the Yukon river and the Tannnn river are
navignble for 1000 miles The Alnsknp r,,,ro.a
commission commenced building from the sou,h,
crD point north They brought III. material ,o
Sewnrd nnd Anchorage. and they commenced "a
hui'd from the northern terminal south so tbn,
they could save time and sn,e money
The 'ond already reaches to the cosl o.,d.
There the i.e02 square miles Of conI a.,d. 4.
Anskn that have been explored and .xp.rted nv
the coast md peodetlc survey. III. peolovic.i s,r
yey and by the Alaskan engineering eomm,s.,a.,
Tint In n'l on the line ~ this road II In estimated
fhnf mere nrc """ooUo tons of coal that win
he opened 10 commerce by this rond nnd ~ ,sso
HD.DO tons Of II viii b. high grade con, w,,.,,
could be used for coklng nnd smelling orr, nnd
snch purposes. md the rest of II for fuel nnd n.,
,crs ~ TINT kind. In Alnskn II has been .s,Ira, ~,
ihnt there nre i5oooo.o000oo tons Of conl So
,.ersoo knows how much tber. IT,
Mr. Strong Of knnsns-Thcre hns been dl.eov
.red In Alaskn not only gold, but silver. conner
."nl. lend. Iron. nniimony. tungsten md platinum
~ ,nre. quantities.. In addition. there hns be.n
discovered large fields Of OIL II hns splendid nrr
cultural advantages. II In estimated that II has
.al - - slt.tt
. growing scsson Of 100 days. md because Of ,hs