The Ordway new era., 1919-11-14

of its DEVELOPMENT Some of these facts here
given. with credit to the various representatives,.
Mr.. Curry of Calfornln.-Mr Chairman, in 1867
when Alaska was purchased through the efforts
of Secretary of State Seward from Russia Tor
S7,2OO.OOO, which was less than cents an 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 Foundland. Vege.
tables and cereals can be and are raised there,
and 1t is the richest undeveloped mineral section
the face of the earth.
Time has justified Stewards purchase of Alaska
for the United States. Since 1869 Alaska has pro-
duced $S4O 100000 worth of wealth. $780,
100000 of that from her fisheries, most of the
rest from her mines and from her furs In the
same time Alaska has bought from the United
States $400 100000 worth of property. 1t has done
that under existing law that practically ties 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
a law authorizing the president to construct rail-
road railroads in Alaska not to exceed 1000
miles in length, and authorized the expenditure
by him of S35 100000 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 the Alaskan
the work.
The original authorization of S35.OOOOOO would
have constructed this rond under ordinary condi-
tions and circumstances. but the war came nong.
wages increased 30 per cent, the cost of material
increased up 161 per cent and transportation up
to 147 per cent. Under those circumstances the
S35 100000 is not sufficient to complete the work.
1t is. therefore, absolutely necessary, unless
wish to sacrifice the $35OOOO 900 already invested.
that this s17oO0.Ooo authorization be allowed.
The road. when completed, will he COL miles I'm
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 Col miles. All of
the rond has been completed, with the exception
of work to be done to complete the first II
miles from Seward north and gap of 100 miles
and another small gap Of 25 miles. Most of the
100-mile gap has been surveyed and some of the
roadbed has been made
The road started from Seward 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 Tnnana river is a branch Of the Yukon river
and the Yukon river and the Tanana river are
navigable for 1000 miles The Alaskan railroad
commission commenced building from the south
erD point north. They brought the material to
Seward and Anchorage. and they commenced to
build from the northern terminal SOUTH so tbnt
they could save time and save money.
The road already reaches to the coal fields
There the 1902 square miles of coal fields I'm
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 all on the line of this road 1t is estimated
that there 30OOO.OO tons of coal thar viii
be opened to commerce by this road and 10000
100000 tons of 1t will be hgh-grade coal which
could be used for cokng and smelling ore. and
such purposes. and the rest of 1t for and mat
ters Of that kind. In Alaska 1t has been estimated
that there are 10000 100000 tons of coal. No
person knows how much there is
Mr.. Strong of Kansas.-There has been dscoy-
cred in Alaska not only gold. but silver copper
coal, lead iron. nntmony tungsten and platinum
in large quantities. In addition there has been
discovered large fields of OIL 1t has splendid agri-
cultural advantages. 1t is estimated that 1t has
over 100000 square miles of table land. II has
growing season of 100 days. and because Of the