The Cordova daily times., 1919-03-14
POSTOFFICE TO BLAME FOR THE
 ALASKA MIDDLE

The people of Alaska are voicing scathing complaints over the complete failure of the mail service. The con dition is due wholly to the respon- sible officials of the United States States postoffice department, who for some years against every protest and without regard to the demands of public service or the generally ac- cepted definition of the words fair play, have been juggling with the Alaskan mail service on the indefens- ible plea of economy. The responsi- bility rests directly With the post master general of the United States and his assistants in Washington, D. C., and try as they might to dodge or evade the issue, they and they alone are responsible for the present chaotic condition of the mail servic to and within Alaska, which is the poorest excuse for such service that ever any frontier country has yet to contend with.
 One cannot blame the Alaskans for feeling deeply aggrieved as this ser vice is not only the cause of personal disappointment and isolation, but it has most serious effect upon bank ing and commercial pursuits gener- ally, and added to all the other govern to1 ma oh nf the past. the condition has proved to be the final straw.
 We do criticise them for their more recent attitude in their effort to blame the steamships exclusively for the deplorable condition Alaska can only be served by steamships and surely sailing from Seattle every seventeen and half hours to Juneau and Southeastern Alaska, and every four and half days to Prince Will liam Sound, as was the case several years ago during the summer, was a service far in advance of the actual needs of the territory, but it should
 
 years 1912 to 1917, when that excel lent service was being maintained by four American steamship lines operat- ing out of Seattle, that those lines either singly or collectively received any noticeable commendation, yet many steamship in those lean years, HIIfh notf of would leave Seattle with less than fifty and its hold but partly filled with cargo. The regular remunera- tion for the handling of the mail was most welcome addition to the gross earnings of each ship but at no time did such remuneration represent a aair return for the service performed, considering the expense and danger ,of navigation in Alaska.
 Then came the decision of the post eoffice department that the cost for transporting the mails to Alaska was excessive and the campaign to reduce these costs was begun. Every one %nows what happened to the Juneau Steamship Company when it's mail contract was taken from it and the contract given to gas boat at greatly reduced figure. The Juneau Steamship Company wound up it's ar- fairs and went into voluntary liqui- dation, the steamship Georgia being sold to British Columbia parties simply because without the additional mail contract, the limited freight, pas senger and express revenues were such that at best the company faced a monthly deficit. The gas boat has never given service or satisfactlon and not only have the people served on that route been deprived of the mall boat but through the stupidity of the postoffice officials in Washington anu their breaking of the mail cohtract' those people have also been depr1veo of freight, passenger and express service to the great detriment of theiI business and the industrial develop ment of the whole section. There never can and there probably never will be any decent regular service or the Georgia's run until such time a'