The Nenana daily news., 1919-02-01
CLUB
 TELLS CONGRESS
 NEEDS OF NORTH


 ing of the Nenana Commercial club, held last evening, it was suggested that immediate steps be taken to educate Congress in the matters of the needs of Alaska and, accord ingly the following letter was drawn up. Copies of the letter will be mailed to every member of the Senate and House of Represents tives immediately:
 January 29, 1919. Dear Sir.
 Assuming that you are interested in the development of Alaska we wish to call to your attention con dition existing in connection with the building of the government rail way to the Interior which must be remedied if that development is to continue. To enable you readily to recall the circumstances leading up to the building of the railway we would remind you that
 After becoming convinced of the truth of the assertion, made and repeated many times during the previous dozen years, that Better Transportation Facilities Meant To Alaska Vastly Increased Activity And Prosperity, the president of the United States appointed the Alaska Railroad Commission to investigate conditions, particularly in the h. terior.
 This commission concluded it's re- port with the statement that it was Unanimously of opinion that this development should be undertaken at once and prosecuted with vigor; that it can not be accomplished without providing the railroads here in recommended under some system that will insure low transportation charges and the consequent rapid settlement of this new land and the utilization of it's great resources.
 As a result of this investigation and report a tentative appropriation of $3 'n0,000 was made by con gress and the Alaskan Engineering Commission was appointed in 1911 and a year or so later commenced the construction of the road from Seward to Fairbanks.
 Shortly afterward the Wars in- fluence became noticeable in Alaska. Many of those who had been en- gagged in mining or prospecting left to offer their services to one or other of the Allies; prices of com modities climbed rapidly, and freights, always a burden, assumed alarming proportions. With the progress of the war these cond- tions were intensified until the point was reached where only bonanza mining property could be operated with other than certainty of fac ing loss at the close of the season. They reached their continuation dur ing the period when the United States was at war and Alaska was answering the call to the limit of it's available manhood and money. When the armistice was signed min ing operations had almost entirely ceased and the greater part of the resources of the inhabitants of the territory was represented in Liberty bonds, war saving stamps and con tributions to Red Cross and other war funds.
 Alaskans, however, in common with all pioneers, have the sanguine temperament which helps tone hard ship and disappointment, and breeds the optimism that refuses to recog- nize defeat. While the cloud loomed darkest they pinned their faith to the silver lining and made plans for the future. As soon as the termina- tlon of the war was assured the prospector and miner in the Interior commenced to prepare for renewed activities, confident that with the return to normal conditions and the completion of the government rail- road in the near future there would be rapid decline of prices of the supplies that figure in the cost of OperatiOn weak auo tharo xuoc