The weekly Alaska citizen., 1919-09-15
MEARS ISSUES STATEMENT AS TO FUTURE COMMISSION POLICY; NO
 CESSATION OF WORK IN INTERIOR
(By Andy Hoey)

(By Andy Hoey)
 NENANA Alaska, Sept. 12.-Just before his departure this morning for the Colonel Frederick Mears handed to The Citizen correspondent regarding the struction policy of the Alaskan Engineering commission affects the northern dvison From this it is apparent that the commission not only does not contemplate any cessation of work the interior end of the Alaskan railroad but ra will increase that work if the supplies available and those which will be landed before the close of gaon will init such action
 And just word about those supplies. It is known that it planned rush several hundred tons of steel rails to the interior the last boats from Dawson These rails, is understood have been diverted from shipment originally destined Anchorage and also possible that other plies may be diverted Colonel Mears statement follows two-day conference which he has just concluded with En- gneerCharge Browne and based the present condi tions are related to him by Mir. Browne It follows:
 "In response to request from the Commercial Clubs of Nenana and Fairbanks and in compliance with the similar request made by the editors of the newspapers of Fairbanks and Nenana, taking this opportunity make public the following statement outlining the proposed program of operation for continuing the construction of the railroad in the northern division during the present year and succeed ing calendar year;
 Based the suppositon that the appropriation for continuing the construction of the Alaska railroad will be made available by congress before the first of next January, will be the policy of the Alaskan Engineering commission to complete the temporary gauge track being laid the standard gauge roadbed from the north bank of the Panama river (e 45 up Goldstream form connection with the Panama Valley Railroad at
 
 miles to the present rackage north of the Panama river and furnish rail communication between the north bank of the Panama river opposite Nenana Fairbanks Cinema and Cha tanka The total trackage there will be 90 miles (narrow gauge).
 "Upon the completion of the bridge over the Tanana river opposite Nenana at some later date the gauge track being laid in the Goldstream valley will be widened standard gauge and including the at Fairbanks
 with the same reservation regarding the availability ho of Alaskan Engineering commission to extend the standard gauge track souhward from the present end of steel Mile 366 to point at the north end of the Nenana canyon e 36O) opposite Heay fork This extension of main line track to Mile 36O will make it possible establish active srucon camp the foot of the Nenana canyon which will be i'll rail communication with the material and depots at Nenana during the winter months.
 Supplies due incoming river boats will be de- vered to this camp and they will be available for tacng the heavy work the Nenana canyon when the camp established and supplies landed there avail able for use Mr. Browne engneeri-charge has been thorzed to work many experienced men rock work and rock cuts and tunnels available in this section the country and it will be also the policy of the Alaskan En- gneering commission to extend Mr. Brownes division as souhward and into Broad Pass available and SUD- plies to make such extension wise and expeden
 Wth respect to the coal situation in the Nenana coa fields and available coal supplies In order the qrements of the commission and the ownspeope of Nena and Fairbanks Mr. Browne advises that he will have the standard gauge track reestabshed the Nenana river bridge sometime in the present month which will permit rail deliveries of coal direct from Burns mine at Mile 366 Nenana is also Mr. Brownes intention to re-es tabsh the gauge track the ice of the Panama this winter provided that coal mined the Burns mine in sufficient quantity that will be available for ship men into Fairbanks and provided further that there is enough demand for this coal in the Fairbanks district to rant the expense of the undertaking.
 (Sgned) "F. MEARS, Chairman and Chief Engineer " FEHNC R0AT anss s.a that os sIss@ s pst State