The Cordova daily times., 1919-08-18
MONDAY, AUGUST IS, 1919


The announcement in the Gateway last Saturday that Frederick w. Mears had been appointed chairman of the Alaskan engineering commis- sion, also chief engineer has caused several to write letters to the editor of the Gateway asking for the future policy of the Gateway towards the Alaskan engineering commission.
 One letter especially asks perti- nent questions as follows:
 Editor of Gateway: Undoubtedly the Gateway has had much to do with the retirement of Edes as chair man of the A. E. c. Now Mears has been named Ede's successor. The Gateway kept hammering at Edes for his ineffciency. Mears has no use for Seward, so what is the Gateway going to do about that former member of the A. E. C., now reappointed? Also is w. A. Ryan coming north to take any position with the A. E. e."
 The editor will answer the last question first, that about MT. Ryan. Like others, not only in Seward, but along the entire system of the govern. ment railroad, the editor trusts that MT. Ryan is not going to be foisted on to the people in any position, but cannot say positively as to the proba- bility of his name being added to the A. E. c. payroll. The editor does not see where there is any question see where there is any position for him, unless like Edes, who has been named a consulting engineer, it is ne cessary to take care of him" by the department of the interior
 As to the policy of the Gateway to- wards Chairman Mears, it all depends upon what Chairman Mears does re- garding the construction of the gov ernment railroad in Alaska and espe- cially the Seward division. If the Seward division is allowed to be a "ffthly'' proposition, any man who is chairman of the A. E. G. Mears or anyone else will be hauled up to make an accounting.
 But one must remember that Colo ncl Mears has been Outside he has heard the criticisms and the pun about the governments railroad joke in Alaska; he has been in the army service in France where a man must make good or he is disposed of; he has been in Washington and knows the tone of the thought of the con- gressmen and senators regarding a certain $35,00O,0OO appropriation for a railroad in Alaska; he perhaps knows that after five years the rail- road is still no where as to original plans, and he also knows that the navy wants coal from the Matanuska coal fields, delivered on tide water where it can be had at any time of the year, winter or summer.
 Also remember that Colonel Mears was the man of the A. E. C., who was interviewed several years ago at An chorage by a delegation from Seward regarding work on the Seward divi sion.
 Colonel Mears at that time told the Seward committee that he had nOth ing whatsoever to do with the Seward division, that the Seward division al ways received the appropriations asked for but that Edes and R. J Weir were responsible for the con struction work.
 Well, we do know that the Anchor age division was completed and from railroad point of view is good piece of construction. Colonel Mears was the man who had that work done This shows that Colonel Mears car accomplish things in Alaska, the same as he did in France.
 Colonel Mears, as chairman of the Alaskan engineering commission knows that the trouble back in Wash ington over the appropriation has been the non-construction of the Sew ard division from tidewater to con meet with the Anchorage division