The weekly Alaska citizen., 1919-12-22
CLAIMS TRIED TO KEEP
 STATIONS OPEN
HEAD OF ALASKA WIRELESS STATIONS TELLS OF PREPARA- TIONS BY WAR DEPARTMENT TO TAKE OVER BROOKS AND OTHER STATIONS.

Early last falnhtelhw etaoinxzfh
 Early last fall when the Brooks wireless station was closed down by the Alaska Wireless company pany the Fairbanks commercial club wrote to Falcon Joslin, president of that organization, protesting against that action and calling his attention to the fact that the club was even at that time endeavoring to secure authority from the war department for the extension of furloughs to operators at several of the Alaska stations in order that service might be continued uninterrupted. In a letter just received by the club from MT. Joslin, he outlines the plans of the war department in regard to the future operation of the Alaska Wire less Co.,, stations in the territory and denies that he ordered the Brooks station closed.
 Mir. Joslin's letter follows In full:
 November 10. 1919 MT. G. B. Erwin, Secretary
 Fairbanks Commercial Club.
 Fairbanks, Alaska.
 My Dear Sir:
 1 Your letter of October 11th reached me just as l was on the point of leaving Seattle. arrived here two days ago. after spending two months at Washington trying, amongst other things. to arrange to keep the raido station at Brooks. Iditarod and McGrath in operation.
 certainly appreciate what you and the Fairbanks commercial club and others have done in the matter. The signal corps had decided to purchase the stations a year or more ago, but by reason of recognizing the signal corps in connection with the aviation service the matter was pigeon-holed and forgotten.
 The adjutant generals office ruled that the government could not op- crate the stations on the share basis as had been proposed. The war de- pertinent also was very unwilling to continue the furloughs of their op- orators at these stations from month to month as they had been doing. After going into the mater pretty thoroly, however, it was decided by Si of fn in, recommend the purchase of the sta tions and it was found there were funds sufficient for this purpose.
 The secretary of war accordingly approved the purchase vl the sta tions and the papers have been pre- pared and the inventories and ap- praisals are now enroute. and l trust the sale will be completed shortly. If so, these stations will be operated at rates much less than 1t has been possible to operate under private ownership. and the territory will get the benefit.
 l made every effort to keep the station at Brooks open but the op- orator would not stay. I understood he has reported that 1 ordered him to close the station, which is not true. l did everything I could to have him remain there and telegraph ed him the day before he left ask ing him to stay. telling him the gov ernment would probably take the sta tions shortly and asking him to stay a little longer, but he would not. took the matter up with the signal corps in Washington. Since the mat ter of the purchase was then about agreed to they suggested it would be as well to leave the station closed until the purchase was completed and they could detail a signal corp opera tor to open 1t again. I hope this can be done very shortly.
 l hope this explanation will prove satisfactory to you and the con- mercial club, and that shortly the stations will all be under the control of the: signal corps.
 Yours very truly, (Sig.) FALCON JOsLIN