The Nenana daily news. (Nenana, Alaska) 1918-1921, 1919-05-22
A COAST DEFENDER

In view Of all that has been said
and written about the Alaskan En-
gineering Commission, its alleged
extravagances and in-advised loca-
tions, it is pleasing to hear ex-
pressions of confidence in the
ability of the commission to carry
the work to a successful completion,
and a refuation of the oft-repeated
charge that the Bailey location,
south of Nenana, was an iceXcusable
mistake on the part of the engin-
GERS. An oldtimer Of the coast
country, probably moved to action
by that Susitna miner who rushed
into print in Seattle in support of
the Wickersham charges, is the
latest to come to the defense of
the commission. He points out, in
communication to the Anchorage
Daily Times that the Bailey location
was not so serious blunder as
Wickersham would have US believe,
and the News knows of many here
in Nenana who hold the same opin-
ion.
'(From Judge understands let
ter to the P-I," says the 'Oldtimer'
in his communication. land also
from the remarks made in the
house in discussing the item for the
Alaskan Engineering Commission in
the sundry civil bill, it would seem
that vital mistake was made BY
the commission in locating the
railway south of Nenana.
Judge Wickersham and all of
the people that are now hammering
the commission will 60 into rhap-
sodies about the wisdom, honesty
and foresight of the Alaska pioneer.
and they are not far out Of the
way. But now let US look at this
piece of railway location in the
light of what the pioneer knew.
THE big country to the south
of the Tanana river first came TO
the notice of Alaska people by the
discovery of gold in the Kantishna,
about fifteen years ago. Al that
time and during the years since
the country through which the rail
way passes coming this way has
been thoroughly investigated. Dukes
trading post, the site where Nenana
now stands, was the point from
which all winter supplies to the
country south started for years
past. The route over which the
railway was constructed was gone
over many times in the dozen d
so years before the line was located
1t was at all times safe, although
the ice and high water of the Ne
mana had been watched for all the
years mentioned. Why, therefore
should the commission engineer;
be expected to have the Insight
that a river would make its bee
in place that it has passed W
since the world was built? AS wei
might the original settlers in Her
culaneum and Pompeii be blamed
for placing city where Vesuviu:
might later cover them up; or the
people of San Francisco have fore
sen the earthquake, or Galveston OF
Dayton the floods that caused the
loss of life and property in these
places.
THE writer is not and never ha,
been a commission employee and ha.
never received dollar from them
But he does claim to know some
thing of the topography of the
country over which the railway
is being built from here and i:
fair enough to not lay blame where
it does not belong.
Further, it would seem tn thu
ordinary individual that while oul
delegate from Alaska should no
be expected to be a civil engineer
and railway builder. that he should
have known enough to draw a bill
with sufficient plainness that tht
people who were expanding tbs
money did not have to go befors
Congress at every regular and spe
cial session and thresh out tbs
question anew before money wa
available to continue the worl