Montpelier examiner. [volume] (Montpelier, Idaho) 1895-1937, 1919-11-07

of its development. Some of these facts here
given with credit to the various representatives.
Mr.. Curry of Caifornia-Mr. Chairman. in 1867
when Alaska purchased through the efforts
of Secretary of State Seward from Russia for
H,2OO000j which was less than cents an acre,
the European nations poked fun at the United
States, and the papers of the United States ridi-
euled Secretary Seward and referred to Alaska as
Stewards Iceberg"
The climate of the most of Alaska is better than
that of Scandinavia and New Foundland. Vege-
tables and cereals can be and are raised there,
and 1t is the richest undeveloped mineral section
on the face of the earth.
Time has justified Stewards purchase of Alaska
FOR the United States. Since 1869 Alaska has pro-
duced over $840,O00,000 worth of wealth; $780,
100000 of that from her fisheries most Of the
rest from her mines and from her furs. In the
same time Alaska has bought from the United
states $500 100000 worth of property. It has done
TINT under existing law that practically ties up the
resources of Alaska and prohibits them from being
developed.
In 1914 under these conditions knowing that
Alaska should be developed and that railroad
could not and would not be built by private enter
prise the congress Of the United States enacted
law authorizing the president to construct rail-
road or railroads in Alaska, not to exceed 1000
miles In length and authorized the expenditure
BY him of $35,OO0OO0 for that purpose The presi-
dent placed the construction of the road under the
CONTROL of the secretary of the interior and he In
turn organized what Is known as the Alaskan
engineering commission to take practical charge of
the work.
The original authorization Of $35OOOOOO would
have constructed this road under ordinary condi-
lions and circumstances, but the war came along
wages increased so per cent the cost of material
increased up to 161 per cent and transportation up
to lat per cent. Under those circumstances the
$S5,O00O00 is not sufficient to complete the work.
q
wish to sacrifice the $S5,OO0,OOO already invested,
that this $17,OO0,O00 authorization be allowed
The road when completed, will be COL miles in
Bength. The main line, from Seward to Fairbanks
Will be All miles in length The spurs and branches
and side lines will make up the COL miles, All of
the road has been completed with the exception
OF some work to be done to complete the first II
miles from Seward north and a gap of 100 miles
AID another small gap Of % miles. Most of the
ioomile gap has been surveyed and some of the
Toadbed has been made
The road started from Seward on the southern
point OF Alaska, and went to Anchorage Part of
hat road-71 miles-had been constructed From
Anchorage over to the northern terminal. NJ the
road, Fairbanks is located on the Tanana river
Tile Ianana river Is a branch of the Yukon river
ana the Yukon river and the Tanana river are
navigabie for 1900 miles, The Alaskan railroad
commission commenced building from the soutb.
ern point north. They brought the material TO
N-- ~NNNAiOAuSCD commenced
build from the northern terminal south so thot
they could save time and save money.
The road already reaches to the coal aoIds
Inere the Luz square miles of coal fields IN
Alaska that have been explored and exported hv
the coast and geodetic survey the geological snr.
vey and by the Alaskan engineering commission
Inat is all on the line of this road 1t is estimated
Rt there are 30000,000O00 tons of coal tI,a+ ,,,1
y opened to commerce by this road and 16OO0
"Voooo tons of it will be high-grade coal which
could be used for coking and smelling ore and
such purposes and the rest of it for fuel and mat
tiers Of that Kind. In Alaska 1t has been estnotat
that there are 15O00O.OoOOOo tons of coal Wu
person knows how much there is
Mr.. Strong Of Kansas-There has been discov-
cred In Alaska not only gold, but silver. conner
coal, lead, iron, anthony. tungsten and nlotinum
in large quantities In addition, there has hean
discovered large fields of oil. 1t has splendid oprI
cultural advantages. 1t is estimated that I, has
over 100000 square miles of tiliable land II has
a growing season of 100 dhys, ana because of the