The Nenana daily news., 1919-01-18
REDUCTION MADE
 IN A. [. |. FORCE

"iiiSh SAiSSbhftiiy PitNCliCo dSSI cS
 sive construction work on the rail road and the fact that all of the preparatory work for next seasons
 operations has now been com , pleted, it became necessary to lay , of considerable portion of the , forces of the Alaskan Engineering : commission until such time as the weather will permit of resumption oi activities.
 A sufficient number of work men have been retained in the serv- ice to take care of the running re- pairs that will become necessary from time to time, in the rolling stock and other branches of the railroad work. All of the build ings planned have been completed and the carpenters have been laid off, only one or two being retained for repair and other work that may occur. The yard crew have also been laid off, as the work allotted to them has now been completed.
 With the available funds, it is proposed to carry on just such work as is absolutely necessary only, and the lay-off has been so arranged.
 In making the reduction of forces the married men and those who have dependents have been given the preference
 All the locomotives cars and other machinery used in the con structon work have been thoroughly overhauled and put into condition for the resumption of railroad building on large scale. For this purpose d large force of men have been employed in the machine shops and yard, and the greater part of this force had to be laid off for a time.
 Out on the line, the Brown hoist is engaged in salvage oper- atons, and for the present, it has been deemed expedient to use up daily, in extending the line south wards, the rails and other materials taken up by the salvage crew in one working day, consequently a reduction has been made in the steel gang, only sufficient force of men being retained to handle the daily output of the salvaging crew. It is estimated that the salvaging crew will be able to take up suffi- cient steel and other material to allow of the laying of from 800 to 1000 feet of track day, and the steel gang, as at present consti- tuted, will be able to take care of this much of the work daily. Material in sufficient quantity is not obtainable now to make the surfacing operations the success it should be, and in consequence the surfacing gang has been discon- tinued and such surfacing as is possible during the remaining DOT tion of the winter will be done by a section formed of portion of the surtacing gang. The dragline ex- cavator cannot work until the frost is practically out of the ground, and the big machine has been got in readiness to commence opera tions just as soon as possible. The surfacing gang will be formed again as soon as the eXcavator com mences operations.
 The bridge across the river at Nenana Crossing is now completed and the carpenters engaged in build ing have been laid off also.
 The money available to carry on the work until the fiscal year which ends on June 3Oth, is just barely sufficient to carry on such works as are absolutely necessary, on small scale, until the next appropriation becomes available. Plans are being formulated now for commencing aggressive railroad operations at as early date as possible.
 throughout the world and permit of further adoption by ships of oil burning power stations.