The weekly Alaska citizen., 1919-04-14

1 pulling scraper. steamshovel dig ging earth, but you must eliminate the driver of the horse since he is teamster, and the operator of shovel as he is an engineer. Wickersham's analysis of the rela- tion of the amount of $967 7.295.OO for salaries to $305, ,465.00 for wages is not correct. Salaries are those paid monthly while wages are paid by the day. The fact that man is paid by the month does not prevent his being of the class of people who builG railroads. On Wickersham's showing our superintendent of con- structiOn. MT. Packer, than whom never met more capable man, was not of the people who are build. ing railroads. As to whether his salary is for superintendence or work may be debatable and is dis tributed differently on different jobs. The salary of an engineer on pile driver or a steamshovel is for work and is not questioned by any ex- cept those wanting automatic con- struction.
 | Did Wickersham ever try to build railroads for the government or for any private company? If he had he would probably not kick in the least in paying for the cooks and before he got thru he would probably agree with the A. E. commission represen- tative maintained at Washington to supply information about the Alaska railroad that this was people build ing railroads.
 To be rigid and stick to facts, the administration of the A. E. commits sion was reasonably economical. It is probable that private company would reduce the overhead expense somewhat. Comparing the Alaska rail road project with other govern ment enterprises. the A. E. commits sion was close. not to say niggardly Sick leaves. accumulated vacations. and other usual government per Quisites do not exist in the A. E. commission. l worked for the com mission four years and during this time l received six days vacation on pay. formerly worked for the Philippine government. There l re- ceived 13 months pay every year with the privilege of accommodating months sick leave each year and at the end of two years government re- duced rates on steamers to the states If 1t was so desired. Thus in a con. tract of two years, man would get four months extra pay. should like to collect for my eight months pay on that basis for my four years work in Alaska.
 Superintendence must necessarily be high for work in Alaska when the winter season lasts from October until May. During the winter of 1914 15 the A. E. commission laid off all of its force. Men who had fought mosQuitos and waded swamps in Al aska during July. August and Sep tember were laid off in September when all computation maps were completed ready to submit to con- gross. We were expected to twiddle our thumbs from December until June. Some probably did as times were not good that winter. However, some of the best men left the ser vice and have never returned. Had the same performance been attempt ed the following years. Wickersham would not have had to bother look ing for any miles of main line in Alaska.
 Everybody realized that superin- tendence must be high: Earnest ef- forts were made to cut it down. Wickersham probably does not know that piledriver crews worked with steam points driving piles in wealth CT 30 degrees below zero; that such rock cuts as could be operated work. ed all the year round; that engin- eering assistants used field instru- ments in temperature 25 degrees be. low zero, turning screws with the palms of their hands. And taking it all in all two-thirds of the pro. ject Is completed within the appro- priation.
 NO POLITICS ATTACHED. | Wickersham has charged that Riggs has tried to destroy him poli- tically. This is probably the nearest to the bullseye he gets. No doubt MT. Sulzer would like to destroy him politically and that Governor Riggs is willing to help. But the charge that the Alaskan Engineering commission was made the instrumentality to ac. complish this end is about as bad mess as any.
 Secretary Lanes statement that he does not know anything about the politics of the 1000 odd men em- ployed on the job is doubtless true. The chief enpineer according to