New Mexico state record. (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1914-19??, 1919-11-07

of it's development. Some of these facts are here
given, with credit to the various representatives
MI. Curry of California Mr.. Chairman, In 1857
when Alaska was purchased through the efforts
of Secretary of State Seward from Russia for
S7,2OO,00O, which was less than 2 cents an acre.
the European nations poked fun at the United
States, and the papers of the United States ridl-
culed 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 it 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 $S40,O0O,OW worth of wealth $500,
O00,OW 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 S4OO,O0O,0O worth of property. 1t has done
that 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 a railroad
could not and would not be built by private enter
prise, the congress of the United States enacted
Il law authorizing the president to construct a rail-
road or railroads in Alaska. not to exceed 1000
miles in length, and authorized the expenditure
by him of S35O00,OO0 for that purpose. The presi-
dent placed the CONSTRUCTION OF the ROAD unuer 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 S35,O00,0OO would
have constructed this road under ordinary condi-
tons and circumstances, but the war came along,
wages increased 80 per cent. the cost of material
increased up to 161 per cent and transportation up
to 147 per cent. Under those circumstances the
S3I O0O ONO is nat sufficient IN comnlata tho work
1t is. therefore, absolutely necessary, unless we
wish to sacrifice the $35 ,OOO, 1000 already invested,
that this s17.OOO,O00 authorization be allowed.
The road. when completed. will be COL miles in
length. 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
miles from Seward north and a gap of 100 miles
ard another small gap Of % miles. Most Of the
Wtmile gap has been surveyed and some of the
'oadbed has been made.
The road started from Seward on the southern
1oint Of Alaska, and went to Anchorage. Part of
nat road-71 miles-had been constructed. From
anchorage over to the northern terminal of the
road. Fairbanks is located on the Tanana river
The Tanana river is a branch of the Yukon river.
and the Yukon river and the Tanana river are
n~avigable for 1000 miles. The Alaskan railroad
commission commenced building from the SOUTH
ern point north. They brought the material to
Seward and Anchorage, and they commenced TO
build from the northern terminal south, so that
they could save time and save money.
The road already reaches to the coal fields
There the LOOP square miles of coal fields In
Alaska that have been explored and experted nv
the coast and geodetic survey, the geological sur.
vey and by the Alaskan engineering commission
That is all on the line of this road. 1t is estimated
hat there are 30.OOO.OOO,OO0 tons of coal thar will
81" opened to commerce by this road, and $1,000.
10000 tons of it will be high-grade coal which
ould be used for coking and smelling ore, and
such purposes. and the rest of it for fuel and mat.
ters of that kind. In Alaska 1t has been estimated
that there are 15O.OOO,OOO.OOO tons of coal. No
person knows how much there is.
Mr.. Strong of Kansas.-There has been discov.
cred in Alaska not only gold. but silver, copper.
coal, lead, iron, anthony. tungsten and platinum
In large quantities. In addition. there has been
discovered large fields of oil. 1t has splendid agri-
cultural advantages. 1t is estimated that II has
over 0 1000 square miles of tillable land. 1t has
a growing season Of 100 days, and because of the