The Red Cloud chief., 1919-11-13

Of Its development Some of these facts are here
given. with credit to the various representatives
Mr.. Curry of Californa.--Mr Chairman. In 1867
when Alaska purchased through the efforts
of Secretary of State Seward from Russia for
SI.2OO00O. which less than cents an acre.
the European nations poked fun mt the United
States. and the papers of the United States rldi.
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 II 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 SS4OOOO.OOO worth Of wealth; $500.
OO0,OnN 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 S40O, 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
Ausla 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
law authorizing the president to construct a rail-
road railroads in Alaska not to exceed 1000
miles In length. and authorized the expenditure
by him of $50 900 for that purpose. The pres-
.cnt placed the construction of the road under the
control of the secretary of the interior. and he in
turn organized what Is known the Alaskan
engineering commission to take practical charge of
the work.
The original authorization of S35,0OOO0O would
have constructed this road under ordinary condi.
tionS and circumstances, but the came along,
wages increased 80 per cent the cost of material
Increased up to 161 per cent and transportation up
to ~ per cent Under those circumstances the
$50 100000 Is not sufficient to complete the work
1t Is, therefore. absolutely necessary. unless we
wish 70 sacrifice the $35OOO.OO0 already invested,
that this $17OOO,OO0 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 rond has been completed with the exception
Of some work TO be done to complete the first II
miles from Seward north and gap of 100 miles
and another small gap OF % miles. Most of the
100m'le gap has been surveyed and some of the
roafbed has been made.
The road started from Seward the southern
point Of Alaska and went to Anchorage Part of
that 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 branch of the Yukon river
and the Yukon river and the Tanana river are
savignbe for 1000 miles. The Alaskan raroad
commission commenced building from the south
erp point north They brought the material 10
Seward and Anchorage, and they commenced to
build from the northern terminal SOUTH so that
,hey could save time and save money.
The road already reaches to the coal fields
There the 1902 square miles of coal fields I'm
Alaska that have been explored and exported by
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
that there are 3OOOOOOOOOO tons of coal that will
be opened to commerce by this road and 10000
0O0,OO0 tons of 1t will be high-grade coal which
could be used for cokng and smelling ore, and
such purposes and the rest of It for fuel and mat
tiers OF that kind. In Alaska It has been estimated
that there are 10000 100000 tons of coal No
person knows how much there Is
Mr.. Strong of Kansas.-There has been discoy.
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 100000 square miles of tiable land. II has
n growing season Of 100 days and because of the