The Hays free press. [volume] (Hays, Kan.) 1908-1924, 1919-11-13


of its development. Some of these facts are here
given, with credit to the various representatives
Mr.. Curry of Calfornia-A1r. Chairman, in 1857
when Alaska was purchased through the efforts
Of Secretary of State Seward from Russia for
$42OO,OOO, which was less than cents an acre,
the European nations poked fun at the United
States, and the papers of the United States ridi-
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 raised there,
and it is the richest undeveoped mineral section
the face of the earth.
Time has justified Stewards purchase of Alaska
for the United States. Since 1869 Alaska has pro-
duced over $840OO0,OOO 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 $40OOO0,OOO 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 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,OO0O00 for that purpose. The presi-
dent placed the construction of the road under the
control of the secretary Of the interior and ne In
turn organized what is known as the Alaskan
engineering commission take practical charge of
the work.
The original authorization of S35yOOOOOo would
have constructed this road under ordinary condi-
lions and circumstances but the came along,
wages increased SO per cent the cost of material
Increased up to ISL per cent and transportation up
to 147 per cent. Under those circumstances the
$35OOO,OOO is rot sufficient to complete the work.
1t is, therefore, absolutely necessary, unless we
wish to sacrifice the 100000 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 Al miles in length. The spurs and branches
the road has been completed, with the exception
of some work to be done to complete the first Il
miles from Seward north and gap Of 100 miles
and another small gap of % miles. Most of the
1O0-mile gap has been surveyed and some of the
rOadbed has been made.
The road started from Seward on 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
navigable for 1000 miles. The Alaskan railroad
commission commenced building from the so,,tb
point north. They brought the material Tn
Seward and Anchorage, and they commenced tn
build from the northern terminal south so that
they could time and save money
The road already reaches to the coal folds
There the 1902 square miles OF coal fields In
Alaska that have been explored and exported by
the coast and geodetic survey, the geological sur
Fey and by the Alaskan engineering commission
That is all the line Of this road IT is estn,ot
that there 3OOOOOOO,OO tons of coal tha+ I'm
be opened to commerce by this road and 15OO0
100000 tons Of 1t. will be high-grade coal I5b,o,
could be used for coking and smelling ore and
such purposes, and the rest of It for fueJ and 80
tiers of that kind In Alaska it has been esir,eto5
that there 150OO0.OOO.OOO tons Of coal No
person knows how much there is
Mr.. Strong OF Kansas-There has been diseov-
red n bT4f oYIxzo-
coal, lead, iron, anthony. tungsten and platinum
in large quantities In addition there has been
discovered large fields of OIL It has splendid sort
cultural advantages. 1t is estimated that it has
over 100000 square miles of tiilable land IF has
a growing season of 100 days. and because Of the