The Cordova daily times., 1920-05-25
BREEZY LETTER FROM SEATTLE
 ABOUT ALASKA

commission of the department of com merce held it's last session here Sat urday afternoon and left in the eve ming for Washington, D. C., to report to Secretary Payne. Yesterday the commission heard representatives of the various chambers of commerce in the North. The territorial shipping board was heard and presented data secured in a separate investigation of the water commerce between coast ports and Alaska Representatives of the Alaska Steamship Company and the Pacific Steamship Company ap- peared before the commission. Rea- sons for the present rates and limita- tion of service to the various Alaskan ports were presented in rebuttal of the complaints filed by Alaska shippers and residents in which Seattle bus1- nesH men and firms are concerned.
 Those who conferred with the com mission on Friday were: J. c. Bar bour, president of the Ketchikan Com mercial Club; H. Wheeler, representa- tive of the American Yukon NaViga- tion Company; Thomas Larson, gold operator of Copper river district, and representatives and attorneys of the Alaska Steamship Company. After a week of conference the board finished it's hearings on Saturday and left for Washington in the evening. Colonel Brooks, chairman, said information re- ceived would prove beneficial to Alas ka and those interested in it's devel- opment. 'Where complaints have been filed over Alaska conditions, both sides have been heard impartially. The commission is friendly to Alaska and the people may be assured that their case will be presented in Wash 1ngton in a proper manner" Colonel Brooks said.
 Saturday morning M. P. SnOdgrass, representing the Fairbanks section, gave the committee data on agricul- tural conditions in the Fairbanks dis trict and outlined the work of the department of agriculture there.
 The commission took up transporta- tion mail service, freight rates, min eral and forestry resources, and other industries which play important roles in the development of the territory. Each of the various districts present ed it's problems, through representa- tives, to the commission.
 The Alaska investigating committee on Wednesday heard representatives of the fishing industries, at which the large companies presented surveys of their activities. The companies whose representative appeared before tke committee were Libby, McNeil & Libby, the Alaska Pacific Fisheries Company, the Everett Packing Com pany and the Sockeye Salmon Com pany. Frank H. Madden of Sattle, president of the Point Ward Packing mission on the fishing question.
 Company, also conferred with the com
 The commission also heard repre- sentatives of the mining interests, among them w. N. Robeson, copper operator of the Prince William sound; Milo Kelley of Anchorage; B. F. Mil lard of Seattle, owner of extensive mining interests in the Valdez and Copper river districts, and J. F. Daly of Nome, territorial representative from the Seward peninsula.
 Edward A. Sheran, associate chief forester of the department of agricul- ture, has been in Seattle participating in the hearings before the commission. He says:
 The solution of Americas print paper problems lies in the develop ment of Alaska's pulpwood industry. The government has taken steps to open up immense tracts of timber to pulp and paper mills, and the threat ened shortage of paper can be avarted  through immediate development"
 The Tongas and Chugach forests contain seventy-seyen billion feet of hemlock and spruce, according to pre- liminary surveys. The government is taking steps to develop the puIpwOod industry in the Tongas district. Both districts are accessible to shipping and contain plenty of water power. These forests will be divided into four tecn smaller tracts and let to hi lde"s.
 The steamship Admiral Gool1.cl is completing her load of lumber for Seward and steel rails for Anchorage and large construction crews of men for the Alaskan engineering commits sion.
 Loaded with a full cargo of box shocks cans and otker salmon pock- ing material, the steamer Admiral