New Mexico state record. (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1914-19??, 1920-01-23

SvCA Va tAS O0
ed for air mail service. At the begin
ming of this session of congress the
postmaster general asked for $1,000
600 to be used in extending the air
mail service. For the present fiscal
year, which will end the last day OF
service $S5O,5OO, or just enough to pay
for the operation of the route from
Washington to New York and from
New York to Chicago.
In asking for three millions the post
master general told the legislators that
if they would let him have that much
money he would during the next fiscal
year extend the service by creating a
through line from Minneapolis by way
of Chicago to st. Louis a new through
line from Pittsburgh by way of Gin
c%innati, Indianapolis and st. Louis to
Kansas City a through line from New
York by way Of Washington to At
lanta, and a through line from the
Atlantic coast to the Pacific by the
extension of the line from Chicago to
the western coast. He said to the leg
islatOrs that he might be able, out of
the sum asked for, TO establish a line
from Buffalo by way of Cleveland to
Detroit.
The house committee on postOffices
and post roads has notified the post
master general that ii is not disposed
to let him have this $3,0OO,OOO for the
extension of the service, but Is will
ing to continue the appropriation or
$S5O.OOO.
Completing Alaska Railway.
About the first thing Franklin X.
Lane did after he became secretary
of the interior seven years ago
was to recommend hat the gov
ernment build a railroad from Seward
to Fairbanks. in Alaska. Congress de-
liberated Over the recommendation two
years and then ordered the secretary
to 90 ahead. The road is now more
than two-thirds built, and congress. at
the recent extra session, after eXamin-
ing into the work, authorized an add
tional appropriation sufficient for Its
completion.
There has been but one setback in
the construction and that was the
washing Out of twelve miles of tracks
along the Nenana river. This Is a
glacial stream which, when the SHOWS
melt, comes down at times with ire
| slstible force. In this instance II
abandoned Its long accustomed way
and cut into a lev bed and through
trees that had been standing for sew
eral generations, tearing out part or
the track which had been laid. 1t ID
not possible. Secretary Lane says. TO
tell what IL has cost per mile to build
the road already completed, because
all the foundation work, the cOnstruc-
| ton of bases from which to work, the
equipment for construction and much
of the material are a charge which
must be spread over the entire COM
pleted line. The best estimate that
can be made today Is that is has cost
between $4,000 and $4,000 per main
line mile, or between 100000 and S7O.-
600 per mile Of track.
This cost per mile includes the build
ing of the most difficult and expensive
stretch of line along the entire route
from Seward to Fairbanks-that run
ming along Turnagain Arm, which Is
sheer rock rising precipitously from
the sea for nearly thirty miles. There
are stretches Of this road which have
cost 5000, 600 per mile. Even to blast
a mule trail in one portion Of this route
cost . 5000 a mile. The only other
goyenment.built railroad-that across
the Isthmus of Panama-cOst SOD ,Oo2
per mile. The only two recently built
railroads in the United States are ID
the Vlrglnian, built by ii. ii. Rogers.
which cost, exclusive Of equipment,
S15l, 600 per mile, with labor at from
S1.35 to $1.75 per day and oil ma
chinery, fuel, rails, supplies, at Its
door; and (2) the Milwaukee line to
Puget Sound, which is estimated as
| having cost $4,000 per mile exclusive
Of equipment.
The work has been conducted with
its main base at Anchorage, which is
at the head Of Cooks inlet. This point
was chosen as the nearest point from
which to construct IA railroad into the
Matanuska coal fields. That was the
primary objective of the railroad. to
get at the Matanuska coal. From An
chorage it was also intended to drive
farther north through the Susitna val
ley and across Broad pass, and to the
south along Turnagain Arm toward
the Alaska Northern track.
Provides Coal for Alaska.
To secure coal for Alaska was the
first need. SO in addition to Anchor
age as a base, one was also started at
Nenana on the Tanana river, from
which 10 reach the Nenana coal fields
living to the south. If these two fields
were open, one would supply the coast
of Alaska and one the interior. This
program has been acted upon, with the
| result that the Matanuska field Is open
to tidewater with a down grade road
all the way. The Nenana road has
been pushed far enough south to touch
n coal mine near the track which may
| obviate the immediate necessity for
reaching into the Nenana field proper.
Matanuska Mines to Be Leased.
There is an open stretch across
Broad pass to connect the Susitna val
ley with the road coming down from
| Nenana. This gap closed. there will
be through connection between Seward
and Fairbanks. By decisions of the
commissioner of the land office. all OF
| the claims in the M%atanuska coal field
were set aside some time ago, and by
act OF congress a leasing bill was put