Douglas Island news., 1920-12-24
LABOR IS SHORT
 ON RAILROAD
Colonel Meau at Seattle claims That Labor Shortage Has Delayed
 Construction

| hIuk. t0 UIte hos cost Uncle sam approximately sf2.OO0.O00 of a total authorization of s52.0O0.oo0 accord- iue to Col Frederick Noas. chair- mu and chief engineer of tho A.as- kan Engineering Comm.eion. who arrived I'm Seattle recently on hia vrg Go Washington D. C., says Che Times
 "Tbc total estimate and oulhor.-
 auou for tbc building of Che soy- cumcut railroad n AIasn was s5eH0O.O00 par, Of which Is made available by law cach yoar" said Colonel Nears "I am now on my way ,o Washington. D. C.. Go appear betor. tHe appropriations committee ol Hc House n connection with next yoara appropriations"
 Colonel Ncar said al2 miles of line ou thc southern division Of Che road and Il0 miles on Che northern division ore In operation Including .lc branch to CmuuIsa Two trains . week arc running on each of Che divisions Therc Ie au Nf-mle gap between Che ends ol steel in Che Broad Pass district and 50 miles Of right of way yc, Co be graded It Is expected there win mol bo much
 grading Iclt by tho end of next sum uw Co.onc. Moau -aId Che com mission was short ot men an last
 summer \ t0ul Of 2.500 men were employed Between 5000 and IO00 uu win h. needed n Alaska by Che commission ue>. nr.ur and sum- me-.
 owe hare had % fairly successful
 season m AasEa. nc ereatot hau- Uan having ham thc shortage of arar nII Colonel Neaa
 "0a most Important task was to rnt th. ou hInaN Northern railroad between Seward and Anchorage. m condition for standard raGc sum- mor and ur.cr Tn 1919 ms de vision cl the road lacked snow sheds and permanent hr.deo. aud was only useful for uaht Locomotives. about
 v.n month. In tno year, Several Iare. and costly snow sheds and per- muort hHIros have bcm buI, dur- ue Che as1a and Che entire track and ro.aH.l has boon gone over and uuf u Hrt..as. condition. cas1r.ue uninterrupted traffic between Che towns O. seNar dand Anchorage dur- He Che uu..r
 "Tu.. has boon eetorIcd ou hc ma.H U.e uor,luarI from MIo 2a5 .o Nuc l1e. and win dccl Milo 275 In ne chnUma rae before Che end O. tao month This place win bc a
 distributing point for the supple. H...h a-. being .resnteI into Broad pa.s l..s Wm.er
 "rlo b.r .... bridge spanning thc ruua r.t.r a. Gold erceE Me .rI. Is nearly completed There were ..N .ons O. seo. u place on Noyom- aar 2a. and Che American Bridge Company contemplate having hc entire span un'acc by December sI.
 .ra,.. a.I malicious reports hayc recently been circulated tbat our ur.l. program has been delayed .re year and tha. a largo bonus was paid to the American Bridge Com- .ang on a..uu, ol Che failure of Che bridge n.ar To remte heae un-
 truthful statements ] am taking to Secretary Payne a recoat photograph m One suna bridge. showing ,be work v0l on Che road to completion. together vth letter from hc American Brde. Company roprcso1- aHre. denying Che charge. chat they H.r. d.arol and paid a bonus ou accom-. O. n concrete failure which occurred m thc south p.er
 "Grdnr Is m progress through Che summit ree.on from Mile 212 Co MI. 2s6 on uo Southern Division and between MIc aa6 and Nue 35S un Che Northern D.y.s'o1 One latter
 point b.n. UmIy sometimes re- ..-r.I ta as Canyon C..y .fI0 miles
 uh O. Fairbanks This leaves Q -a1 of about fl-r miles between oc- mi rrdne over which Che right Of way has boen .Ioarel and wagon roads and omr hut
 "rnItel s,a.o. mau s being sent t1 lbe interior or Alaska y.a Che government railroad and Broad raH thH soreon. and practically an passengers and express arc follow mr td. same roe.e Tho mail ecry- .ce ars bcc0 conducted in a very sat- Hrae.ory manner and post oGicc oi- fca's express themselves os we'll pleased v.th tho new arrangement About 2OUD0 pounds Of extra mail was carried into Che Interior ,his aI and .t I. Che Grst umc In his- tory hot tbe Interior ouriouehs H. .H .... "H..... r