The Cordova daily times., 1920-11-27

Mass Meeting dt Nendnd
 Expresses DisapproUal Of
 Engineering Commission

Long smoldering r e m n against the Alaskan engineering commission, because of an apparent lack of interest in the development flame by the receipt of information from Anchorage indicating a further curtailment of construction activities in this division, says the Nenana News. The public feeling found expression at mass meeting held at the firehall at which it was de- cided to take immediate steps to bring about a more friendly and interested attitude toward Alaska on the part of those in charge of the government enterprise, or upon the part of those who will succeed them shortly if the plans of the meeting are crowned with success. It was the sense of the meeting, expressed in no uncertain manner, that both Chairman Mears and En- gineer in Charge Browne be re- moved from their positions without delay and that men be appointed to succeed them who will take a real interest in Alaska. The re- quest was in the form of a motion which carried enthusiastically and the grounds for removal are alleged incompetence, together with disre- gard for the purpose for which the. railroad was originally intended to be constructed.
 Commissioner Mcdonald, who was delegated by the Nenana Commercial Club some time ago to meet Secre- | tary Payne on the occasion of that | officials visit to the Alaska coast, | but who was unable to do so be- | cause of the secretarys unexpected early departure from Anchorage, read to the meeting a length letter which he had sent to the secretary explaining the purpose of the mis- sion on which he had been sent from Nenana. The letter presents fully the situation in Interior Alas ka and should have proved very helpful in informing the secretary regarding local conditions.
 After numerous complains had been aired, and conditions discussed at considerable length, it was for mally decided to name a committee to communicate with Secretary Payne for the purpose of securing relief which is deemed of vital i'm portance to the future of Interior Alaska and to the success of the government railroad after it is con- pleted The committee named is composed of Commissioner R. s. Me- Donald, Robert Joseph Diven, Martin Nash, pr. J. R. Bowen, Joe Fischer and Herman Anderson. This com mittee met this afternoon but was not ready, at the time of going to press, to give out anything for publication
 Notwithstanding the fact that the meeting was arranged hurriedly and without general notice to the public, there were about forty in attend ance, representative of the town and the district in general Mayor Joe O'Connor acted as chairman.
 The direct cause of the meeting was the receipt of instructions from Anchorage to close the local account ing office and to transfer all of the work to the headquarters of the @outhern division. The instructions were received by Chief Accountant Mcintosh. his orders being to close his department on Saturday night.
 There is also some talk of trans terring the accounting force of the stores department to Healy, but General Storekeeper R. S. Donald son informed the News last night that definite action had not been taken up to that time and probably no change would be made, if at all, until the return of Engineer in Charge Browne. There has been no curtailment in store forces and none is contemplated immediately.