The Alaska daily empire., 1920-04-15
ALASKA TRANSPORTATION

Juneau Alaska issues a rarely interesting .e statistical report of the commerce of Alaska
 for the yare 1919 MT. Troy, however, falls
 into the popular when page he
 ascribes the decrease in the shipment of gold
 in part to lack of transportation facilities"
 In subsequent pages lie directly disproves
 this statement, for the weight in tons
 tabulated for the year 1919, gives an esti-
 mated total of all the products of Alaska
 shipped South, considerably less than the to-
 tai shown another page of the tonnage
 of ships clearing from Alaska. The only
 omission from the report by which a mathe-
 matical tonnage equation could be evolved
 is that the report does not specify what kind
 of ton is meant in the total of vessels
 cleared and entered. The word tonnage
 only is used, but if 1t be gross
 deadweight tons, the fact remains
 that in either the total tonnage of ships
 leaving Alaska would be enough to trans
 port forty per cent excess of the estimated
 weight tons representing the southbound shipment of ore, fish, Fur and miscellaneous products of Alaska By his own report the
 Customs Collector at Juneau disproves the
 statement that there is lack of steamships
 and furthermore show that there cleared
 from Alaska far greater number of tons in Z, shipping than represented by the actual
 weight tons of products. By doubling this up and figuring on the Northbound ship
 ments of merchandise and the entrances of
 vessels at Alaskan ports, the comparison
 becomes even more favorable to the steam
 ship companies and more clearly emphasizes
 the fact that Alaska in 1919 mad far greater tonnage in ships than needed
 handle its total commerce = Seattle Railway and Marine News)
 There is old saying that figures don't lie However, figures may be manipulated so that the do not tell the whole truth. Anybody knows tha conditions could very well be such that the tonnag coming to Alaska could be very materially increases and the transportation facilities in the Territory b. very much
 It will be readily conceded that there is enoug tonnage in Alaska routes to carry all the gol in valu ahnu a half million dollars to the ton.
 The Railway and Marine News has persistent misrepresented those who have strven to secure i'm provement of transportation facilities in Alaska an 1t has not hesitated to manipulate figures or t challenge the good faith of public officials who ar striving in good faith to eerve the public
 The absurdity of quoting figures tonnage use in the fisheries and other commercial lines alon the coast of Alaska to prove that lack transpor tation facilities and the high cost of transpcrtatio are not in part responsible the reduction of tn gold output of Alaska is apparent, of course to Al askans and 1t ought to be to the Railway an Marine News. The official reports from responsibl sources in the Seward Peninsula country and froI the Interior of Alaska, where it has been impossbl to get supplies and equipment to the lower grad placer fields and newly discovered districts or wher the cost would not permit of successful gold mining are too numerous, too nearly unanimous and to well fortified with facts to permit successful dis pute.
 
 porting from Nome the conditions of that section as he is required to do says in his 1919 report tha better and cheaper transportation absolutely es sentia to the further development of that country Dr. Alfred H. Brooks head of the Alaska Geolo gical Survey. in his 1919 report says, "The outloo for gold mining in Alaska under present economi conditions, is not hopeful" and, further Ito giy full benefit to the mining industry, however tn Alaska Railroad must be connected with the minin centers by good wagon roads,"
 And. again:
 Except for railroad construction in Alaska dur Ing the year the transportation conditions flask have been worse in 1919 than in any previous year The coastal steamboat service has been unable t meet the demand for freight and passenger trans portation, and the river steamer service ba been worse than ever. These conditions have tende to discourage those who planning new ven lures"
 And yet again:
 Mining Tin the Iditarodl is decreesin, year by year with the consequent difficult, of obtaining labor. and the high freight rates ha not encouraged the exploitation of the placers O oyer tenor
 And yet further:
 The Alaska placer miner has. however in addi ion his special difficulties and these relate tt With decrease in placer mining ha, me decrease in transportation facilities and an ucrease in freight rates. The best aid that can be