The Alaska daily empire., 1921-07-05
IN 1000 MILE TRIP BUNNELL GOES OVER SECTION ADDED TO FOURTH DIVISION AS RESULT OF HIS WORK

tention of then Delegate Wicker sham, but the boundaries remained unchanged.
 Bunneil Investigates
 In 1918. the matter having been called to the attention of Judge Bun nell he decided to give it his per sonal attention and so arranged upon going to Flat for d special term of court in the summer of 1919 to make trip to the kuskokwim. In June, 1919, he, Assistant U. $. Attorney Hill and Chief Deputy Marshal Mill CT tramped across country from Flat to McGrath. a distance of some 130 miles. There Judge Bunnell and MT. Hill got a rowboat and went down the Kuskokwim a distance of 270 miles to the mouth of Crooked Creek. They did not have time to Flat before the opening of court so they put packs on their backs and came across country from the mouth of Crooked Creek to Flat. a distance of some 60 miles. As a result of investigations made Judge Bunneli came to the conclusion that the en tire Kuskokwim basin should be in cluded in the Fourth judicial divi- sion and so reported to the attorney general attaching to his report d draft of bill containing the pro- posed changes.
 Opposed By Department
 The Department of Justice did not favor the changes proposed by Judge Bunnell, but instead, consid cred it advisable to so change the boundaries that all the Kuskok vim basin would be in the Second divi sion. A bill to this effect was pre- pared in the office of the attorney general and at the request of the attorney general was introduced in the Senate by Senator Nelson and in the House by Congressman Vol. stead. Had this bill become a law Tacotna, McGrath, Nixon Fork and all the Kuskokwim basin to the summit of Mt. Mckinley would have become a part of the Second di, vision.
 The bill introduced by Senator Nelson passed the Senate and stood on the unanimous consent calendar of the House. This fact having been reported through the press, Judge Bunnell wired a strong protest to the attorney general. with the result that he was ordered to Washington by the attorney general last Novem. Der and arrived there the day Con gress convened. Delegate Grigsby saw to it that no action was taken on the bill as it stood on the unani- nous consent calendar of the House. In the meantime Judge Bunnell ex plained the whole situation to de- partment officials and the attorney general approved the draft of an amendment prepared by Judge Bun nell. which was by Judge Bunnell taken to Congressman Volstead. who introduced the amended bill in the House. Having passed the House and the Senate, the President signed it March 2.
 Double Service Rendered
 To the people of the Kuskokwim double service has been rendered. First. the lower Kuskok vim is in the Fourth division and is within four days travel of Flat. where term of the District Court is held each year. Second, the upper Kus kokwim remains in the Fourth divi- sion, where it naturally belongs with in four or five days travel of Flat.
 Judge Bunnell will probably re main here most of the summer. A special term of court has been called to convene in Flat on June 20, and will last several weeks. On adjourn ment of this term he will return to his headquarters at Fairbanks.