Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1921-09-15

atoms by congress through military committees
The bureau of public roads of the agricultural
department constructs public roads in national
forests. There is also territorial road COM
mission. There actually four federal bu-
reaus which have funds for the construction of
wagon roads in Alaska.
The 1920 report of John Barton PAYNE secre-
tary of the interior, contains many pages devoted
to consideration of Alaskan conditions by him.
In addition, 1t contains in full the report of the
Alaskan advisory committee, appointed by him in
April of 1920 to advise what immediate steps could
be taken to better conditions what industries
could be developed and what resources could be
exploited to give employment to a resident pOpu-
latOn which in turn would give a home market
for Alaska products. This committee was made up
\of Alfred H. Brooks (chairman), interior depart
ment; II. Y Saint shipping board Otto Praeger,
second assistant postmaster general; E. A. Sher
man, agricultural department.
1t was the judgment of the advisory committee
that the wise course to coordinate the differ
ent departments of the government having to do
with Alaska through committee consisting of
representative from each department Such a
committee was named by Secretary Payne.
In Secretary Payne's personal comments and
the report of the advisory committee many inter-
esting and curious facts found. Here are
some Of them:
The work of construction of the government
railroad is getting along slowly.
The postoffce department is not functioning.
Mail to Alaska is shipped as express or freight
There has been shortage of labor
The leases offered by the forest service to max
of pulp and paper offer unacceptable terms.
There is no resident district forester.
There are 347 Withdrawals and reservations Of
public lands; many serve no useful purpose.
Only about per cent of Alaska's ocean water
ways have been charted.
Lighthouses and fog horns needed; some
projects, authorized by congress, lack appropra-
tons.
There was one naval patrol in 1920; there should
be 20 boats.
territorial police force is needed.
The salmon fishing industry is menaced from
lack Of protection and propagation of the fish.
The territorial government wants full territorial
powers of legislation; jurisdiction over fish, game
and land fur-bearlng animals; transfer of the
Alaska fund from the federal to the territorial
treasury.
Alaskas coal output in 1919 under the leasing
law only 10000 tons she is importing annual
ly 100000 tons
With oil of her own, Alaska draws on California
for 100000 barrels of petroleum and its products
There has been little or no investigation in the
water-power resources
Extension to Alaska of the farmers loan act
and the stock-raising homestead act are needed.
ocean transportation Is inadequate ana rates
so high to cripple all Alaskan industrial
expansion. Indeed the problem of getting Alaska s
products to market seems to be the biggest prob
lem of all. 1t has many ramiications The lit
tie fishing companies without vessels of their own,
have to trust to the chance visit of Independent
buyers The catch of these little companies
amounts to millions. The big companies, of course,
have their vessels There are also certain
shipping regulations that must be altered. Prob
ably a government shipping line will have to be
established under the jurisdiction of the interstate
commerce commission to break the private monop.
oily In water transportation.
Secretary Fall does not purpose it is stated, to
take over investigation activities of a scientific
nature now being done by various bureaus. But
he does plan to take over the functions and per-
sonnet Of the other departments and bureaus func-
tioning in Alaskas ong-dstance government.