The Mellette County pioneer. [volume] (Wood, Mellette County, S.D.) 19??-1971, 1921-09-16

ations by congress through military committees.
The bureau of public roads Of the agricultural
department constructs public roads in national
forests. There is also Il territorial road com
mission. There are actually four federal bu-
reaus which have funds for the construction OF
wagon roads in Alaska.
The 1920 report Of John Barton Payne. secre
'ary or the interior, contains many pages devoted
to a consideration Of Alaskan conditions by him.
In addition, 1t contains in full the report Of the
Alaskan advisory committee, appointed by him in
Aprll OF 1920 TO advise what immediate steps could
be taken 10 better conditions, what industries
could be developed and what resources could be
exploited to give employment to a resident pOpI-
latlon which in turn would give 4 home market
for Alaska products. This committee was made up
OF Alfred III. Brooks (chairman), interior depart
ment; Ii. y. Saint, shipping board; otto Praeger,
second assistant postmaster general Il. y. Sher-
man, agricultural department.
1t was the judgment of the advisory olnmittee
that the wise course was to coordinate the differ
ent departments of the government having to do
with Alaska through a committee consisting of a
representative from each department. Such a
ommitte was named by Secretary Payne.
In Secretary Payne's personal comments and
the report of the advisory committee many inter-
esting and curious facts are found. Here are
some of them:
The work Of construction Of the government
railroad is getting along slowly.
The postofice department is not functiOning.
Mail to Alaska is shipped as express or freight.
There has been a shortage Of labor.
The leases offered by the forest service to maxi
es 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 8 per cent of Alaska's ocean water
ways have been charted.
Lighthouses and fog horns are needed; some
I4-;., ~ Hall
tons.
There was one naval patrol in 1920; there should
be 20 boats.
a 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 lane fur-bearing animals; transfer Of the
Alaska fund from the federal 10 the territorial
treasury.
Alaska coal output in 1919 under the leasing
law was only GO,ODO tons she is importing annual
~ 100000 tons.
With oil OF her own, Alaska draws on California
for JU0, O0D barrels OF petroleum and its products.
There Las been little or no investigation in the
water-poWcr resources.
Extension to Alaska of the farmers loan act
ana the stock-raising homestead act are needed.
Ocean transportation is inadequate and rates
are so high as TO cripple ali Alaskan Industrial
expansion. Indeed, the problem Of getting Alaska's
products 10 market seems to be the biggest prob
lem of al. Ii has many ramiiicatiOnS. The lit
tie fishing companies, without vessels Of their own.
have TO trust to the chance visit OF independent
huyers. The catch of these little companies
amounts TO millions. The big companies, of course.
have their own vessels. There are also certain
shipping regulations that must be altered. Prob
ably n government shipping line will have to be
established under the jurisdiction Of the interstate
commerce commission TO break the private inonop-
DIV in water transportation.
Secretary Fall does not purpose, it is stated, to
take over investigation activities of n scientific
nature nov 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 Alaska's long-distance government.