The Cordova daily times., 1921-02-21
CoRDoVA DAILY TIMES, MONDAY, FEBRUARY 2I, 1921
KUSK0KWIM LOOKS GOOD ID
 MAJ. COTWALS

Maj. J. c. Gotwals, engineering of ficer of the Alaska road commission, is greatly impressed with the possi- bility for mining developments in the Kuskokwim district, according to Capt. c. s. Ward, disbursing officer for the commission at Juneau, who has received telegram from the former announcing his arrival at Me Grath. In this message Major Got walls declared that one cannot over state the importance of our Kusko- kwim routes. Workings from Long to McGrath await our roads and these with Nixon Fork quartz de- velopment will open up a rich coun- try in the upper Kuskokwim valley"
 Maj. GotWals arrived at McGrath on February 8, and will go over as much of the adjacent country as possible, leaving there for Cache creek by way of Rainy Pass. He plans to do some reconnaissance work, looking for a route from Cache creek to connect up with the old mail trail into the Kuskokwim over Rainy Pass. From Cache creek he will go to Talkeetna and return from there to the Kantishna district for the pur- pose of studying thoroughly the win ter conditions on the various routes which have been suggested or the road to be constructed from the Alas ka railroad to open up the Kantishna district. He had originally planned to return to Juneau from but realizing the import ance of an early start on the Kan tishna project, changed his plans &C., cordingly. He is not expected to re- turn here until the latter part of March.
 Commenting on the army appro- priation bill, Capt. Ward stated that there is included therein specific au- thority for the Alaska road commits sion to engage in cooperative work with the territorial road bureau. The treasury department has held that without specific authority from con- gress the commission had no right to expend territorial funds even though it had been sanctioned by the territorial legislature. At the request of the war department this authority is granted in the measure. Another important provision contained in the measure is that making the appro- priation for Alaska road work imme- quested that the money be avail able immediately and to remain axail- able until it was expended not linn iting it's expenditure to the fiscal year for which 1t is appropriated. The latter part of the provision was eliminated. The provision specifying the expenditure of $10,000 in making a special investigation and report on the feasibility of connecting Kuruk river, Chichago creek and the Kewal- hik mining district by road, tram or other means of communication, said Capt. Ward, was inserted at the re- quest of Representative Kahn of Cal ifornia. The proposal had the ap- proval of Col. steese and the war department. It does not, however, add anything to the appropriation.
 Preparations for next seasons work are going ahead satisfactorily, ac- cording to Capt. Ward Materials and equipment are arriving contin- uously from the south and sent to points where they will be available for use early in the season. Advices have just been received at the com mission offices here from the depot quartermaster in Seattle that 50 tons of T. N. T. are en route here for the commission. This will be shipped north on the first available transpor- tation and placed in storage at Val dez from where it will be distributed
 wherever needed. Several motor
 trucks have been recently received and others are now en route here.