The Idaho recorder. [volume] (Salmon City, Idaho) 1886-1927, 1921-10-07


atoms by congress through military committees
The bureau Of public roads Of the agricultural
department constructs public roads In nationa'
forests. There Is also territorial road com
mission. There are actually four federal Blu
reaus which have funds for the construction OF
wagon roads In Alaska.
The 1870 report Of John Barton Payne secre
tary OF the INTERIOR contains many pages devoted
to consideration Of Alaskan conditions by him.
IN addition, IT contains In full the report of the
A'nskan advisory committee. appointed by him In
April 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-
intlon which In turn would give home market
for Alaska products. This committee was made up
OF Alfred II. Brooks (chnrman). interior depart
ment; IL. Y. Saint shipping board; Otto Praeger
second assistant postmaster general E. A. Sher-
man. agricultural department
II was the judgment Of the advisory committee
that the wise was to coordinate the differ
ent departments Of the government having to do
with Alaska through committee consisting Of u
representative from each department. Such
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 are found. Here are
some Of them:
The work Of construction Of the government
railroad II getting along slowly.
The postoffice 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
ers Of pulp and paper offer unacceptable terms
There Is resident district forester.
There SAT 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 are needed: some
projects. authorized by congress. lack appropria
tons.
There was one naval patrol In 1920: there should
BE- 70 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 land fur-bearing animals: transfer Of the
Alaska fund from the federal to the territorial
treasury.
Alaska's coal output In 1919 under the leasing
law was oni, 10000 tons; she is importing annual.
ly 10000 tons.
With oil of her own. Alaska draws on California
for $4,000 barrels OF petroleum and Its products
There has been little no Investigation In tn,
water-power resources
Extension to Alaska OF the farmers loan mr.,
and the stock-rnisng homestead act are needed
Ocean transportation Is inadequate and rate.
ar SO high as 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 notifications The III,
tie fishing companies without vessels of their own
have 10 trust To the chance visit of indep.na.n,
buyers 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 prnh
ably government shipping line will have to be
established under the jurisdiction Of the inters,ats
commerce commission to break the private monop-
oily In wster transportation.
Secretary Fall DOES not purpose. II Is stated n
take over investigation activities of a scientific
nature now being done by various bureaus Bu,
he does plan 10 take the functions and nor
sonnet Of the other departments and bureaus f,nc.
uonnS In Aiaskas long distance government