The Seward gateway., 1922-05-03
CHAMP R OF COMMERCE ENTFqTA|Ns GUESTS :.;;T i! NOON LUNCHEON
 -IIuJ

lie ot 4fu SHduuel oi Sohliiio- |0
 was the host yesterday at noon luncheon in honor of several import ant visitors in Seward. The guests of
 the Chamber were E. R. McMillan,
 mining engineer of the Bureau of
 Mines, E. Sullivan, capitalist, J. B. Reher, engineer of the Bureau of Pub i lie Roads, Gus Carlson, contractor, An
 drew Grosvold, western merchant, An thony J. Dimond, attorney of Valdez,
 Alaska and F. D. Caraway, of Seward.
 All regular business of the Chamber was dispensed with and the noon hour was spent in listening to short talks by the guests of the Chamber.
 MT. F.. R. McMillan, of the Bureau of Mines explained his mission to Alas
 ka at this time which is to investigate the Chickaloon coal fields and the Sut- ton Washery for the information of the Bureau of Mines which has taken over the management of the coal mining in Alaska Mir. McMillan explained that his work was to prepare the way for the visit of Dr. H. Foster Bain, Di- rector of the Bureau of Mines and Sec retary Fall who will sail from Seattle
 on the next trip of the Alameda for an investigation of the coal fields.
 Extensive tests will be made of the ! coal tributary to the railroad About 5000 tons will be put through the wash cry at once for test by the navy. Tn made by the Bureau of Mines and a study made of all conditions bearing
 upon the marketing of the coal to de- termine the possibility of putting the Alaska coal on the world market. Mr. McMillan told that George. Wat kins Evans, pioneer mining engineer of Alaska, will come north in the inn
 mediate future to investigate the coal fields for the West Virginia Coal Con-
 pany which is contemplating leasing
 the government mines.
 MT. McMillan is a member of the Seattle Chamber of Commerce and a
 member of the Alaska Bureau of that
 body. He explained that Seattle was doing all in it's power to promote the interests of Alaska and her efforts
 were not prompted by selfish motives | but for the general good of the Pacific l Northwest.
 Following Mr McMillan, Mir !. B.
 Reher, of the Bureau of Public Roads explained the proposed work of the Bureau on Kenai peninsula this sea- son. The Kenai Lake road will be ex- l tended to Kenai Lake which will be
 the main work of the bureau this year
 The road from Hope to the mines on Palmer Creek will be surveyed and a
 small section of the road built this
 year. The Hope-Sunrise road will be ] made passable, and surveys will be
 made of the proposed road up Resur.
 raction River and down the Kenai |
 road construction on Kenai Peninsula
 as funds will permit.
 l Mr Andrew Grosvold told of the
 trials and tribulations of the people living to the west of Seward There
 ra only few residents of the west
 nd they need all the support and as. teistance possible. MT. Grosvold said
 the people of the west look to Seward
 -o champion their cause. He explained
 they were handicapped with excessive 1 freight rates and too much government
 rcd tape and tax in regards to theil i efforts in making living by fox rais. l ing and fishing.
 i MT. Grosvold explained that the
 very promising cod fishing industry
 was now practically dead as the fish
 o.men could not make living at the
 rrice paid for fish. The market for the fish is good but something is wrong that the fisherment cannot share bet I ter in the price paid for the fish or I the market.
 Il MT. Grosvold explained the difficul J ties of the independent merchant il the west in competition with the biz l concerns that ship their labor and sup r plies direct from the States These col cerns pay their labor in the States ant : leave no money in the country. Th' small freight rate paid by these con : cerns make it almost impossible fo the independent operators to compete
 Mr. Anthony J. Dimond, who is can
 didate for election to the senate of tn ] Alaska Legislature on the Democrat < ticket addressed few short remark