The daily Alaskan., 1922-05-16


 revenue and calls for. explanation. Ia 1t for masl, or sale efasteres, or cleo tric current, or rent of certain plac- es in Anchorage, and from other sources which cannot help but de- cline in value O. in revenus prodac- ing capacity as soon as construction ceases.
 It will be noted, at the opening of the report, that the commission succeeds in getting Sl,S62,OI0 to make up the difference CT loss In operation during the next fiscal year.
 We understand that the commis- sion has on hand quite little money for construction work. As this mon ey is expended during the next year 1t cau be put in the report under the head of construction. No matter where it may be expended. in main tenance or train operations, 1t is likely that il will be put in as con strueuon and this additional ST. 662,0lO will also be used to carry on the road. Just so long as there is any money to expend on eonstruc- ton Of thfs railroad In Alaskan cer- tain number of people will live on that construction.
 Let that sink in just as deeply as Is possible.
 There is no traffic yet in sight to be derived from any legitimate in- dustrial sources outside of the re- quIrements of the railroad forces themselves and the limited popula- tion living in the Panama valley, By the commissions own estimate the first deficit Is l$l.662,6l0, but it is reasonable to suppose that as the road grows older and track main teuance beeOmes more expensive this figure will undoubtedly increase very materially.
 The report says that tt is safe to predict In the near future that there will be l5O, ,OOO tons of coal per year al a rate Of Sl.2O which will pro duce an additional -evenue of $780, eco. As they cannot haul it for .Sl2O. the more coal they haul the greater the deficit.
 Their estimate, Of course, is en- tirely problematioaI and visionary, for they have not begun to ship the coal yet and official approval by the navy Of the Matanusl1a coal Is still lacking, although the railroad has been completed to the coal fields for fOur years. The whole report proves on its face not only that it is in er- TOT but il is an assumption oI de sired facts. For instance. it says it is fair to assume that within a very few years after the railroad Is ac- tuslly completed, business ID the in- terlor of Alaska will revive to an ex- tent, etc, etc. When adroitly pre- sented in e report 10 congress for the purpose Of getting 8 deficiency appropriation Of more than one and a half million with which 10 operate this railroad the assumption Is aut only false. but is misleading, unfair and a complete juggling Of all facts
 Where is the revival coming from 2
 It is true that the railroad mas control of the business at Fair banks, and while in the above we have giy- en the railroad control Of everything on the Panama river. the river boat service on that river is yet to be pro vided. On March 18th appeared a telegram iH the local papers that the new Northern Commercial company had secured a mail contract on the Panama, but nothing was said about freight service.
 As long as the Yukon river flows some digaifsd transportation cor poraion, whether it be WhEs Pass & Yukon or someone else, will give the river folk service and with a knowledge of that vast sami-Circle served by the boats of today, ruth lsssly claimed as territory that VIII feed the railroad, this report Is not only false but it is one Of the most ridiculous statements ever put out by this bunch of inefficient amateurs who, for seven long years, have been building this government railroad in Alaska. the greatest national blund- CT that ever was thought Of.
 Now, when the railroad is con- pleted, all dressed up and nowhere to go, its uRethical sponsors have the ehrontery to say that the road is going to7derive a non-existant ten mage and passenger movement from these remote sections of the upper and lower Yukon, which for years 10 come will find it expedient to come to Seattle by way of St. Michael or