The Alaska daily empire., 1923-03-09
ROAD COMMISSION
 WILL REMAIN HERE
 SAYS COL. STEESE
Juneauites Honor Official on Eve of His Increased
 Duties as Railway Head.

The Alaska Road Commission will maintain headquarters at Juneau right along and the activities of it and co-ordinating branches of the public service which are vested in it's membership will increase rather than otherwise. according to Col. James c. Steese, President of the Alaska Roail Commission. District En- gireer of the Alaska Rivers and Haibors District and recently desig. hated chairman of the Alaska Engin- ecring Commission, which will have charge of the Alaska Railway, speak ing at the banquet given in his honor by the Chamber of Commerce last night. The Alaska Road Com mission continues to have d few road projects in Southeastern Alaska and the Rivers and Harbors service is working out a rather ambitious pro- grsl n in this section and il Is neces- sGry to have an office here in order to facilitate cooperation with other branches of the public service in connection with road building and with the issuance of permits for fish traps and other things that concern the Rivers and Harbors service.
 Guests Present
 There were about 30 guests, in- cluiing the guests of honor, Colonel Steese, Gov Scott c. Bone and Capt P. A. Agnew, at the banquet. which was served in the banquet room of the Arcade Cafe
 H. l.. Faulkner was the toastmls- ter and lead the discussion into chan nels that are of particular interest to Juneauites and Alaskans general ly. Mir. Faulkner declared that every year the dependence of one section of Alaska on the whole. the increasing community of interest, is becoming more obvious. He urged union of effort toward the develop ment of the country. People cannot be made prosperous and happy thrcTgh Legislation and executive or ders," he declared. "It is work which counts" He praised the government for what is has done in the way of practical Improvements, the building # roads. improvements for .naviga ton and other things. paying tribute to Gen. w. P Richardson. Colonel Steese and Governor Bone for their work in arousing interest at the Ns t,clal capital.
 Worthwhile Work
 Henry Roden took the annih'ilation Of distance as his text. and showed haw effectually it is being worked O.. in the Interior of Alaska where roads and trails have been built ty the Road Commission. He said the Road Commission and the Signal Comps of the United States Army had done more that is actually worth while in Alaska than any other gov ernment agency MT. Roden dis cus,el at length the benefits that would accrue to industry and individ- uals through the construction of canals connecting Hawk Inlet with Young's Cove, and Oliver Inlet with Seymour Canal. and the deepening of Gastineau Channel at the Bar.
 Mining Activity
 B. U. .oltWdTl, Ol lHe DuTedu Ol Mines, former Mayor of Juneau and former Territorial Mine Inspector, spoke very hopefully of increasing activity in mining; said the mining industry more than any other is at the basis of Alaskan development and urged that people do all they can to encourage prospecting, for, he said, it was through this source that the growth of mining comes. He said that Alaska has already recov- cred from the loss sustained through the collapse of the Alaska Gastineau mine and that there has been marked Improvement in the copper and coal industries. He declared that last year witnessed a change from govern ment coal mining to coal mining by private interests; declared that the Nenana coal is better than Wash ington and almost or quite equal to