The Alaska daily empire., 1923-02-28
STEESE RETURNS
 FROM EAST WITH
 INCREASED WORK
Appeared Before Congress on Alaskan Legislation-Re-
 views List of Items.
tContinueo rom rage one1

The most gratifying item, however. said Colonel Steese, and one that was increased only with greatest dif- ficulty. was that for the construction of roads and trails in Alaska, for which $650.000 was appropriated. This is an increase of 40 per cent over the amount originally recommended by the Budget and included in the House measure. There was strong opposi- ton in the House to the increase to $1,000. 900 which the Senate allowed and it was only overcome after per sonal contact had been established by Colonel Steese through the assist ance of Representative C. F. Curry, of California, with Chairman Madden of the House appropriation commit tee. The aid given by MT. Curry, who is chairman of the committee on Territories, was invaluable. said Colonel Steese Other items allowed included an appropriation of $75O,- 900 for the next fiscal year for the Alaska cable and authorization for incurring obligations for an additions al $750, ,000 on the same project; ap- proximately $2,O0O,000 for the Alaska Railroad, covering $1,0o0,0OO for oper- ations and like amount for con structfon.
 No Plans Settled
 Plans for the consolidation of the activities of the Alaska Road Com mission and the Alaska Engineering Commission will not be consummated until after a conference between Colonel Steese, Colonel Mears and Colonel G0tMdls. which will be held in Anchorage early next month Col onel Mears has been in Seattle sev- eral days and was i'll for a short time there. He will leave on the North western next week and be joined here by Colonel Steese, Colonel Got wals meeting them at Cordova and accompanying them to Anchorage. Colonel Gotwals has been appointed as vice-chairman of the Alaskan En- gineering Commission, the first time a second member has served on that body since 1915.
 The Road Commission and the rail road organization, said Colonel Stese, will be maintained as separate en- titles, the former remaining as in the past under the War Department, and the latter continuing under the Department of the Interior, where it has been since the inception of the railroad project The consolidated ea;d Tn1nna1 Ctpncn will be continued until some perman- ent form of organization for opera tion is settled upon by Congress. This matter was not touched by Con gress this session.
 Maintain sLoca Offices
 While no arrangements for the fu ture were discussed by Colonel Steese he said that the local offices of the Alaska Road Commission would be continued here, and that he would spend as much time here in the future as had been done in the past.
 The Road Commissions work this season while not definitely outlined, will be considerably enlarged. The Federal appropriation, combined with the Alaska Fund and the cooperative funds provided by the Territory. if l this arrangement is continued, will make available approximately $9O0,- OCO for maintenance and construction of roads and trails by the Commis 1 sion.
 1 Colonel Steese was accompanied by Capt p. A. Agnew. recently as- signed to duty with the Commission ais Disbursng Officer, vice Capt. A. H. Bond. who was relieved on ac- count of illness. Captain Agnew has been on duty in Washington for the past three years.