The Alaska daily empire., 1923-04-20

and my status is the same as was Mears'.
 My orders from the President are to put the railroad upon a conner cial operating basis as rapidly as possible and in order to attain that end to utilize all facilities under my control interchangeaby, wherever 1t will promote the public service sol to do.
 q have merely obeyed orders and have declined to enter into per sonaf controversy of any kind. My record for the past three years should indicate my interest in the develop ment of the Territory of Alaska and I hope the activities of Major Got walls and myself, while in charge Of this enlarged division of engineering and public works, may result in hast ening this much desired development and may have the support and good will of the people generally. We shall be unable to please everyone in every detail, but we shall 'always be ready to give everyone 1 hearing, as we have always done In the past When our work IS i'm iished. if it ever is or when the President or the departments in Washington make other arrangements, we shall reluctantly but cheerfully Hransfer our acti~;ties to other i fields"
 GotwaIs In Charge Duties
 Colonel Gotwals assumed his du- ties as vice-chairman of the Alaskan Engineering Commission April last and the same day was placed in charge of the construction and main ltenance, transportation, mechanical and stores departments. The ramain- ing departments, which are; hospi- tai, mining, accounting and disburs- ing. purchasing and the employment I office. are under the supervision of Colonel Steese.
 Il Since his relief as chairman and I engineer eff the Commission, Colonel Mears has continued on special duty ! with the Commission and completed This transfer of outstanding activities on April IA last. He expects to leave on the Northwestern for the States. Mrs. Mears will remain in Anchorage until their children have completed the current school year. Spring Operations "The change in the management was made at exactly the right time; that is. sufficiently before tle Dc ginning of active spring opefat ems to enable necessary preparations tc be roade." said Colonel Steese. "A; Colonel Mears had been absea' from the Territory for four months Il was unnecessary for him to get batS into detail again. He merely def te turn over reports of the natter ht had handled while outside, bo T " Washington and Seattle, and to ae available for consultation for fe" weeks on loose ends still outst. rd'ag "The mos. necessary purchases haf
 been authorized and large pr portions
 of materials are already on the
 ground and are rapidly moving tc the front. including special bridge material and the large and new steel
 required for standardizing track be tween Nenana and Fairbanks.
 New Daylight Service
 Before I left Anchorage stand
 ardizing track had passed Dunbar and
 will reach Fairbanks early in May On May 6 we expect to inaugurate the new all daylight service between Seward and Fairbanks. requiring two 12.hour day runs, with night lay over at Currey, where we will open the new hotel in time for this ser vice.
 All arrangements have been made for managing steamer and barge ser vice between Nenana and Holy Cross,
 with a supplemental launch service for mail and passengers between Holy Cross and St. Michael
 New Tariff Rates
 .Om new joint tariff No. ,, ef- lfective April 25, has just been re- ceived and substantial reduction IS made over the rates of 1922. II quotes through rates on all classes ] of business from Seattle or Tacoma to all points on the Alaska Railroad inland, to river points between Ne mana and Holy Cross, and also to Shakeluk and Iditarod, as we nave completed a through traffic agree ment with Ira Wood, who will cper' ate on the Innoko and Iditarod Rivers in connection with the Alaska Rail' road.
 During April all the extra crews l steam shovels, dftcher. etc, are De' ing put into the field and spring maintenance is being aggressiveiy pushed on all sections as rapidly as the frost comes out of the ground. ssUhe coal mining situation is now being completely overhauled With a view to finally getting Alaska coal distributed to all parts of the Ter ritory. Colonel Gotwals has been in Fairbanks the last few days holding a hearing on the question of Fair banks as a suitable railroad ter minal"
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