The Alaska daily empire. [volume] (Juneau, Alaska) 1912-1926, 1925-08-12

the Territory of Gen. Harry Taylor,
Chief of Army Engineers, first hand
and aggressive support" may be ex-
pected from the War Department by
Alaskans to matters presented to
Congress by the Departments rep
resentatives in the Territory. This
is the conclusion of Col. James G..
Steese, who has charge of the civil
activities of the department in
| Alaska.
Asked if Gen. Taylor's visit was
of particular importance to the Ter
ritory, Col. Steese remarked it was
OF paramount import. In the past,
| he said, the Chief of Engineers had
been Of necessity compelled to depend
upon reports and statistics furnished
him in a formal manner. In making
his recommendations he knew nothing
at first hand regarding peculiar local
conditions and was without personal
knowledge of the Alaskan situation
that was vital. The visitation, he
added, furnishes the personal touch
needed.
increase CiVll ACTIVITIES.
While the War Department has
shared with the other Departments
of the Government in the Presidents
economy program and has drastically
eliminated a great many of its war
activities, its civil activities have at
the same time greatly increased The
Corps of Engineers after having
shared in the reduction of the Army
/ following the end of the War, has re-
Gently been greatly increased in order
leffectively I'd handle it's increasing
peace time activities whereby its Of
ficers receive the engineer training
and experience necessary. to success
Iful war service in time of need
| Appropriations for the civil actiyi-
ties under the Corps of Engineers,
which nearly disappeared during the
war, have now been increased be-
yond pre-war figures, Col. Steese
pointed out. Rivers and Harbors ap-
preparations now amount to from
forty to fifty millions of dollars per
lyear, the Alaska Road COMMISSIONS
appropriation has been increased from
lone hundred thousand to nine hun
dred thousand dollars per year, and
including the Mississippi River Com
mission, the California Debris Com
mission, Muscle Shoals, Public Build
ings and Parks, Flood Control, and
various other activities, the Chief of
Engineers is now charged with re-
sponsiblity for the expenditure of
about a hundred million dollars an
nually. This does not include the
Panama Canal and other works under
the direction of officers OF the Corps
! of Engineers who do not report di-
rectly to the Chief of Engineers.
! The expenditures of the Alaska
Road Commission for the fiscal year
ending June 80, 1920, representing
the working season of 1919, aggregat-
ed only $358,601 .25; $257,416.69 from
federal appropriations, and $101,184,-
! Sc from territorial funds
| About the same time the Commits
sion was reorganized, and steps were
initiated looking to an increase in
federal appropriations and a consoli-
dation of engineering activities in
the Territory. During the following
years considerable progress has been
made in both directions. During the
fiscal year just closed, the Alaska
Road Commission expended directly
a total Of $1,13s,347.64 and supervised
the expenditure of an additional $685.
036.75; total of s1.221, ,383S9. The
members of the Commission now con-
Itrol the activitise of six different
bureaus operating in the Territory
under the direction of four different
Departments.
Cites Recent Growth.
AS an illustration of the growth
of the activities of the War Depart
ment in the Territory during the
past five years, Col. Steese cited
some very enlightening comparative
figures.
For instance in 1920, the year of re-
organization, its funds were limited
solely to road monies. It's total ex-
penditures were S,6O1 .25, of which
$257, came from Federal ap-
preparations and $101,1 ,1S4.56 was Ter
ritorial money. The following year
saw an expansion of work and an
increase in funds for road work.
From Rivers and Harbors monies
lit expended $1.6826O covering i'm
provement of the Nome Harbor, sur,
vey of Wrangell Harbor, Fish trap
permits, ETC.. and increased compen-
|sation. In the same year, it spent
$666.7S9.0S on roads, trails and
bridges. $559177.10 being Federal
money and $97.611.9S Territorial,
making the grand total OF expendi-
Itures for the year $668,391.58.