The Daily Alaska empire., 1929-05-21
GEN. RICHARDSON.


 Many people have servec Alaska long and well in the more than sixty years that she has been American territory, but it ought to cause jealous bangs to none to say that the "noblest Roman Of them all" was Gen. Wilds Preston Richardson who lies dead at the National Capital There are prob ably more people in Alaska who would say that Gen. Richardson leads all persons in the value of his services to the Territory than would say that of any other person living or dead Without making any invidious comparisons we must register our vote with the plurality-if indeed, not majority by concurring in this judgment, and we are not unmndful of the invaluable, the indispensable, serv- ices rendered by scores of others Gen. Richardson was the father of the Government road system in Alaska in the full meaning of the term. He con ceived it. He educated Congress and the country to the need for it. He got the money for its inauguration and the funds to carry it forward until it became the most useful of all Alaska in- stitutions. And he was the true friend of the good people of Alaska individually and collectively.
 Gen. Richardson was endowed by nature with large and virie body, a big brain and warm heart. He graduated high in his class at West Point. He earned and held the confidence and friendship of the faculty and student body of the great National military academy. He might have chosen any branch of the army in which to serve. He picked the infantry because he went to West Point to learn to be soldier and he contended that the infantry the real fighting force of the army However, seven years of routine work with his troops in the field during peace time taught him that the army humdrum place for to spend his time unless there war, and there was none in sight. Even serious Indian fighting had been brought to end by Gen. Miles and others of scarcely less ability. He served two years more as the aide de camp of a Brigader- General at Vancouver Barracks. He was called back to his alma mater and for five years was instructor of tactics at West Point Then came the command for the Army to maintain order and render such aid as the exegencies on the Yukon during the great Klondke stampede might make necessary. He asked to be detailed to the work and his wish was granted The record of his activities during the following three years shows that he did nearly all of the work that done and that he did what he was sent to Alaska to do. Very serious disaster might have occurred during the first year that he was the Yukon had he not been there. None of the elements for reign of terror were lack ing. But the young officer able, clear seeing alert, courageous and vigorous Therefore nothing very important happened He there to see that mischief must not be done.
 In 1900 the War Department established the De- partment of Alaska and Capt. Richardsons request that he be made Department Adjutant granted However, things had begun to settle down. and the chief work of the Adjutant was to select the sites for Fort Egbert, Fort Gibbon and Fort Davis His work in Alaska caused him to miss the one chance to be warrior and fulfill his youthful ambition that up before the World War He was on the Yukon when war broke with Spain He learned that the when he was at St. Michael his way to get into it.
 The demand for initiative for quick action and strenuous work in his Alaska service, association with Alaskans and the freedom of it all very attractive to Gen Richardson, and when the build ing of the army posts along the Yukon off hi. hands, he still wanted to remain in the North He designated to select the site for Fort William H. Seward and to build it. It was built for and served headquarters for the army ir Alaska.
 In the meantime Gen. Richardson had developed great desire to be of important service to the people of Alaska. His experience led him to the conclusion that the thing that would do most fol the development of the Territory would be roae and trail building He believed the Federal Gov. ernment ought to do the work and regarded tht Army as the proper agency to do it. When For William H Seward completed and turned ovel to Col. Woodbury the headquarters commander he went back to Washington and took up hi favorite theme with Congress The result was tn, Alaska Road Commission with Gen. Richardson as it's President for dozen years.
 But Gen. Richardson did not confine his interes simply to road building His work required him tt spend many months each winter at Washington His great intelligence and superb personality made friends for him in all branches of the Government service and among people in all the walks of life Ira E. Bennett editor of the Washington Post. once told the writer of this editorial that Gen. Richard