The Daily Alaska empire., 1931-11-14

Oct. 28 at the hearing before the Tariff commission, which is investi- gating the copper mining industry to determine such facts as may be relevant to the desirability of plac- ing a tariff on copper.
 The Delegate has received a copy of a letter written by Col. O. F. i Ohlson, general manager of the Alaska Railroad, in reply to criti- cism of fur ranchers, particularly with reference to shipments of live foxes by express rather than by freight, over the Railroad. Among other things Col. Ohson states:
 The Railroad came to the con- clusion that it was inadvisable to accept the responsibility of hand i ling live foxes, mink and other valuable fur-bearing animals as freight, owing to the careful hand ling they require and the high valuations placed upon them by the shippers. AS such animals when 1 shipped are usually intended for breeding purposes, the owners value them at prices considerably higher than could be obtained for them otherwise.
 "As to the express rates, alleged to be some 750 per cent higher than freight, it may be stated that the express rate on shipments of this character is lower or but little more than the freight rate would be, as the following statement will illustrate.
 The allegations that the refusal to accept live foxes for freight shipment has caused many ranch CTS to pelt their animals, close their ranches and start new where no such drastic rules are in force, is believed to be without merit"
 In reply to an inquiry as to whether or not a change should be made from the present practice of shipment the General Manager states that it would be inadvisable to make a change from express to freight shipment of fur-bearing animals.
 The Grand Jury at Anchorage recently submitted report show ing the imperative need for a new Federal building at that town. The Chamber of Commerce last week wired Delegate Wickersham asking for his help in the matter and inquiring whether the building is to be included in the proposed budget to be submitted to Congress at the approaching session. After visit to the Treasury Department the Delegate wired that $4OO,OOO had been agreed upon and allo- cated as necessary for the Anchor age building under the public build ings program authorized by Cong ress, and that the Anchorage build ing is part of the one hundred and fifty-four million dollar allocated projects that Congress is expected to make appropriations for at the coming session. It might also be stated that among the allocated projects is one for Ketchikan, to cost S400,O00. The money for the $45O, ,O00 Fairbanks Federal building has been appropriated and is avail able, advertising for construction bids to be made in January. All three buildings are endorsed by the Department of Justice.
 The Bureau of Fisheries comedies that the Alaska salmon industry has not been affected by the gen. eral business depression that seems to be prevalent over the world. Attentive estimate of the pack for the 1881 season to Sept. l shows that the total to that date was 5,335, ,461 cases, as against 4,839,- 500 cases in 1880 to Aug. 31 and 5 .O32 .236 for the entire season of 1880.
 It is of interest to note that the output of red salmon in 1881 is almost double that of the proceed ing year and also shows a fair increase over the average for the Swear period. This was due prim-