Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1935-06-22

NA.).-The Al Matanuska colonists
who have appealed to President
Roosevelt to take action in the val
ley settlement project complained that
little had been done in the six weeks
they have been here and asserted the
Alaska territorial government Is pick
ing political plums" on the under
taking.
The IL families have tracts in the
area across the Matanuska River from
the main body of settlers, but live in
headquarters camp.
Members of the committee which
prepared the appeal refused to release
the exact contents here, saying they
did not wish the message to be used
as political fodder" back in the
States against the administration. 1t
was learned beyond question, how
ever, that the appeal pointed out that
no wells have been dug for the col
onists, that plans for homes as de-
Scribed by some authorities here are
not as the colonists were told when
they signed for the settlement, that
roads into tracts are not being built
as promised and that the territorial
government is playing politics with
the project.
Director Is Praised.
The kilograms further expressed
confidence in Colony Director Don
Irwin and the aides sent him from
Washington. These men, the colonists
feel, are honestly trying their best
to make the colonization progress and
have worked day and night to help
them get started building cottages.
The appeal to President Roosevelt
was organized more or less secretly
and was confined almost exclusively
to colonists with tracts across the
river.
Other colonists were drawn into
action, however, when 1t came to pay
ing for the messages. A subscription
was taken up and some whose tracts
were not across the river contributed.
1t was said to have cost $24 to relay
the kilograms.
Complaints on house plans mainly
concern foundations. Some colonists
say that they were promised concrete
foundations and that the mud sill
foundations now contemplated may be
all right for temporary shacks, but not
for permanent homes.
Temporary Places Asked.
Realizing how short time Is left
for building good homes, some colon
lists have gone to Irwin and asked
permission to put up only temporary
places this FAN. Then they would
cut logs during the Winter, give them
time to cure, and put up permanent
homes next year. Most experienced
woodsmen among the colonists feel
that 1t Is unthinkable to try to build
permanently out of unseasoned logs,
despite the revised plan to build the
inside frame more or less separately,
so as to allow for shrinkage Of the
green timber.
Meanwhile demands grow increas-
ngly loud that colonistS be provided
with adequate medical attention.
There Is only one doctor for the whole
colony and construction division. He
is DR.. e. e. Ostrom, who came here
with the transients and expected to
attend them only. Since his arrival,
however, he has been taking care of
all the colonists as well, because there
is no one else here.
Ostrom's territory includes over 60
square miles. There are no telephones,
of course, and he has no car. The
only way he can get to colony camps
outside the main one, where his tent
hospital is situated, is by catching a
ride on trucks.
Diseases Sporadic So Far.
We've been mighty lucky" DR..
Ostrom says, shat we haven't had
any really serious trouble. The Colon
lists have had all kinds of diseases, and
why they haven't had any bad eff
fects yet I don't know. Just plain
luck, I guess, and that's all"
Among colonists and children there
have been mumps, measles, chicken
pox, tonsilitis and q half dozen other
ailments, including pink eye. Some
times all of a family's five or six
C4AltOtCu nave DScu olCA ~ Olle LlLues
Disease so far has been sporadic,
however, and the doctor has been
able to avoid any medical emergency.
Irwin says he will ask the ter
ritorial governor for a special $25, 700
fund for clinic, if necessary, and
that there is supposed to be a car
for DR.. Ostrom en- route.
More Useless Freight.
Incidentally, another train Of freight
has arrived. Irwin says he had wired
for wagons for horses here. There
are no wagons, but one carload Of
school desks arrived, adding further
to the problem of what to do with
Manageable and at present useless
freight piling in on the colony.
N. Lester Troast Of Juneau, one Of |
the key men of the Mstanuska
colonization, is through with. the |
project. Although he Is still here, |
the r. =. r. A. at washington has !