The Daily Alaska empire., 1939-08-23
SEVENTY FIRST CONGRESS- AND TERRITORY OF iALA5kA:
 MUCH AID GIVEN N0RTKLAND.

md plans required for actual con struction.
 In an Act "to authorize necessary facilities for the Coast Guard in the interest of national defense and the performance of its maritime po- lice functions" approved June 3, 1889, Congress authorized establish ment of Coast Guard station and air base at Kodiak. The cost was es- timated at $2,733,000 In supple mental estimate sent by the Presi- dent to Congress $500,00O was re- .quested to commence construction 'of the station and air base for the Coast Guard. However the appro- .priation was not made and so work cannot be started on the project this year. Authority for the construc-
 ion stands, and it is expected ap- propriation will be made during the next session.
 Reindeer for Natives
 The Reindeer Act. approved Sep
 ember 1, 1887 authorized and di- rected the Secretary of the h. terior to purchase all non-native owned reindeer and usable reindeer range equipment in Alaska, and to either distribute same among the natives of Alaska or hold it in trust for their use and benefit. The Act requires that the Secretary will or ganize and manage the reindeer in- dustry to provide a complete and self-sustaining economy for the na- .tives, and to encourage activity and responsibility of the natives in all branches of the industry. Authority is provided that the reindeer may be acquired by power of eminent do- main if purchase agreement can not be reached Tn short, the Act provides for acquisition of all rein deer in Alaska owned by others than natives and makes it impossible for ownership to revert from them again.
 Money for the purchase is car ried in the Third Deficiency Appro- priation Act in the amount of S720.- 900 plus $75,000 for administrative and operative expenses. The Inter for Department Appropriation Act for the current fiscal year provided an additional $75,O00 for admins trative costs of reindeer work. The purchase price of the reindeer is limited by law to not exceed S4 per head, except for reindeer on Nuni- yak Island, for which purchase this is not limiting.
 It is expected that the Depart ment of the Interior will encourage native ownership of reindeer as rapidly as the natives demonstrate their ability to accept responsible charge of the deer, and as soon as practicable it is believed that rein deer will be established under na- tive ownership in all suitable locali- ties where they will be of value ir supplementing the natives liveli- hood. This distribution will prob ably be extended first to the Alaska Peninsula and Aleutian Island To- calities and later to Southeast Al 'aska where conditions are appropri- ate for reindeer.
 The Delegate believes that thus establishing the natives in owner ship and control of the reindeer vii prove to be the biggest single ster yet taken by the Federal Govern ment in helping them to work out 9 native economy that will make them self-sustaining.
 Federal Buildings
 With the completion and dedica- tion of Federal buildings at Ketchi- kan and Nome last year, the con- struction plans for the much needed post office and Fedora building at Anchorage were under taken by the public buildings di- vision of the Treasury Department Award of contract for the construc- tion was made in May of this year and the building is now well under way. While the contract bid was s546,600, it is expected that the to- tai costs will amount to nearly $825, ,000 and so this was the amount provided by Congress. As soon as the building plans for the Federal building proposed for Wrangell are completed, bids will be called for and a contract awarded for it's construction. The Treasury De- partment expects to have work started on the Wrangell building