The Daily Alaska empire., 1939-02-06

projects for which there has need and for which Federal funds have not been available. We have sol far carried on practically all of the aviaton-feld struction with Territorial funds Aviation today is essential to the development of the Territory as the roads, each serves it's purpose without any way conflicting with the other.
 We have winter trails and sled roads that play important part in the transportation of mail and supplies.
 We have refuge cabins that furnish shelter for winter mail carriers and other overland travellers and support with road funds) other activities not di eey related to roads yet essential to transportation
 While this office is unable to supply accurate data upon which Federal road apportionments are made, the following figures convey idea to how the act would apply to Alaska based upon the 1883 authorization of $125oOOO0O.
 Assuming the area of the continental United States to be 3026,799 square miles that of Alaska 58e 900 square miles and Hawaii 6,449 square miles the factor for Alaska would be 162 percent which means that upon basis of the area Alaska's share of Federal funds that year would have been $6 750208 amount not commensurate with our needs within ability to match; so it is therefore suggested that. in determining Alaska's percentage on basis of the area, that fraction of the be used that would represent conss- tent apportionment basis of area, and I sug- gest one-quarter.
 Upon this basis Alaska would receive s1 6S7 552
 Assuming the population of the United States including Alaska and the Hawaiian Islands to be 137 452 764 the population factor for Alaska would be o.043 percent which means that it would have shared out of the 1883 authorization $17916
 rThe mileage factor for Alaska from the data that have would be O621 percent and the appor- tionment for Alaska in 1883 would have been s25S,75o
 Using onequarter of the area of Alaska as a basis in computing the apportionment it will be that Alaska would have received during 1883 the sum of sl964218 This does not that Alaska roads would have cost the Federal Govern ment that much during that year It simply means that the money would have been expended upon roads in the Territory in different manner.
 "The opinion seems to prevail in quarters that the Federal Government spends money lavshly upon roads in Alaska while the Territorial govern ment contributes nothing Road expenditures for the current year by the Territory will amount to about 15 percent of all road costs and represents approximately what the Territory has contributed in the past Out of the road expenditures for the current year 10 percent will represent funds collected by the Federal Government in tax levies. In other words, the actual Federal appropriations for roads in Alaska during the current year will be about 75 percent of all road costs.
 Let us see just how Alaska would fare under the provisions of the act that relates to the public land States
 The public domain here in Alaska constitutes fully 99 percent of the area of the Territory or stated differently and perhaps accurately less than percent of the Of Alaska is privately owned
 Under the provisions of the law il any state having more than percent of it's area in unappro- priated public lands the 5O-percent Federal aid on approved projects would be increased to percent age equal to 50 percent plus one-half of the per centage of unappropriated public lands, which in this case would be 495 percent and this added to 30 percent would make 995 percent as the Federal contribution
 Alaska does not expect any such concession; it is willing to accept the Federal Highway Act on any fair and equitable basis. This office believes that Alaska requires S2000- 900 annually upon roads outside of the National For ests which carry a separate authorization and that the apportionment basis of quarter the would seem fair but if the Federal authorizations should be materially reduced then other factor should be chosen to produce the amount indicated and which the Territory can match on basis of what some of the public-land States contribute.
 'The greatest single need for the Territory today is an adequate system of roads We do, of course, { need people, but population will come with roads and not otherwise"
 r Hesse's statement was forwarded to Washington and incorporated in the Congressional Record by MT Dimond
 h Today in the Territorial Senate memorial was introduced by Senator Patterson of the Third Division urging Congress to pass the Dmond bill and bring Alaska the benefits of the Federal highway act