The Seward polaris & Kenai Peninsula-Aleutian chain news., 1948-04-24
BR0WNELL'S LETTER TO COMM.
 OF C0NGRESSmEM IS PUBLISHED

private car would tend to induce settlement along the highway more than at present; also, easy access by private cars to Fair
 banks or Anchorage from farms along this route, Gin d few hours any ay), would also be attractive. Numerous filling stations and road houses would be established, and each of these would be its little garden, demonstrating to travellers the agricultural poSSibii- ties of adjacent land. They would also make nelShh)Is closer.
 By the time the conversion was complete. and n good Woi king or der, the international highway
 would probably be well along in construction, soon bringing large numbers of autos from the states into Anchorage. it is in order
 here to voice the opinion that cars reaching Fairbanks over the International highway would NOT be shipped by train from there to Seward. A 470 mile train lift would not look attractive to the average auto tourist. He would states, or go down over the Rich
 either retracc his course, to the
 ardson Highway to Valdez and take the boat there. Ii is improb-
 able that the railroad at it's pres
 ent lengh would gain any trav.l from the completion of the in
 national highway likely to
 lose. The closer the tourist can
 drive to Anchorage, the surer he l will take the train and boat south.
 l believe the above plan to be the best solution to the puzzle
 this railroad has been to Congress.
 It is the only way to divorce the
 Government from project that
 was never necessary and has
 never accomplished it's objects.
 IT IS THE ONLY WAY TO
 QUICKLY, AND WHOLLY STOP THE DRAIN ON THE UNITED
 STATES TREASURY. It is the
 only way those results can be ob-
 taincd, and at the same time
 start and stimulate real central
 Alaskan development As rail- road it will go on being a failure
 and a Treasury leak for an in-
 definite term of years. Converted
 into an auto-highway, it will
 bring immediate prosperity to
 this Territory, and save S1.OOO,OOO
 a year.
 If the above scheme as a
 whole or in part, is unacceptable. herewith suggest changes in i policy, and radical remedies, in
 the operation of the railroad that
 believe would alter the present
 negative influence the railroad l has on the development of this
 part of Alaska. to a strong posi-
 tive one
 GENERAL MANAGER The failure of the railroad to
 bring Prosperity and Development
 to this part of Alaska; the huge
 deficit in operation each year; the
 lack of new industries; in fact the decline ofeverything in the
 Railroad Belt rests wholly and squarely on the shoulders of the General Manager.
 There can be no valid excuses l offered; each was given plenty
 of money and time to bring re- suits, but from the time the Gov- ernment took over the Railroad to
 the present time, the MANAGER HAVE NOT BEEN THE MEN FOR THE PLACE. In making
 that statement there is no inten-
 ton of belittling their ability:
 they are no doubt high class rail-
 road executives with great exper- fence and successful records. They have received their appoint
 ment on that reputation, and if
 placed in situation, where such
 talen and experience could be
 used, hey would no doubt bring forth good results. BUT, those recommending the man, and the President in appointing hmi, and
 the man himself. fail to see that this Alaska Railroad has nothing
 in common with the railroads in the states, except the rails, the rollig sock 'd tho crc-'-r Tho
 poorest man to be in control of transportation up here in 100 Ter cent 70 'rOador The ~7ore ef- f'"iort e' ri't'' N Ne "~~ Nco-, al i the head z ''~ r-:l~0~' ---~+>,>> Ne'ov. Tr-- rTcS HE rS QUAIL