The Wrangell sentinel., 1949-06-17
THROUGH THE SENTINEL PERISCOPE
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Aldshdus could get poIenLlai lift this week out Of the report submitted by Interior Secretary Krug to President Truman on the potential hydro-electric capacity o the Territory. Following a year or more study into the Alaska situa- ton, the Secretary told the Presi- dent the Territory on present es- inmates could produce S,294, ,000 kilowatts of potential installed power capacity. His report esti- mated Southeast Alaska was cap able of producing 2.221, 1000 kilO- watts, of which the Wrangell area was listed for 21S,0O0; Ketchikan. 1SS.O00; Sitka, 5S,00O: AngooA. 27,000 and Juneau area, 1,775, 1000. The South Central region of the Territory was estimated at 3,263,- 00e kilowatts; Yukon-Kuskokwim 2,550.000; Seward Peninsula, 35, 000 and the Arctic, 225.00O It sounded like a lot of power, and the Secretary pointed out if devel- -snpuI e4seIV sulIq pInoo 'psdo tries, farming and kindred activ- ities which would make the Terri tory capable of supporting 10,OOO,- O0o people instead of around 100,- O0O as it now has.
 The report, in which the Secre- tary said: "Alaska's resources re- present wealth beyond mans com prehension potential wealth uFaofaF than was submitted in connection with a proposal to go before Congress with a request for money to put the potential into fact. What Con sress might do with it remained to be seen. Reports from Washington were to the effect that there ap- peared to be a marked tendency toward economy, and Alaska, with no Senators or voting representa- tives, as usual, would feel the axe first. Example may be found in the Alaska housing bill which re- gently passed Congress and which was to relieve the Territory's en- ergency housing situation. The IS million berries which was propos- ed to put the law into effect has been cut out of two deficiency bills. What may happen in the third deficiency bill where the item is again to be inserted is any body's guess. Meanwhile, there are some housing experts in the Terri tory getting up a report for the Congress on the Alaska housing situation. We hope the report of this group includes a suggestion to the Congress that if it would give Alaska statehood with a couple of seats in the U. S. Senate and voting representative a lot of ex- pense would be saved on 'investi- gating Alaska"
 With the income tax in court. the fishermen's license tax tN court, the quadrupled fish tran license tax in court and a report indicating the property tax law might land in the same place, the financial picture of the Territory was something less than bright. Checking over past week, the Ter ritorial Board of Administration unable to see financial daylight for quite spell, turned on the re- frigerator. It "froze" $1,024,O69. appropriated for rural school con struction, $750,0OO earmarked ts aid city school construction and $1O,000 which had bee appropri- ated to reimburse interest to towns which last year had to borrow money when school refunds were not forthcoming. Tn other words, the Board said, you can't spend it because 1t isn't there It probably would leave the refrigerator on for some time. or at least until some of the present Territorial obliga- fions are met. With approximately $165,000 in the Territory's gener- al fund from which general ex- penses are paid, the Board found there was around a million and quarter in unpaid bills, and some of the creditors were getting a lit- tie irked. Several business con- cerns had served notice on some Of the agencies they wanted no more Territorial tabs until their present bills were paid. Revenues just weren't measuring up to ex- pectation.
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 Personal gleanings: Former At torney General Ralph J. Rivers will leave Juneau next week with his family to return to Fairbanks and the private practice of law. The Rivers have been waiting for their house to be vacated in Fair banks. ...s. Clarence L. Anderson, new Director of the Alaska Depart ment of Fisheries created by the
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