The Daily Alaska empire., 1950-03-25
ALL-YEAR ROUTE ON HAYNES HIGHWAY E PUSHED IN CANADA


 Haines Cutoff open throughout the year has hit the Canadian Parlia- ment in Ottawa full blast, and q fact-packed plea has been put in the hands of the Dominion's Min ister of National Defense, who has charge of the Alaska Highway and it's spurs.
 Not only are Western Canada's members of Parliament pressing for funds to keep the vital link be- tween Southeast Alaska and the Yukon cleared, but private agencies are in the picture as well.
 Importance of the route looms large to Canada now that the Alaska Road Commission will soon complete it's spur connecting Daw- son with the outside world. over which two-way traffic would poui gold from the historic Klondike post while supplies go northwaro throughout the Territory.
 Not only would Canada's economy be benefited, but freight into In- terior Alaska could be moved at s 30 to 50 percent reduction in cost
 These facts are brought out in 6 comprehensive report sent Brooke Claxton, the Defense Minister, by E. T. Applewhaite. member of Par liament from the Skeena District of which Prince Rupert is the cen ter Aubrey Simmons, MP. iron Whitehorse, is working with Apple whaite to push the project into ac- ceptance
 Informative statistics were fur nished the Skeena parliamentariar by the Alaska Development Board to show what a year-round roae | would mean to both southeast ane
 western Alaska.
 Coop Plan Tried Attempts were made to keep tht
 road open when it first was built
 Alaska Freight Lines pleaded witt | the Canadian government to allow them to work a cooperative plan
 so they could move cargoes by barge from the south and transfer it t( | trucks waiting at Haines. But Can
 ada had no money for the purpose. So the large freighting company 1 located at Valdez. and this winter worked it's coop plan with the roac commission to keep traffic moving
 The money and manpower needef to keep Thompson Pass out ot
 Valdez open will be itemized for pre- sentation to Canadian road officials by June l, according to Col. Johr
 R. Moves, commission head. Chilkat Pass, the obstacle on the
 Haines route, is higher than Thomp- son Pass, but comparative costs may be figured easily. Colonel Noye' must wait, of course, until the winte' I is over before he can gather tht 1 figures together.
 Winter travel over the Alasks Highway itself was once looked upor as impossible" but today more thar 40 percent of the years freight move at that time. A comparable move
 ment may be forecast over thu
 Haines Cutoff. says the report. The armed forces of both nations are intensely interested in seeinE the Cutoff free all year, thus assur' ing a large volume of movement. Cheaper Route Alaska markets waiting to be tap ped would provide year-round floV over the road, as this route is botf ] cheaper and faster than the mos attractive alternative-the Alaskt Railroad out of Seward. Shipping costs to Prince Ruper from eastern American points ar' the same as they are to Seattle, ye | the Canadian port is 600 mile! nearer the market.
 A rate survey showed that of 8' items commonly shipped, 85 showe'
 Rupert gave from Is percent to 25' percent less cost than if shipped th' other route.
 From the Canadian standpoint statehood for Alaska would, b! erasing the Jones Act, bring tre'
 mendous increases in trade to th' Dominion, the report claims.