The frontiersman., 1955-03-24
Railroad Freight Rates

merce Commission against the Great Northern Railroad and some 460 other common railroad carriers seeking an equalization of freight rail rates for Alaska on freight originating in the eastern part of the United States with those applying to Hawaii and the far east.
 The complaint, brought in be- half of the federal agencies and the people of Alaska shipping to and from Alaska, is the result of several years study of the higher freight rates charged for the rail- road portion of Alaska freight than apply to far eastern areas such as China, Japan, India and Saudi Arabia, as well as Russia.
 Last year an attempt was made by the General Services Admin istration to correct the situation through action by the Trans-Con- tinental Freight Bureau of Ameri- can Railroads and at the time the GSA stated it would go before the Interstate Commerce Com mission if the Bureau refused to grant equality for Alaska. At that time, Administrator Edmund M Mansure of the GSA stated: Certainly there is TO merit in a transportation price system which grants equality of treatment to one segment of the American economy, Hawaii, but denies it to another, Alaska. Moreover, the thought is repugnant that the American railroads are willing to transport materials for citizens of foreign countries, even Red China, were their ports open to our trade, at costs lower than they are willing to meet for our own Alaska people. Nor should such discrimination be perpetuated. No one benefits from such prac- tices-not even the railroads"
 The action taken this week cul- minated seven years of efforts launched by George Sundborg when he was General Manager of the Alaska Development Board.
 Navigation and Flood Control
 Projects
 The Bureau of the Budget has approved navigation and flood, control projects in Alaska esti- mated to cost close to $9 million, including flood protection at Fairbanks and Ladd Air Force Base and small boat harbors for Juneau and Douglas, according to information released to Delegate Bartlett this week.
 The Fairbanks project, esti- mated to cost some $7,652, ,000, would include improvement of the Panama and Chena Rivers to provide a diversion dam and con trol structure across Cinema River near Mile 20, a diversion channel from Cinema River to Panama River and levee.
 The Douglas and Juneau pro- jects were estimated in 1854 to cost approximately $1,253,00O in aggregate to provide a 5.2-acre small boat harbor for Douglas and Ia l9-acre small boat harbor for Juneau. Ill addition, approval has been given to future additions to the Douglas harbor project at cost now estimated at $560,000
 It is expected that the Secre- tary of the Army will soon sub mi his recommendations to the Congress following approval of the Budget Bureau. Such author ization by the Congress is neces- sary before any funds can be ap- propriated
 Alaska Legislation
 Four of Delegate Bartlett's bills were approved by the House this week and have gone to Senate committees for consideration.
 One of the measures would per init leases on reserved school lands in Alaska for periods not to exceed 5 years. Existing law provides for 10-year leases only.
 The second Bartlett measure would abolish Old Kasaan Ma tional Monument on Prince of Wales Island in southeastern Al aska, and the third and fourth measures would reimburse liar old Q. Nelson, Dewey U. Young and William Martin, Alaska Road Commission employees, for losses sustained in fires in 1853 at ARC construction camps.
 Glacier Bay National Monument
 The probability of early exclu- sion of lands in Glacier Bay Ma tional Moument was made known