Vol. 6
VcjiZ^y Settler - March 26, 1945.
N o. 12.
SEATTLE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE CAMP
AIGNS FOR ROUTE "A" HIGHWAY.
The Seattle Chamber of Commerce
' is lending the fight for the build
ing of the alternate highway from
central British Columbia to Alaska
Secretory Ickes, Delegate Dimond,
Representative Magnuson of Washing
ton and other prominent persons
ore giving their support. The War
Department pointed thumbs down on
the proj ct, but the sponsors feel
that with the Secretary of the In
. terior on their side, they have a
good chance of toetting the other
route bu*It this summer.
The nA” Route would start at
Prince George, located on the Can
adian Northern Railroad in Central
British Columbia, and would run
through the valleys closer to the
coast than the "Alcan” does. How
ever, it would be far enough from
the coastal area to avoid the fogs
and rains, but would be close
enough to allow short laterals to
the coast towns of Ketchikan, Wran
gell and Juneau. The country is
fairly easy to build through, off
ering about the same conditions as
the "Alcan" dirt.
Some of the reasons given for
the building of this route, is tha1
it saves time and money for trans
portation from the States to Alaskf
Dawson Cr ek, the south terminus
of the "Alcan" rout,o is located on
the end of a branch Railroad that
will have to be rebuilt to carry
the tonnage that will be shipped
over the "Alcan" Highway. The "A"
route would save 180 miles from
the rail? end, and tills would save
millions of dollars in gas and
tires and depreciation on equip
ment. Th^re would be the advant
age of hrving two rail junctions
that would enable the Army to load
and ship much more equipment if
necessary.
The "A" route prases through
country which would have much mofe
minerals and timber for the devel
opment of industry after the ’.Var
and it would connect the Pacific
Coast Cities by a much shorter
route with Alaska. Tourist at
tractions would be more plentiful
on the "A" route also. The Army
expects to ship between seventy and
eighty thousand tons of freight by
truck this summer, but if the mil
itary situation gets worse it will
be necessary to supply Alaska and
the Military Forces with more than
the "Alcan" could handle.
TENTATIVE POTATO PROGRAM
•iHr
An improved potato production pro
gram starting in the spring of 1943
and carrying through each year on
the following basis.
1. Contract this and following
years with the growers to produce
Artie Seedling or White Bliss seed
iin accordance with the Certified
Seed Law under the supervision of
the Extension Service, who would
aid with the selection of the seed,
advise on location, recommend time
of planting, rogueing for disease,
and a check at harvest time.
2. Beginning in the fall of 1943
the seed to be purchased by the Mat
anuska Valley Farmers Cooperating
Association on the pool basis, giv
ing a premium of one-half cent a
pound over market potatoes to be
paid after final pool payment.
These potatoes to be distributed to
growers under contract each year for
definite acreages corresponding to
the available market.
3. Storage of seed to be provid
ed by the Association large enough
to store the entire production at
time of harvesting so marketing can
be regulated to obtain the highest
return.
; 4. Growers to be advanced the
largest amount possible, consistent
Lwlth the available market conditions
and prices at time of delivery.
5. Each grower's potatoes to be
stored separately and not mixed
with others.
c. No potatoes to be purchased
after the first year, except those
produced under contract and super
vision of the Association from seed
provided by the Association.
7. The limit of the amount pro
duced or acreage to be planted, to
be established by the members and
based upon the information avail
able for the coming season.
The following boys from Palmer
are among those being inducted into
the service today:
Lawrence Vasanoja Bill Amsbary
John Lee Francis Barry
Frank Small Leonard Bruckbauer
•SC-JKHI
| THE SETTLER has received the in
formation that the O.P.A. has set
the price of hay raised in Alaska
at $35.00 per t n until i. y 1st.,
then it will go down to $25.00 per
ton. Ju»t who ‘•m.'-d the r e ^nsaendne
ItionB'on this matter is unknown.