THE NENANA DAILY NEWS
Application made April 1, 1918, at the postoffice at Nenana. Alaska,
for entry as second cla^s mail mstter, under the Act of March 3, 18^9.
“WHERE RAIL AND RIVER MEET”
Published every afternoon except Sunday, by the' Nenana Printing
Company, at First and B Streets, Nenana. Alaska
R. G. Southworth.........Editor and Manager
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car.oi. of all news dispatches credited to it or not otherwise credited in
this paper and also all the local news published herein.
STATEMENT ISSUED
BY SECRETARY LANE
ON RAILROAD WORK
Head of Interior Department Informs the Members of
Congress of Progress Made Since Commencement
of Government Enterprise In Alaska. Statement Is
Answer to Wickersham Letter.
(Continued from Yesterday)
"Takir.g the week ending Satur- they were engaged in supervisory
day. May Is, 1918, as a typical
, and Clerical places or as workmen
week, tne numoer of employees ar.a
their distribution as to whether was as follows:
Engineer in charge ........
Shop and yards .
Track, bridge, ballast.
Receiving and Forwarding Agent
Machine Shops .....
Marine Ways and Dredge Sperm
Store Department
Employment Bureaus ....
Transportation Department .
Disbursing Office .
Accounting Department ,
Base Hospital ...
Townsite Office ... .. .
Telephone and Telegraph Dept.
Mining Department .
Turnagain Arm District .
Talkeetna District .
Location Surveys .
Stationmen and Laborers
To
35
53
257
35
62
100
90
18
tal
. 13
. 15
. 15
36
.140
185
1
20
1116
159
Supervisory
* and Work
clerical
31
9
S
21
4
4
26
5
13
3
2
7
2
5
men
4
44
249
14
58
96
64
15
32
12
13
29
138
180
1
18
Grand total all employees Anchorage Division. 1275
149
Rates
“It is difficult to know what
rates should be charged on such
a railroads as this, which is as yet
in the process of building, which
originates so little traffic as to be
negligible, and will not in all like
lihood for some years pay operating
and maintenance charges, without
any return on investment. Plainly,
the traffic can not be made to beat
charges that would be reasonable
from the standpoint of making the
railroad pay its own way. To do
this would be to retard the growth
of Alaska and of the railroad itself,
The freight rates on the Alaska
railroad are from 25 to 50 per cent
; of the rates charged by other Alas
ka roads. The Copper River and
the Skagway roads charge from
twice as much to four times as
much as does the government road.
If. therefore, there is anything in
the test so often applied by the
It terstate Commerce Commission ir.
judging of the reasonableness of
a rate by the rates charged on
similar traffic on neighboring roads,
the rates on the Alaska road cer
tainly meet that test.
"Here are a few comparisons >n
cents per 100 pounds, on less than
carload lots for a 60-mile haul on
the Alaskan railroad and the Cop
per River Railroad:
• Alaska Copper i
R. R. River R. R.
Household goods. second hand 32 160
Canned goods ... 49 109
Flour . 49 109
Eggs . 69 216.
Fruit, dried . 49 134
"The rates now in force on the Alaska road are approximately the same
as those which the Railroad Commission of the State of Washington ap
proved on the Seattle. Port Angeles & Western Railroad between Maynard
and Majestic, a distance of 60 miles, as the following comparison furnished
by the Interstate Commerce Commission shows:
Commodities
Household goods
Canned goods
Flour .
Eggs
Dried Fruits .
Fresh Fruit
Meat, cured
Kerosene .
Sugar .
Vegetables .
Butter .
Hardware
Seattle
Govern- P. A. &
ment Western
Railroads R. R. |
$ 6.40 $13.80
9.80 9.30 i
9.80 9.30
13.80 11.50
9.80 10.50;
16.20 13.80
9.80 9.30
11.40 10.50
9.80 9.30
16.20 20.70
13.80 11.50
13.80 11.50
“It would hardly be regarded as
unfair to say that on the Alaskan
road the rates should be twice as
high as on the main line of the
Northern Pacific in Washington,
considering the fact that the Nor
thern Pacific has several hundred
thousand times the density of traffic
per mile than the Alaskan railroad
has. Yet a comparison of the two
rates show that the rates on the
Alaskan road are not that high by
from 25 to 50 per cent. They are,
indeed, but a small percentage high
er than many of the rates on the
Southern Railway, running imme
diately out of this city, which car
ries in any one hour more traffic
than the Alaskan road carries in a
year. I am satisfied, however, that
the rates in existence on the Alas
kan road are not those which will
best promote the interest of the ter
ritory and in the end that of the
road. And last summer I asked
Mr. E O McCormick, vice president
of the Southern Pacific in charge of
traffic, to make a study of the ac
tual conditions in Alaska with the
purpose of devising a simpler tariff
which would induce whatever traffic
could be induced to move over that
road and still preserve some justi
fiable relation between commodities.
This is not an easy task And there
must be some experiments tried be
fore anything like a stable schedule
can be arrived at
“One of the serious disadvantages
that any new enterprise in Alaska
suffers under is the long distance
by water which all machinery and
supplies must be carried. During
the war this has been particularly
embarrassing in the carrying on of
this work. Because of the highness
of the rates charged and the un
certainty of the movement, the
Commission gave over employing
the regular lines and chartered a
transport from the war department
which ran from Seattle to Anchor
age for two seasons. This service
is invaluable to the railroad. While
we were without it last season,
some such arrangement must be re
newed if the railroad is to be com
pleted at as fair a figure as has
been thus far maintained. Some
months since negotiations were en
tered into with the Shipping Board
looking to the establishing of a line
between Puget Sound and Alaskan
ports which would serve the rail
road. or at least to the putting on
of a single boat to Anchorage and
Seward. The board offered to
charter to the Commission a new
steel ship at S25.000 per month,
which was thought to be too high
a figure, and negotiations are still
under way in the hope that this
offer can be bettered.
"By decisions of the commissioner
of the land office, all of the claims
in the Matanuska coal field were
set aside, and by act of Congress
a leasing bill was put into effect
over the entire field. Under this
law a number of claims must be
reserved to the government. The
field was surveyed and some of the
most promising portions of the fields ,
have been reserved.
“Two leases have been entered
into by the government; one with
Lars N'etland, a miner, who has a
backer, Mr. Fontana, a businessman
of Sarf Francisco, and the other to
lliver LaDuke and associates. Neith- ]
er of these parties have any other '
interests of any kind, so far as'
known, in Alaska or any connection 1
with any railroad, and neither of
them have been successful in de
veloping any large amount of coal.
There are many thousands of acre
in this field which are open for
lease and which will be leased to
any responsible parties who will un
dertake their development. There ;
is no possibility of monopolizing I
this field, even if some one wished j
to do so. for the government re
serves are to be operated in case;
such monopoly should arise. Thus!
far. however, the government in
operating its own mine has been no
more successful than the private
lesees, for the coal is so badly
broken and faulted that exploration
work’to follow the seam must be
undertaken before development work
can be wisely done. And this is
being undertaken. Government ex
perts who have examined this field
do not promise without further ex
ploring a larger output of coal from
this field than 150,000 tons a year.
“The population of Alaska has
fallen off during the war. She sent,
I am told, 5,000 men into the army,
the largest proportion to population
sent by any part of the United J
States. The high cost of labor and j
materials closed some of the gold
mines, and the attractive wages
offered by war industries drew labor
from Alaska to the mainland. All!
prospecting practically closed. But
with the return of peace there is
evidence of a new movement to
ward that territory, which should be
given added confidence in its future
by the completion of the Alaskan
railroad.”
ANNOUNCEMENT
Dr. R. R. Myers wishes to an
nounce to his patrons that he will
leave Nenana on the first boat for
down river points, and will be absent
f»r some time.
The date of return will be duly
announced later.
SHOTGUNS and Shotgun Ammu
nition—new stock just opened, a*
Anderson Bros & Norland.
NENANA TO 00
OVER THE TOP
IN VICTORY DRIVE
The following message was re
ceived this afternoon by Mr. Fred
erick D. Browne, engineer in
charge of this division, from Gov
ernor Riggs:
"Xenana still short $14,650 on
Victory Loan quota; only two days
left to complete drive. Make every
effort to put X'enana over the top
and retain the splendid record she
held in the previous drives."
The several committees are urged
to redouble their efforts and make
sure that N'enana’s reputation in
the matter of patriotic endeavor
does not suffer a particle.
With the promise of good things
when Congress meets, the matter of
subscribing at least the full quota
of the Victory Loan ought to be
easy of accomplishment. Let us
put Xenana over the top once
again.
SPRING IS RENOVATING TIME!
Add to the life of a suit or hat
improve your appearance at small
expense, by taking your work to
MRS. D'ORSAY'S TAILOR SHOP
WANT ADS
FOR SALE—A singer sewing ma
chine. Inquire at Coghill's.
LOST—X'ugget chain. Liberal re
ward for return to X'ews office.
Prospectors and Contractors!
Now is the time to have that tar
paulin, tent or bag made for the
seasons outfit... Bed and hat nets
a-e now readv, at small cost at
MRS. D'ORSAY’S TAILOR SHOP.
Third and A Streets.
NENANA LODGE No. 1193
L. 0. 0. M.
MEETS AT MOOSE HALL
FOURTH AND B STREETS
On Second Fourth Tue*d»y»
At 8 P. M.
*LEX FOWLER M. V. TYLER,
Secretary Dictator.
SPRING IS HERE i
_
We Have It
Screen Doors
Screen Windows
Screen Wire
Screen Door Sets
Wheelbarrows
Garden Rakes
Garden Hoes
Garden Spades
Grass Hooks
Flower and Garden Seeds
and Three Kinds of
Seed Potatoes
f
IF YOU EAT ICE CREAM
CANDY-FRUIT-OR CHEWING GUM
IF YOU SMOKE CIGARS
CIGARETTES OR TOBACCO OF ANY KIND
IF YOU DRINK CIDER
OR ANY KIND OF CARBONATED DRINKS
OR IF YOU ARE LOOKING FOR A MOMENTS
RECREATION OR AMUSEMENT, TRY
THE ARCTIC
DAVIS & TAYLOR. Props.
ALSO NICELY FURNISHED. WARM AND COZY ROOMS 5
FOR RENT AT REASONABLE RATES <
V *
*
CENTRAL RESTAURANT
NEXT DOOR TO CASCADE LAUNDRY
FIRST CLASS QUICK SERVICE
HOME COOKING OUR SPECIALTY
KETOOROKY & CO.
(BETTER KNOWN AS RUSSIAN JOHN)
*
BLANKFIELD’S EXPRESS
CLEAN DRV V\OOD;rOR SALE
COAL BY THE SACK OR TON
HALLING OE ALL KINDS
Offiee at The Arctic
* ■
Residence Phone
SHIP TO
GEO. R. GOSHAW, Inc.
ALASKAN DEALER IN
RAW FURS
SEATTLE
Alaska Building
NEW YORK
127 W. 27th Street
We do business direct with you and solicit your RAW FURS.
Your shipments are handled by expert graders and Sew York
Market Prices are paid on correct grading the day received If
desired, your shipments will be kept separate in order that our
prices may be approved by you. Providing that our valuation
does not prove satisfactory, the Furs will be returned to you,
transportation charges prepaid. Ship by Insured Parcel Post or
Express. Ship in dry condition. Always enclose an itemized
list of contents with name and address. Also place duplicate
list on the outside of package or bale. All payments are made
by check on the Seattle National Bank, or in any other manner
desired. Special instructions, if any. must accompany shipment.
SHIP NOW
1
/ .. 11 1 .
A Thoroughly Modern Hotel
The Southern
is Tom Smith, Prop.
Gef Acquainted
If You Can’t Boost
Don’t Knock
TAVERN CAFE & BAKERY
WHERE THE LIVE ONES LIVE
WM. RODIGKEIT
Proprietor
l
Z
Z