ALASKA RAILWAY
MUST FIGHT FOR
VERY EXISTENCE
REPRESENTATIVE ARTHUR M.
FREE OF CALIFORNIA DETER
MINED TO BRING ABOUT THE
ROAD’S ABANDONMENT.
SEC. WORK OPPOSES SUCH MOVE
Free Plans Three-Way Compaign—
No Agriculture Possibilities in
Alaska; Temporary Structure.
Much has been said in Alaskan
newspapers regarding Congressman
Free, since his visit to the Territory
last summer. Dispatches have been
filtering into Alaska from the States
at frequent intervals. However, in a
recent issue of t.he Seattle Times,
there appeared the following article
which presents at some length, yet
in a condensed form, the basis of
Congressman Free’s attack on The
Aalska Railroad and other Alaskan
matters.
The article follows:
WASHINGTON, D. C., Nov—The
Alaska Railroad will be put on trial
for its life this winter if Represen
tative Arthur M. Free of California
has his way about it. In any event,
it is certain that a more or less bit
ter fight over the appropriation ne
cessary to carry on 'the railroad will
develop between Representative Free
and Secretary of the Interior Hu
bert M. Work.
Representative Free takes the po
sition that the road should be torn
up and converted into a highway.
Secretary Work is of the opinion that
inasmuch as the government owns
virtually all of the land through!
which the railroad runs and that
Alaska is a pioneer country, the gov
ernment should bear the cost of
pioneering. He will find a good deal
of support for this theory.
On the other hand, many senators
and representatives have become tir
ed of the unfulfilled promises made
on proponents. As a matter of fact,
the enthusiasm of many who voted
for the railroad in the first place
and have continued to support it was
never more than superficial. The
railroad bill was put through at the
height of President Wilson’s popu
larity and many representatives and
senators voted for it simply because
President Wilson asked them to do
so.
Three-Way Compaign.
Representative Free has planned a
three-way campaign to bring about
the abandonment of the road. First
he proposes to go to the White
House and make his recommenda
tions personally to President Cool
idge, basing this recommendation on
observations he made of Alaska dur
ing a tour last summer. If he fails
here, he will go before the House
appropriations committee, with which
he has considerable influence, and
ask the committee not to approve any
plan for continued operation of the
road. If unsuccessful there, he will
make a figlit against the appropria
tion item when the bill reaches the
floor of the House.
“It is unfair to the taxpayers for
the government to continue to oper
ate this road,” Mr. Free said. “It
only serves 4,000 people; it cost $60,
000,000 to build, and its operation re
sults in an annual deficit of from
$1,500,000 to $2,000,000. It is costing
the tax payers of the United States
$400 per person a year for every per
son living on the road.
No Agricultural Possibilities.
“There are no agricultural possi
bilities, except a few vegetables and
berries. The country is nearly all
mountainous and boggy, and a foot
or so under the top of the soil it is
frozen. Most of the land is of vol
canic origin, so it requires very in
tensive cultivation and fertilization
even to grow vegetables.
“Even though you could raise agri
cultural products, the cost of trans
portation back to the United States
would make it impossible to compete
with the agricultural products of the
United States proper.
“The coal along the railroad is of
a very inferior grade, mostly lignite,
and every government service has
tried to use it and failed, except the
railroad which, by using special fire
boxes, is able to get along with it.
But even if it were good coal, the cost
of transportation and the long dis
tance to the States would make the
price too high to compete with coal
produced in other places.
Temporary Structure.
“A14 with whom I .talked stated -that
they can’t expect less than a deficit
of $1,§00,000 a year to keep the rail
road going: I favor turning It into
a first class highway. Alaska is one
seventh .the size of the United States,
and yet its population is less than
that of San Jose, and one-half of It
is native. It has been decreasing
right along, though they claim this
year that they have had an increase
of about 100.”
Secretary of the Interior Work is
out of the city, hut in discussing
Alaska matters with a representative
of The Times a few days ago he
said:
“A survey of the Alaska Railroad
made last summer showed that in
many places it was but a temporary
structure built on freezing and thaw
ing soil and over shifting, rapid
streams. It also showed that the
freight and passenger traffic was
limited and that many years would
elapse before the railroad would be a
financial success.
‘‘Business principles have been ap
plied to the operation of the road and
an experienced railroad operator
loaned to the government by the
Pennsylvania railroad has been ap
pointed general manager. Many for
mer practices have been abandoned
and trains are now operated only
when sufficient tonnage is available
to justify the cost of running them.
New Permanent Structures.
"The greatest problem is the an
nual drain on the federal treasury,
due to heavy maintenance of way ex
penses. To correct this situation,
eliminate temporary structures re
quiring constant attention and sup
plant them with permanent struc
tures.
“A six-year program covering ex
penditures of approximately $11,
878,000 has been proposed. if the
program is carried out, the yearly
maintenance of way costs will be re
duced to a minimum. It must be re
membered that the governent owns
virtually every foot of land in Alas
ka and the government must bear
the cost of pioneering it.
“The great trouble with Alaska is
the uncoordinated effort of govern
ment is making. The expenditures
for federal administration last year
amounted to $10,467,064 and was di
vided among nine of the ten execu
tive departments, with 25 bureaus
participating. Based on the entire
population of Alaska it cost $190 per
capita to govern the territory.
One-Tenth Work for U. S.
“More than one-tenth of the popu
lation are government employes.
These employes perform 135 functions
and consist of every conceivable
phase of governmental supervision
and jurisdiction.
“It is apparent that such a com
plexity of government activities con
tribute to. iueffective administration
and extravagance in expenditures. A
multiplication of government bureaus
responsible to separate departments
also contribues to the overlapping of
functions. A complete coordination
of allied functions would avoid lost
motion ,and opnfusion and same an
imniemse sum of the taxpayers’
money. .
“The government’s activities in
Alaska should be covered into one
department and under one secretary
of the President’s cabinet.”
FOUR BASEBALL
TEAMS LINE UP
AT LOCAL GYM
In order to place the sport of in
door baseball on a more stable ba
sis the following teams have been
selected so as to form a league cvf
four inter-City teams playing a reg
ular schedule. For the present one j
game per week will be scheduled un
til after the basketball season when
two games will be played per wmek
1 and the schedule carried out till
about the first of May when the
“pennant” winner will be announced.
In order to insure a speedier game
and the formation of four teams in
tact the lineup will consist of seven
players, though this number ma ybe
augmented provided the opposing
team has a like number of men.
Owing to the oasketball team hav
ing their first gae with Anchorage
on Thursday, Thinksgiving Day, they
will be given the hall on Tuesday
night, Nov. 24th, and the first sched
1 uled gae of Indoor Baseball will be
| played Wednesday night at 8 o’clock,
| after which scheduled games will be
played every Tuesday night.
The following are the lineups of
the teams:
Signal Corps—Tinkler, McLaughlin,
Robison, Snyder, Bowley, McNally,
Rust and Guest.
Nile Park—Painter, Hopkins, Dyer,
Paulsteiner, Johnson, Moehring and
Erwin.
Merchants—Jessen, Valade, Selby,
Wolfgram, Sheldon, Bogart, Shell
horn, R. Manthey and Rucker.
Bankers—Barnett, Hannon, Hick
man, Bolam, Roberts, Lander, Blue,
Leslie and Protzman.
After drawing lots to start the
schedule the first game will be be
tween the Signal Corps and tne
Bankers at S p. m., Wednesday. The
Nile Parks and Merchants playing the
VVVVVVVlTWTrbrtf^nraTnrirtTrtVVVVT*Tr*TrirTrinr*TnrTririnrwTrTrTrwirTrw-»Tr^Trj
Piping and Fittings for
Power Plant Construction
5000 feet 2 1-2 double extra strong steel pipe, in random
lengths, 12 to 30 feet each; each length fitted with
square machined, four-bolt flanges. One end of run
grooved, opposite end and outlet tongued with steel
machined bolts, hexigon heads and nuts.
3000 feet 1 1-2 double extra strong steel pipe in lengths
12 to 30 feet each; each length fitted with square ma
chined four bolt flanges. One end of run groved, op
posite end and outlet tongued, with steel machined
bolts, hexagon heads and nuts.
500 assorted 1 1-2 and 2 1-2 steel four bolt flanges, elbows,
tees, crosses, return bends, divided return bends, re
ducing companion flanges, flange unions, globe and
angle valves, etc.
The piping and fittings are in first class condition, ready
for immediate delivery F. O. B. mail steamer Starr,
at Port lock, Port Chatham, Alaska.
Our price will be based up Walworth Manufacturing Com
pany’s factory catalog price F. O. B. Boston, Mass.,
thereby allowing the purchaser the cost of the freight
from the Aatlantic Coast to Alaska.
Will sell all or part of above piping and fittings and fur
nish list of quantity of different sizes on hand, upon
request.
Alaska Consolidated Fisheries, Inc.
PORTLOCK, ALASKA
following Tuesday. Joe Badger has
consented to handle the indicator for
the gaimes which insures a speedy
and properly umpired game.
■■ ■' i1 ■ ••
OLDTIMERS DEPART
Mr. and Mrs. Peter Jongensen, who
were recently married in Livengood,
arrived in Seward on Saturday’s
train on their way to Seattle. Mrs.
Jorgensen was formerly Mrs. A. L.
Dickenson, well known roadhouse pro
prietor of the Tolovana district. Mr.
Jorgensen is also an oldtimer in that
district, having had a transfer busi
ness there for many years. They
have disposed of all their property
in the interior, which includes many
fine prospects, and are headed for
their ranch in North Yakima.
Handball mitts, all leather, spec
ial price 35c—Urbach’s.
S.S. WATSON LEAVING
The Admiral Watson leaves Seat
tle Wednesday for Seward and the
Westward district.
Irish Collins, well known taxi man
of Anchorage returned to his Inlet
home on this morning’s train after
spending a time In Valdez as a wit
ness during the last term of court.
About six inches of snow adorns
the roadibed at Mile 12, the summit
of the Seward-Kenai Lake highway.
Autdmobilists highly commend the
new cutoff road recently opened by
the Bureau of Public Roads.
Hugh P. Allen, prohibicim man, do.
parted vesieiday morni^* for his
Anchorage headquarters.
Chas. R. Booth, who has been em
ployed in the Moose Pass district the
past summer, arrived in Seward Sat
urday evening. Mr. Booth is a for
mer Anchorage resident and up until
a year or so ago served the Anchor
age Igloo of Pioneers as secretary.
B. A. Wennerstrom* coal sampler
for the Alaska Railroad, left for An
chorage yesterday.
Cal M. Brosius
Nails, fifty varieties, Automobile Glass,
Glass, Locks, Hinges,
Stockholm Tar,
Hyd. Lime,
-Plate Glass,
Colors,
Chimney Brick,
Varnish,
Corner Bead,
Mirrors,
Medusa,
White Atlas,
Keens,
Metal Lath,
Cedar, Oak, Maple,
Arch Brick,
Fire Clay,
Plaster Paris,
Hickory, Iron Bark,
Beaver Board,
Gal. Cor. Iron,
Pulleys,
Flooring,
Fir, Spruce, Maple,
Ceiling,
Rustic,
Roof Pitch,
BB1. Lime, Paints.
Glass Cutting,
Terps, Oils,
Fibered Plaster,
Stains, Putty,
Corner Lath,
Belting, Cement
Doors,
Windows,
Lumber,
Fir Lath,
Fire Brick,
Spruce Finish,
Mouldings,
Z-Lath,
Plaster Board,
Mahogany,
Roof Paper,
Building Paper,
Asbestos Paper,
Shingles,
Sash Rail,
Fir Finish,
LIBBY-OWENS WINDOW GLASS, Single and Double Strength,
Standard Oil Products, Rubber Matting, White Sand,
ASBESTOS STRIP SHINGLES, HYDRAULIC ELEVATORS,
METAL BASEMENT SASH AND FRAMES,
Sidewalk Coal Hole Covers Sidewalk Walk Lights, Etc.
CAL M. BROSIUS
BUILDING SUPPLIES
C.M.B.
CAL M. BROSIUS
Builders’ Supplies
When things Look
'■ BLACK Phone the
Seward Steam Laundry
Telephone Main 148
1
- ’1
.
HOTEL ANCHORAGE
F. I. REED, Proprietor
Rooms with Bath. Sample Rooms in Connection
Strictly Modem Prices Reasonable
Steam Heat Good Service
HOT AND COLD WATER IN EVERY ROOM
Bus meets all trains and boats
ANCHORAGE, ALASKA
4