MEMBER ASSOCIATED PRESS.
VOLUME XX, NUMBER 234.
SEWARD, ALASKA, TUESDAY, DECEMBER 15, 1925.
PRICE TEN CENTS
Annual Report of
Secretary Interior
on Alaska Railroad
FISCAL YEAR OF 1925 WAS A
PERIOD OF ADVANCEMENT
AND ECONOMY
FURTHER ECONOMY PRACTICED
Progress Made in Substitution of Per
manent Steel Bridges for all
Wooden Trestles
The annual report of Secretary of
Interior Work for the fiscal year 1925
treats extensively of the Alaska Rail
road, as follows:
The fiscal year 1925 was a period of
advancement on the Alaska Railroad
in efficiency and economy of operation.
Careful study was made of all depart
ments for the purpose of eliminating
superfluous employes, abolishing all
unnecessary positions, consolidating
the work of the departments where
possible to prevent duplication of
work, loading trains and cars to more
nearly their capacity, restriction of
train service to the actual necessities
so far as consistent with reasonable
regularity of service, the economical
use and purchase of material, the eco
nomical handling of work, and similar
matters were given careful supervi
sion. Losses in operation have been
reviewed and such operations as were
being conducted at a loss and could
be discontinued were stopped. The
most notable example of this is the
dining car service.
Some progress was made in the
substitution of permanent steel bridges
for wooden trestles, the filling of oth
er trestles, widening cuts and banks,
riprapping, and the placing of addi
tional gravel under the ties, all of
which will result in decreased cost of
maintenance in the future. Further
economy can be effected, but the
amount will be small, except such as
can be made by the expenditures for
trie completion Ul me i am uau auu 1UI
improvement of fixtures and purchases
of equipment and appliances. This
field offers attractive opportunities
for decreases in maintenance and op
eration costs.
Economy1 Effected
The economy effected can be shown
by comparison of pay rolls. For 1924
the pay roll amounted to $2,498,430.91
and for 1925 to $2,051,026.75, a reduc
tion of $447,403.16, or 17.5 per cent.
Revenue received decreased $45,937
for the year 1925, but when it is ex
plained that this decrease was almost
entirely due to the decrease in the
shipment of Mayo ore brought about
by a necessity for development work
at the Mayo mine, the result is very
encouraging because it shows that
with this large decrease in expendi
ture by the railroad, which in turn
means that the purchases made by
the employes were correspondingly
reduced and shipments over the road
for these reasons decreased, there
was enough advancement in the bus
iness of the railroad belt, aside from
the railroad activities to offset the
decreased purchasing power of em
ployes. Further, the decrease shown
in revenue was in part due to the
elimination of activities on the part
of the railroad such as operation of
the dining cars, previously referred
to, that were operated at a loss.
An estimate of $11,878,781 was made
for the cost of completing the railroad
and providing such additional facili
ties and equipment as would be
necessary for efficient and economical
operation of the line and to enable
the railroad to function in accordance
with the purposes for which it was
constructed, namely, the proper serv
ing of the territory through which it
passed for the purpose of the devel
opment of the country. All of the
work contemplated in the estimate, if
completed, will either produce ample
returns on the capital invested, in de
creased costs of maintenance and op
eration, or will provide the necessary
facilities and equipment for the func
tioning of the road as above stated.
While no rapid development of the
resources of the Territory can be i
looked for in the next few years,
there is every indication of a gradual
and healthy growth in traffic for the
railroad as a result of the develop
ment of the resources, which is now
taking place in a more businesslike
and substantial manner than in the
past. %So that, while there is no pros
pect that the operation of the rail
road can he continued for some years
to come without substantial appropri
ations being made to meet the deficit
in operations incurred there is every
reason to believe that eventually the
railroad may be operated without
such appropriations. The date at
which this desired condition will be
realized is dependent to a very great
extent on the progress that can be
made in the completion of the line
and such progress isi dependent on the
appropriations made for that purpose.
The situation as it now exists with
reference to maintenance and opera
tion is one of economic waste, in that
due to the necessarily hasty construc
tion of the line the work performed
in repairing the line and putting it in
shape after the frost has come out of
the ground in the spring is not last
ing, and the same work has to again
be performed the following spring.
This condition can only be relieved
by placing the railroad in such phy
sical condition that the damage sus
tained during the winter will be re
duced.
The most important factors are the
replacement of bridges supported on
wooden piling, with bridges support
ea on permanent masonry; tne replac
ing of trestles, where necessary, with
bridges or culverts and the filling of
trestles not necessary; the placing
of sufficient ballast under the ties to
eliminate the damage to the track now
suffered by frost heaves during the
winter months due to insufficient bal
last; the widening of cuts and fills to
decrease the cost of necessary main
tenance work incident to narrow cuts
and fills and to decrease the expense
of removing slides and replacing the
sluffling of the banks and fills; the
riprapping of banks and the raising of
the grade above normal high water
to eliminate the constant temporary
repairing due to floods. In addition
to saving in maintenance costs the
hazards to passengers and employes
will be reduced, the losses from de
struction of the line by floods, snow
slides and rock slides, and the loss
of property by fire, on which no in
surance is carried, will be diminished.
Numerous improvements, no item of
Svhich is very large in itself, can be
made that will decrease operating
costs; the same is also true of labor
saving devices and appliances in the
various departments.
Completion of the Alaska Railroad
The following work has been per
formed in compliance with the pro
gram for the completion of the Alaska
Railroad:
Bridge No. 1275, Eagle River, re
built. New bridge consists of two 74
foot, one 80-foot and one 40-foot span
steel bridge supported on towers.
Bridge No. 3707, ferry, over Nenana
River, rebuilt.. New bridge consists
of two 200-foot steel truss spans and
one 80-foot steel half through girder.
Bridge D-10, Healy River spur, over
Nenana River, rebuilt. New bridge
consists of four 80-foot steel half
through girders.
(Continued on Page Two)
I
BATTLING SIKI
FOUND DEAD IN
HELL’S KITCHEN
NEW YORK, Dec. 15 (>P)—‘“Bat- '
tling Siki,” the Senegalese heavy- j
weight whose meteoric career flash- 1
ed across the pugilistic horizon sev- {
eral months ago, was mysteriously
shot to death last night in the “Hell’s
Kitchen” district. He was found face
downward with two gunshot wounds
in his back, and a pistol with two ex
ploded shells nearby.
Physicians pronounced Siki’s death
was caused by a bullet in his lung and
another in his kidney. The killing
occurred near where Siki was attack
ed last summer and almost killed with
a knife.
Since his defeat in the squared cir
cle Siki has been drinking heavily,
and has rapidly gone down.
LISSNER RESIGNS
DECEMBER 31
WASHINGTON, D. C., Dec. 15 (ff)—
The resignation of Meyer Lissner of
Los Angeles, from the Shipping Board
is announced as effective December
31st. Mr. Lissner stated that his fail
ing health would not permit him to
longer continue on the bo^rd.
prospector is
INJURED BY FALL
VICTORIA, B. C., Dec. 15 (£>)—
Robert Henderson, a • veteran pros
pector of the Yukon territory, who
was credited with the discovery of the
Klondike Indian River gold fields,
who has been prospecting for several
days on Vancouver Island, was badly
injured Sunday when he fell 30 feet
from the face of a cliff on Mt. Fanlay
son.
BROWN WILL NOT
BE IMPEACHED
SEATTLE, Dec. 15 (JP)—The city
council voted six to three against the
impeachment of Mayor Ed Brown.
MAUD BE SOLD AS
HEKKlMi SHIP,
CAPTAIN LEAVES
SEATTLE, Dec. 15 (JP)—Captain Os
car Wisting will go with Amundsen’s
dirigible expedition after visiting his
family in Norway. He will leave Seat
tle shortly to go to San Francisco,
where he will visit his son, who is
aboard a Norwegian ship there.
Capt. Wisting said he hated to leave
the Maud, which it is understood will
be sold for the herring fishing trade,
although Norwegians here offered to
subscribe to pay her debts and remove
the libel.
Twenty-seven boxes, relics of years
spent in the ice, were sent to Norway
for the government museum.
JESSE LEE HOME ROAD BE
OPENED FOR AUTO TRAFFIC
The road to the Jesse Lee Home,
which has been impassable since the
heavy snowfall a few days ago, will
be plowed but tomorrow, which will
permit of traffic resuming tomorrow.
To win a bet, Francis Hopkins
danced a jig on top of a 300-foot
chimney at LiverpooL
rrain Due To Leave for
Anchorage tins Afternoon
At 1 o'clock today the Gateway of
fice was advised that a special train
;o Anchorage would leave Seward at
i o’clock this afternoon. This was
contrary to the report received earlier
in the day when it was stated the reg
ular passenger train, which has been
ielayed in departing since yesterday
morning would leave tomorrow morn
ing at the regular hour of 7:30.
The road was cleared of snow as
Car as Tunnel this morning, but from
that point to Anchorage nothing defi
nite had been heard from. Evidently
the slides, Which occured the other
side of TUnneal, and which had delay
ed the departure of the local train, has
now been cleared away.
REPUBLICANS
RECOGNIZE BOB
LA FOLLETTE
WASHINGTON, D. C., Dec. 15 (#*)—
Republican leaders in the Senate for
mally recognized Senator La Follette
as a Republican after a sharp discus
sion behind closed doors and decided
to assign him on the standing com
mittees of ,Mines, Manufactures and
Indian Affairs.
Lafollette notified the Old Guard
that he expected “to adhere to the
progressive principles of his father.”
At a last minute conference party
leaders declined to reverse yesterday’s
decision classifying LaFollette as a
Republican. The Senate affirmed his
assignment to the Manufactures and
Mines and Indian Affairs committees.
FOREIGN POLICIES
DEFENDED BY
SEC. KELLOGG
«_
NEW YORK, Dec. 15 (/P)—Secretary
Kellogg defended the foreign policies
of the Coolidge administration in an
address to the Council of Foreign Re
lations, covering the whole ,scale from
Satklatava exclusion to the Locarno
Locarno treaties. Kellogg warned
the American bankers against “indis
criminate loans”" to German states or
municipalities, although, he said, “the
State Department did not feel itself
called upon to object to such loans
as against public interest.” He reaf
firmed the government’s desire to co
operate in European rehabilitation,
keeping clear of European politics,
and expressed the hope that China
would realize her aspiration of free
dom from unequal treaties.
Secretary Kellogg defended his ac
tion in excluding aliens who desire
“the perinicious doctrines of commu
nism.”
He said he se^ as much store by the
spirit of Locarno as upon the treaties
of Locarno.
WILL REPEAL TAX
WASHINGTON, D. C., Dec. 15 (JP)—
The House voted to repeal the income
tax on publicity.
The Seward Trading Company, due
to the heavy fall of snow, have aban
doned temporarily their auto deliv
ery service and supplanted a dog team
delivery service.
Another entry as the oldest horse
is Old Bill, owned by John Douders
of Harmony, N. J., 37 years old and
still a willing worker.
Daisy Snowdrop, a Shorthorn cow
owned by H. C. Polk near Canton,
O., has triplet calves, all normal and
healthy.
The more dishwater a wedding ring
sees the longer it seems to last
BILL PROHIBIT
USE FISH TRAPS
ALASKA WATERS
WASHINGTON, D. C., Dec. 15 (£>)—
Delegate Sutherland introduced a bill
today to prohibit the u&e of station
ary fishing appliances in the tidal
waters' of Alaska. Nets and traps and
all like devices are proposed to be
banned. The penalty would be $500
for the first violation of the law with
a jail sentence of three months to
a year for the second offense.
BARTLEY HOWARD
TAKES LEASE ON
CHULITNA MINE
ANCHORAGE, Dec. 15 (ff)—Bartley
Howard, promoter of the Howard
Jesson Alaska-Matanuska coal enter
prises has taken an option on the
Mint ruby silver mine at Chulitna,
from Moose Johnson and Harry
vvci t£j. nc otaica mat nc 10
ring with Kansas City capital to de
velop the property, which he believes
is one of the' best in the railroad belt.
PIONEERS DENY
STORY TOLD IN
A. P. DISPATCHES
JUNEAU, Dec. 15 (/P)—Pioneers who
witnessed “Soapy Smith” and Frank
H. Reid kill each other at Skagway
on the night of July 8, 1898, ridiculed
the story that Jessie Rose of Vancou
ver, B. C., killed herself with a revol
ver owned by Smith. They said that
Smith used a rifle to kill Reid and
that Reid killed Smith with a revol
ver. The Mounted Police were not
connected with the affair which oc
curred on American soil. They said
that George Wright, a friend of Reid’s,
was given Reid’s revolvers. Reid had
two guns in his pocket when he was
shot by Smith.
WAR DEPARTMENT
CANAL PROJECT
FOR KUSKOKWIM
WASHINGTON, D. C., Dec. 15 (£>)—
The War Department in a report to
Congress disapproved improvement of
the portage between the Yukon and
Kuskikwim Rivers. Major General
Taylor, chief of Army Engineers, said
that Army engineers disagreed with
the district engineer, who recommen
ded a channel 20 feet wide and six
feet deep, the Territory to assist in
the project through its Road Commis
sion.
Major General Taylor expressed
doubt if the improvement would enable
an earlier summer beginning of gold
mining on the Upper Kuskokwim. He
said, “the benefits are too doubtful
and too limited to justify Federal as
sistance, even with the co-operation
no the basis which the district engi
neer proposed.”
The pointed to the limited number
of steamers from Seattle calling at
the Kuskokwim, apparently because
of the inactivity of that region. The
district engineer had declared for the
Portage route despite the unimproved
condition of the main mail route for
mail and passengers during the sum
mer months.
JRev. Charles M. Sturdevant, Chi
cago evangelist, was sent to jail for
a year upon his wife’s complaint of
nonsupport and the charge that he
was involved in an illicit love affair.