FOURTH YEAR.
CHITINA, ALASKA, TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 17,1914
NUMBER 18
ALASKA RAILROAD BILL PASS® BY CONGRESS
WASHINGTON, Feb. 18.—The administration Alaska railroad bill, authorizing the
President to construct railroads, costing $35,000,000, from Alaska’s coast to the interior
and tapping the coal fields today was passed by Congress, by a vote of 237 to 87. Expect
the slight differences in the railroad bill to be adjusted in conference and signed by Presi
dent this week. The President received the news of the passage of the bill with manifest
pleasure ard stated that the measure was assured of the support of the executives of the
different departments of the government.
WASHINGTON, D. C., Feb. 18.—Acting as a;
committee of the whole the House by a vote of 88
to 87 adopted Fitzgerald’s amendment to eliminate
the $40,000,000 bond issue provision from the Alaska
railroad bill. Fitzgerald contended that the railroad!
be built with current revenues of the government. A j
provision was also put in the bill limiting the cost
of the road to $35,000,000, and appropriating
$1,000;000 for the commencement of the work. The
vote on the Fitzgerald amendment was so close that
the bond issue provision of the original bill may be
restored later. The friends of the Alaska bill have
declined to venture a prediction on that point.
They still hope that the bill will pass. At 5 o’clock
this afternoon the House had not disposed of the
measure but efforts are being made to put it through
before adjournment today.
WASHINGTON, D. C., Feb. 18.—Detailed
consideration of the Alaska railroad bill was
resumed in the House this morning with the admin
istration leaders confident that the final vote will be
taken this afternoon. Debating on the measure has
closed and minor features of th6 bill are being
discussed. Only one change has been made in the
bill as passed by the Senate. This was the amend
ment of Representative Mann, the Republican
leader, and empowers the president to either lease
the railroads after being built or have them operated
by the government. Many Alaskans are in the
galleries today and are anxiously watching the fight
being made for the territory. Chairman Houston, of
the committee on territories, and Delegate Wicker
sham, of Alaska, who have led the fight for the
measure are confident the bill will pass with a big
majority. The former has declared he favors the
measure because he has faith in the future of the
territory. The bill stands for progress and the
development of a vast country where a superior race
of human beings will spring up. The delegate
declares he is fighting for his home.
WASHINGTON, D. C., Feb. 19.—The Alaska
railroad bill which passed the House yesterday
will go to the conference committee within a few
days. It is believed the bill will be ready for
President Wilson’s signature within the next ten
days. It has been announced unofficially that the
president would order work on the railroad to
proceed shortly.
Every friend of Alaska in the capital is rejoic
ing over the splendid victory and praising the efforts
of President Wilson whose assistant as the chief
executive of the nation made the victory possible in
the face of the strong opposition. The bill as passed
by the House provides that money received from the
sale of lands in Alaska be kept in a separate account
from which the government will be reimbursed to
the extent of the $35,000,000 to be spent in building
the railroads. The managers of the bill believe the
amendment will help facilitate the developemnt of
the territory and that instead of being a detriment
will prove a distinct advantage.
WASHINGTON, D. C., Feb. 19.—Delegate
Wickersham, of Alaska, in discussing the Alaska
railroad bill said that the building of the railroads
by the government meant more to Alaska and the
people living there than the discovery of gold in the
territory. The big mines were a benefit to a few
but the construction of the railroads will benefit
many. He said: “The building of the railroads in
the northland means the immediate employment of
a large force of men in Alaska and the ultimate
settlement of that vast territory. The president has
been authorized to permit the government owned
railroad to be operated by contract or lease, or it
may be operated by the Panama Railway Company.
During the work of construction of the railroads and
for the purpose of operating them the president has
been authorized to employ any number of men he
njay think necessary. He may choose the men as he
pleases only that those chosen from civil life shall
be under the supervision in the work of construction
of engineers taken from the United States army
engineer corps. The appointment of any engineer
from civil life, whose salary exceeds $3,000 per year,
must be confirmed by the Senate. The President is
also authorized to utilize in Alaska all machinery
and equipment used in the construction of the
Panama canal as rapidly as it is not needed in
Panama and can be used in Alaska. The president
is to fix the price of the machinery with which the
work in Alaska will be charged. The Interstate
Commerce Commission, subject to the approval of
the president is empowered to regulate the pass
enger and freight rates. If the railroad line connects
with a steamship line for the joint transportation of
freight and passengers the'lines so connected must
be operated as a through route with through rates
based on a fair and reasonable apportionment of the
revenue derived and the expense of operating the
lines.”
WASHINGTON, D. C., Feb. 19.—The Alaska
railroad bill directs the president to locate, acquire
by purchase or construction a line or lines of rail
roads from tidewater into the interior of Alaska.
Also to operate steamers on the Yukon, Tanana and
Kuskokwim rivers. In choosing the routes for the
railroads he is to use his best judgment as to what
will best promote the rapid and permanent settle
ment of Alaska and develop its resources, as well as
provide adequate transportation for coal from the
Alaska coal fields for the army and navy, transpor
tation of troops, for munitions of war and for mails.
The total mileage of all railroads to be bought or
constructed in the territory is not to exceed 1,000
miles. The appropriation for the purpose of building
or acquiring the 1,000 miles of railroad is $35,000,000
so that he is limited to an expense of $35,000 per
mile should the work of constructing or acquiring
the entire 1,000 miles be undei'taken at once.
WASHINGTON, I). C., Feb. 19.—Joslin, Heiff
ner and McPherson headed a party of Alaskans who
have prepared a joint statement in which they state
that without President Wilson’s assistance the
Alaska bill could not have passed. The statement
expresses lasting obligqtions to the members of
Congress who led the fight for the measure and those
who supported it. Copies of the statement will be
engrossed and sent to Representative Underwood, of
Alabama, Representative Mann of Illinois, Repre
sentative Murdock of Kansas, Delegate Wickersham
of Alaska, Representative Houston of Tennessee,
Senator Pittman of Nevada and Senator Chamber
lain of Oregon. The statement is signed by the
entire delegation of the Seattle Chamber of
Commerce.
To Open Coal Fields
WASHINGTON, D. C., Feb. 17.—Tie House
land committee today began the hearing on the
bill introduced by Representative Ferris, of Okla
homa, providing for the opening of the Alaska coal
lands. The bill, among other things, provides for
a reservation by the government of 5020 acres of
coal land in the Bering river coal fields and 7680
acres in the Matanuska fields. This reserved
government coal land would be placed under the
president’s discretion. Coal could be mined from
these reservations for the government works in
connection with the construction and operation of
the proposed government owned railroad in Alaska,
for the use of the navy in the Pacific and at the same
time would serve as a check against any monopoly
being created.
WASHINGTON, D. C., Feb. 17.—Secretary
Lane, of the department of interior, appeared before
the House land committee which is considering the
Ferris bill authorizing leasing of coal lands in
Alaska. The secretary declared that the withdrawal
of tlie coal lands of Alaska had been a cruelty to the
people of the territory and that some plan should
be adopted at once which would restore them and
permit of their being developed. He said: “Alaska
has been hampered long enough. While theorists
have been discussing what should be done with the
resources of the territory the population of the terri
tory has been dwindling and many industries have
been ruined. We want to make Alaska our own
country by building a government owned railroad.
If we permit private capital to construct and
operate the railroads it will be the same as in Cali
fornia where the Southern Pacific railroad prac
tically controlled transportation and retarded the
develojunent of the country. The people of the
Pacific coast want the government to place Alaska
coal at their disposal in order that their industries
may be increased by cheaper and better fuel. The
withdrawal of the coal lands of Alaska, without
speedy settlement of the controversy, has been a
cruelty to the people of the north. They have been
forced to pay exorbitant prices for foreign coal and
many of them have been financially ruined.
Will Build Branches
SEATTLE, Feb. lfi.—R. W. Baxter, president
of the Alaska Steamship Company and vice-presi
dent of the Copper River & Northwestern Railroad
Company, believes the Alaska railroad bill will pass
the House and become a law. In an interview
published this morning he announces that the
Alaska Syndicate is fully prepared financially to
undertake many enterprises which will call for an
expenditure running up into the millions of dollars.
As soon as the railroad bill is passed the Alaska
Steamship Company will add several new steamers
to their service. In addition to maintaining their
regular service along the coast of Shutheastern
Alaska a service via the outside passage will be
established. It is also announced that the Copper
River & Northwestern Railroad Company will
spend $1*000,000 in building branch roads to act as
feeders for the railroad from the different mining
sections i& the interior.
With the passage of favorable legislation
providing for the opening and development of the
coal fields the Copper River & Northwestern Rail
road Company is prepared to begin the construction
of a railroad to tap the Bering River coal fields at
once. —
Aids to Navigation
WASHINGTON, D. C., Feb. 13.—Secretary
Redfield, of the department of commerce addressed
the delegates to the second annual meeting of the
Chamber of Commerce of the United States of
America, at the Lincoln memorial banquet at the
New Willard Hotel last night. He announced that
as Alaska was the principal topic of the country at
the present time he would take that as his subject.
Secretary Redfield declared that the Alaska railroad
project was a fine thing and should be carried
through to success. “But is usefulness can never
be fully realized until, the paters of the Alaskan
coast are made safe for shipping," be declared.
“Our coast has not been made nearly as safe as the
waters of our neighbor to the north, British
Columbia. Additional appropriations have been
asked for lighthouses and to provide for a survey
of the waters along the coast to rev.eal hidden pin
nacles which are constantly taking toll of life and
heavy losses to shippers. Alaskan commerce can
not reach its fullest development under present
conditions."
Secretary Redfield stated that in addition to
erecting more ligthouses and making a survey of
the waters lighthouse tenders were required which
should be equipped with wireles*
Late Telegraph
VALDEZ, Feb. 19.—The most
disastrous snowslide in the history
of this section took place yesterday
afternoon at 2 o'clock in which Mr.
and Mrs. Bergland and their son lost
their lives, and several others had
narrow escapes. The snowslide
took place at the northern end of
Keystone canyon.
The Berglunds were caught near
the center of the snowslide and
were buried under a mountain of
snow. Corporal Simmons, with a
party of Signal Corps men, were
also caught near the edge of the
slide and had a very narrow escape.
They lost a horse and their outfit
but succeeded in rescuing one man
in a very serious condition.
The news of the disaster was
telephoned in from Wortman's and
Lieut. Dougherty, Signal Corps, In
charge of the First section, immedi
ately left for the scene with a re
lief expedition and surgeon. Fifty
men, working with lanterns, have
spent the night shoveling snow and
have succeeded in digging out one
body but the other two have not
been located. Three horses were
carried down by the slide and lost.
The rescue work is attended with
danger as the mild weather has
caused the heavy fall of snow to
loosen and slides are echoeing from
the mountains in all directions. The
tragedy has cast a gloom over the
entire community.
SEATTLE, Feb. 19.—The defend
ants in the Munday-Shiels coal
cases wer'i acquitted by the jury
late yesterday afternoon. The case
has occupied wide attention and
has cost the government thousands
of dollars. During the trial it has
been shown that the absurd restric
tions placed on the Alaska coal
lands by the agents of the forestry
service under Gifford Pinchot, has
retarded the country and ruined
many men who had placed their con
fidence in the fairness of the gov
ernment.
WASHINGTON, D. C„ Feb. 19.—
Senator Bristow, in a speech on the
floor of the Senate today charged
that “the greed of railroads and the
auspicious claims of Great Britain
seem far more potent with our presi
dent than any appeal from the
womanhood of the nation.
EL PASO, Feb. 19.—Castillo,
leader of the bandits who were re
sponsible for the Cumbre tunnel
tragedy, whereby 41 Mexicans and
nine Americans lost their lives, has
been captured with six of his fol
lowers by American troops near
Hachita, New Mexico. The prisoners
will be brought to this place for
trial. 4
LOS ANGELES, Feb. 19.—The
entire country is flooded as a re
sult of eight inches of rainfall dur
ing the past 32 hours. Business in
five counties surrounding this city
has been demoralized by the inter
ruption of traffic. The loss of prop
erty in this city is estimated to run
into the millions of dollars. Prac
tically every basement in the down
town business district was tilled.
The water in the Btreets was knee
deep. No fatalities have been re
ported but many railroad bridges
have been washed out or undermined
and left unsafe.
SANTA BARBARA, Cal., Feb. 19.
—Mrs. Robert Louis Stevenson,
widow of the famous American
author, died at her home here
this morning.
SEATTLE, Feb. 18.—John Zug,
government engineer of the Alaska
Road Commission in the Fairbanks
district, was run down by an un
known autoist last night and is in a
hospital. It is believed he has sus
tained fatal injuries. Zug was hit
while crossing the street, but the
car disappeared without pausing
to learn the result of its victim's
injuries. He was recognized by
official papers on his person.
WASHINGTON, D. C., Feb. 18.—
President Wilson gave a state din
ner last night at the White House
in honor of Champ Clark, speaker
of the House.