REPORT OF THE ALASKA ADVISORY COMMITTEE
S«6«nd lastailmiRt
(Continued from Inst issue)
Concentration and Coordination of
Fadoral Control
Nearly all of Alaska's resources uro
directly or Indirectly controlled by the
Federal Government. Vbout 99 t»er
»ent of the land Is still in Government
ownership. The development of cot:I
and oil deposits Is under Government
leases. Water powers and fisheries;
are under Federal control, and nearly
all Alaska timber is In Government
ownership.
The federal control of Alaska's re*
sources is vested in a number of bu
reaus and departments. Rules and
icgulations relating: to Alaska affairs,
under the existing: statutes, must be
made by Washington authorities, who
are also In large measure directly
charged with their execution. This
long-distance administration has been
a serious handicap to the development
of Alaakn. In many instances regu
lations have been made which did not
meet the local requirements, and un
just decisions rendered because those
making them were not familiar with
local conditions. This situation has
worked a particular hardship on the
operator with small capital who eould
not afford to make the long Journey to
present his argument in person to the
Washington authorities.
Owing to the divided authority and
the limitations placed bv statutes and
appropriations, there has also been a
kick of cooidination between various
Alaska federal activities. For example
there are four different federal bureaus
who have funds for construction of
wagon roads In Alnhkn, In addition to
the grants made by the Territorial
government. So fifr as possible this
situation has been met by cooperation
between the several agencies Involved.
Again, the duty of enforcement of]
game laws is shared by the Governorj
of Alaska ft'*.d the departments of Com
merce and Agricultu-ti. Tj iin-l
prove these conditions the Committee!
recommends that: —
1. The passage of an act providing!
for an Alaska Development Hoard, I
located In Alaska. .ind^aitU^priged tp
administer the federU laws relative t«*
public lands, leases, w.r: t V'>v/eit»,
fishe-ies, railroad construction and op* I
cation, and wagon-road construction.
2. That the Alaska Development
Board should not take over the purely
Investigative work in Alaska forming aj
part of the activities of the large fed
eral scientific organizations. This, be-1
cause such investigations as, for ex
ample, those of the Geological Survey,
Coast Survey. Weather Bn-onu, and of
other scientific bureaus, can best and
most economically be carried on by1
the existing agencies. I
Mr. Sherman, representing the De
partment of Agriculture, refrained1
from joining In the above two recom-1
mendutlons. On May 24 the Secretary
of Agriculture addressed a letter to
the Departments of War, Interior. I^a
hor, and Commerce, suggesting that
any comprehensive legislation for the
reorganisation of the administration of
national property and Interests in Al
aska should be based upon a joint con
sideration of the departments concern
ed. Since the matter is therefore un-;
der inter-departmental consideration {
at .the. request of the Department of
Atfflcuiture, Mr. Sherman did n&t feel I
authorised or qualified to give advice
in the premises.
Pending the congressional authori
zation for. an Alaska Development
Board and ns .a temporary 'expedient,
the Committee further recomends:
1. ‘ That an Inter-Departmental Al
aska Committee be organised, to be
composed of representatives of all
Government departments concerned, in
ACuka'affairs. Also that the Gover
nor of Alaska be made an ex-ofl|cIo
member of thin Committee.
2. That an additional Assistant
Secretary of theJqtyrlor Department
be appointed wlio shall be Chairman
of the Committee a»d shall devote pH
his time to Alaska affairs.
l. That the Chairman of the Com
mittee shall spend a large part of his
tline in AiaaKaand thus by personal
contact become intimately acquainted
with Alaska conditions.
Waton Raid- And Tenll..
. <i>it h>«
»traction of wagon roods and trait, la
•no of tin moat Important and urgent
naada of Alaska. Without the con.
roads and trails tha raaoufcas nf. the
Territory cannot ho made available.
NothlM will contribute
railroad than a
wacon rodda. The
»• ^
■«nrn.
’< .hot Sf#t»,l'<0« ,v*p
AS TO WHAT IMMEDIATE STEPS CAN BE
TAKEN TO 8ETTEB CONDITIONS
IN ALASKA
maintained by the Federal govern
2. The construction and mainten
ance of local roads and trails be left
to the Territory:
3. The systems outlined in the
above two recommendations include
the construction of properly located
trails, to be subsequently Improved in
to wagon roads, into every new dis
trjpt where promising discoveries of
miners Is 4inve been made;
4. A plan for coordination, no far
as it has not already . been done, of
the various federal road-building
agencies he prepared by the propos<-d
Inter-Departmental Alaska Com nlttee,
with the advice of federal officials resi
dent In the Territory, as well as of the
Territorial officials. That this mat
ter be relegated to the Alaska Develop
ment Hoard as soon as it is organized;
5. In acting upon the foregoing
^{commendations tlw* following road
I building projects he given conshlern
i) A wagon road f:om Alaska
'’Railroad to the Kantishna mining dis
trict. to he connected with Mt. McKin
ley National Park, and extended to
j McGrath. and to the Idltarod district;
I (b) A wagon road from Alaska
i Railroad to the Valdez Creek placer
district, to be subsequently connected'
with the Valdez-Fairbanks road;
(c) Trails, and eventually wagon
roads, connecting the Alaska Kailro...
with the copper deposits of the Tal
keetnn and other nearby disfricts;
(d) A wagon read from the Alaska
Railroad to the Yentna (Cache Creek)
district, to be later extended into the
Kuskokwim Valley;
per River Railroad into Nizlna^placer
district, and its eventual extension into
upi>er Chitlna Valley;
(f) A wagon road from the Valdez
Fairbanks road to the Chistochina
(Slate Creek) district, to be later ex
tended to Chlsana district and event
ually to tic White River, and also a
branch road connecting w.ib the F > •
ty-mile road at the Tanana River;
(g) A wagon road from Fail-bank
into Tolovana (Li veil good) district.
Later to be extended to the Yukon and
connecting with the Koyukuk road;
(h) A wagon road from Fairbanks
or Livengood to mouth of the Tanana
river, to he extended along north side
of Yukon river to Ruby;
(i) A wagon road from Fairbanks
to Circle district;
| (J) A wagon road from Yukon into
| Koyukuk and Chandalar districts;
(k) The extension of Bagle-O’Brlen
Creek road Into Fortymile district,
later to be built through to the Tanana
(l) The extension of Hot Springs
wagon road to Rampart district;
(m) The extension of Ruby-Long
Creek wagon road to McGrath;
(n) A wagon road from the North
bank of Yukon at Ruby to Nome;
(o) A wagon road from Nome to
Candle and Kewalik;
(p) A wagon road from Ilian)nn
Bay (Cook Inlet) to Iliamna Lake, to
be eventually extended to Lake Clark,
6 Congress he asked to make an
annual appropriation of not less than
r, million dollars for the construction
find maintenance of wagon roads an l
trails In Alaska.
Mining Industry
The Committee finds that there are
large undeveloped mineral resources .n
Alaska; fhat the advance of the min
ing Industry Is dependent chiefly on
(1) cheaper transportation, and (2)
construction of wagon roads and trails,
but that there Is also need of invest!
gatlons and reports on certain of its
features. The Committee recom
mends that:
1 * The Bureau of Mines make a
report on the feasibility of smelting
Alaska copper ores within the Terri
tory. This work to be done In 96
rperatlon with the Oeologlcal Sun^y
so far as may be necessary.
2. The Bureau of Mines make
investigation and report sa;
and costs of placer mining in Alt
This to be specially directed 4oww
tl^e development of methods of expkj
Lfcr‘ the fiu-fe bodies of aurlft*
gravels fa' low gold content;
Tho Committee finds that the
j^pnfil Of coal and oil fields Is of i
importance to the Territory. It tbsj
MMHlU that;
1. Every encouragement be given
to coal and oil dcvelopftnent. especially
by making the terms of leases ns lib
el al as the law allows;
- • The necessary underground ex
plorations in the Matnnuskn coal field
be prosecuted with vigor by the Gov
ernment;
3. The companies engaged in pros*
porting the Bering River coal field ba
given every encouragement to develop
coal and to the building of railroads
rocessary to its marketing;
4. The Inter-Departmental Com
mittee give immediate and earnest
consideration to the desirability of the
establishment of a coaling station for
commercial and naval uses at a port
in the Aleutian Islands most suitably
located to serve tians-Paciflc shipping
and if possible the cannery industry
of southwestern Alaska.
The Committee furthermore recom
mends that Congress he asked:
1. To increase the appropriation for
the investigation of the mineral re
sources of Alaska, as being one of
most important steps to further mining
development in the Territory and the
development of tonnage for the ra'l
2. To modify the Alaska coni
leasing law allowing a prospecting
period of | years before a lease is sign
The Committee finds that while the
Alaska petroleum leasing law is liberal
for developed fields, for those where
there are some surface indications of
petroleum, and for those that are read
ily accessible, its terms do not en
courage the search for oil in inacess
iblo wild-cat territory. The Commit
tee believes for example that to induce
capital to explore for oil in the Arctic
coast region of Alaska, where there
are some indications of its presence, a
more generous law must he enacted.
It recommends that this matter be
taken under advisement and that ap
propriate legislation he asked for.
Lumber and Wood pulp
Wood pulp an«l print paper furnish
ed one of the greatest immediate op
portunities for the profitable employ
ment of labor and capital in Alaska
Tlu* Forest Service estimates :«n ulti
mate possible annual production of
about 2,000.000 cords of pulpwocd f.-.jin
Alaska timber, yielding a newsprint
I roduction equal to one-third of our
present annual consumption. The
Tongas* National Forest (Southeast
ern Alaska) affords the best opportun
ity for immediate development, and
the Committee is informed that one bid
for 100.000,000 feet of pulp timber In
this district has been received To
encourage and hasten the development
of Alaska timber lards the Committee
recommends that
1. An Intensive campaign be made
for the ‘developm •nt of Alaska pulp
\vr-'d by laying before the pulp and
pnper manufacturers and consumers
the possibilities of the immediate de
velopment of an industry In the Terri
,•2. The surveys of the pulp-wood
timber and water powers of the com
region.>be extended;
2. A reconnaissance he made l*y the
Forest Service of timber resources of
the interior, especially with a view ,
determining whether they have value
for pulp;
4. The export of birch and Sitka
spruce timber be encouraged in every
5. The Forest Service Investigate
the possibilities of reforestation cf the
l urnt-over lands of the .nterior of A!
Water Power
The Committee finds that there aro
ext:.naive water powers in Alaska,
that the exact information about them
is exceedingly meager. .These water
powers are important to the develop
ment of the mining, cannery, and pulp
wood industries. The only Investiga
tions made of the water power are
carried on by small allotments made
from the appropriations for the inves
tigations of the mineral resources of
Alaska, thereby decreasing the funds
available for other important surveys
of mineral wealth.
The Committee therefore recoin
mends that Congress be asked for an
appropriation of 940,000 to investigate
the water resources of Alaska with
reference to their use to mining, wo oil
pulp, and other if^ustries.
i Fish arias
The data collected by the CommitUt
rclnting to the fisheries clearly indicate
that there is urgent need of legislation
i to protect the salmon industry of Alas
ka so as to prevent the depletion of
the fisheries. Also that the halihut
fisheries of Alaska and adjacent inter
national waters are seriously threat
ened with exhaustion unless steps be
taken looking to their conservation.
Tha Committee therefore endorse.
the general plans of the Department
I tion all salmon and halibut fisheries,
i tion al salmon and halibut fisheries.
The facts In hand indicate the ne
cessity of an extension of the investi
gation of tlve commercial fisheries of
Alaska, notably along Alaska Penin
sula, Aleutian Islands, and in Bering
Sea. The Committee recommends
that these investigations be vigorously
advanced by the Bureau of Fisheries
and that additional appropriations b*
| asked for if needed to carry out this
Agriculture and Grazing
in Alaska (a) large areas of farming
extensiv, reindeer pastures; also that
the Alaska Railroad. The Committee
appoint a sub-agent, qualified by Al
sitna. Tanana, and Yukon valleys, who
CM of the undeveloped a?i iciillurnl :v
I and end Industrie Department of
the commercial possibilities of devel
oping a sugar beet industry in Alaska
and. If this be practical, present a
plan for bringing this about.
3. The Agricultural Department
make an investigation oi the cummer,
cial possibilities of stock raising on
the Alaska Peninsula and on Kodiak
and other islands of southwestern Al
aska and. if this be practical, recom
mend means by which such an industry
can he developed;
4 All Alaska ocean, river, and land
transportation lines be requested to
grant special passenger rates to farm
settlers, and special freight rates on
household goods, farm impliments,
breeding stock, and fertilizer for use
of farm settlers;
5. The subdivisional surveys be ex
tended by the General I<and Office over
Alaska farming lands likely soon to be
homesteaded; the Department of Ag
riculture be requested to designate the
lands which should he co\«ered by such
surveys; and pending the extension of
the regular surveys; the General Lund
Office make the surveys of Individual
homesteads as rapidly as possible;
6. Mr. W. T. Lopp, of Bureau of
Education, make a report on the pos
sibilities of Alaska reindeer industry,
together with n detailed plan for its
development;
7. Steps be taken to transfer gov
ernment or native reindeer herds to
Broad Pass region and thus make them
tributary to the railroad;
8. The reorganisation of the ocean
transportation to provide material in
crease of cold storage capacity on ves
sels running to Alaska ports, to meet
the developments of the reirdee* in
dustry m well as that of fro/a a fl»h
The remittee /urther recommends
that the following legislation he asked
1. An extension of the Farmer’s
Loan Act to Alaska;
2. An extension of the Stock'Rais
ing Homestead Act' to Alaska, modified
to meet the conditions in the Territory
Since 1867 Alaska has produced furs
to the value of about 180,400,(Ho. of
which about 861,000.000 represents the
value of the sealskins. The value of
the Alaska furs hao increased from
8761,729. in 1818, to 92.288.170 life 1618.
Of these amounts 9(6,085, In 1*|8 and
,1924,579. in 1918 represent the value of
the fur seal killed by the Government
on Pribilof Islands.
The raising of foxes and other for
bearing animals is on the Increase in
Alaska, and promises to become a mure
Important industry. The evidence In
hand indicates that Alaska will ion
tinue to yield a valuable annual fur
product. The fur seals promise to be
a large source of annual revenue to
the Government.
Publicity
The Committee finds need for intelli
gent publicity for Alaska, and recoin
1. This should take the form of
placing before the business interests of
the country the possibilities of the in
dustrial development of the Territory.
To bring this about studies of the
various possible industries,' such as
have been recommended above, should
be made, and statements prepared cov
ering the elements entering into such
i development;
2. No effort should be made to bring
to Alaska permanent residents beyond
the capacity of the Industrial develop
ment to maintain them;
3. A public campaign should lie di
rected to the attraction of tourlsti
and pleasure seekers to Alaska.
I. The work of the Territorial pub
licity Bureau, the hnul and Industrial
Department of the Alaskan Kngineer
ing Commission, and the various fed
eral bureaus engaged in oivortislngi
Alaska, and, so far as possible, that
of private agencies such is the Scuttle
and the several Alaska chambers of
commerce, should be coordinated.
instances, however, the information is
not sufficiently complete to justify the
endorsement of such projects. The
Committee, however, feels justified in
recommending that:
1# A lighthouse be built at Cape
Spencer, near Icy Strait:
e entrance to the Kuskokwim River;
The Committee further recommends1
at Congress he asked to give in
eased appropriations for the chart-,
IT of Alaska coast line, and for aids'
navigation.
Kuskokwim Region
Certain needs of the Kuskokwim
Valley, whose Ashing and mineral re
have been laid before the Committee.
In view of the lack of complete infor
mation about this region the Com
commendations. The following mat
ters are, however, called to the atten
tion of the Inter-Departmental Com
mittee for its earnest consideration:
1. By the existing statutes the Kus
kokwim basin now lies in three differ
ent judicial districts, and it has been
pointed out that this makes the en
forcement of law both difficult and
expensive. It has been recommended
to the Committee that the Kuskokwim
basin he placed in the Second Judicial
District by a change of boundaries.
(See Nelson Bill. Sen. 4203, April 12.
2. It has been represented to tha
Committee that there is only one
deputy marshal in the entire Kusko
kwim basin. It has been recomimenu
o the Committee that a second
marshal should ho provided for thl9
3. It has been represented to the
Committee that commercial Ashing at
the mouth of the Kuskokwim River
would deplete the ralinon run to the
detrlmert of tho natives and whites
living on the upper river, and there
fore that such A-bins should be cur
tailed or prohibl‘ed An Investiga
tion of this matter by the Bureau of
K!:4ier!es would aopear to be justlAed.
4. The best route of approach to
the lower Kuakokwim Valley from the
Yukon River is by the "Portage Trail."
This crosses a swampy lowland about
2S miles wide, connecting the vaHeys
of the two rivers. The lowland is
I
i Second Installment
traversed by many streams and dotted
by numerous lakes. Travel is by boats
'along th** streams and lakes, and by
swampy trails connecting the wat. i -
ways. Mail is carried over this rout'-,
land there is considerable other travel.
It has l»eer suggested that the route
could be improved at no great expense
ujgd thus give better access to the low
er Kuskokwirn Valley.
Mail Service.
The Post Office Departin'nt has
furnished the Committee with tie fal
lowing statements with ivf.-ience to
"In 1916 there were .'>1 mail rout.-s
in the interior of Alaska, while in 19
the n inn her increased to 55. The nun
her of steamboat routes from Seat! e
to Alaska ports was 28 in 1916 and the
same in 1920, but the number of dis
patches of mail from Seattle to eight
principal ports in Alaska v as 10 to 50
per cent less in 1919 than in 1916..show
ing a great decrease* in actual sailings
from Seattle to Alaska ill 1919 ov« r
1916 Mail is sent from Seattle to
Alaska on every available sailing tint
will expedite its delivery.
“I’nder the reduced opportunities to
send the mail to Alaska, the Post
Office Department succeeded in 1919
in making 9 dispatches per month Hir
ing the summer to Ketchikan, Juneau,
and Skagway: 6 each to Petersburg.
Cordova. Valdez, and Seward; and
during the winter of 1919 7 trips per
month each to Ketchikan and Jun. au,
6 to Sewa (l• 5 to Cordova and Valdez;
• lie Post office Dcpn rtmcnt ail vises
that it is necessary to maintain irgulnr
sailings with fixed ports of call to give
Alaska a mail service commensurate
with its commercial needs, and for
such service the department has al
ways paid a rate for carrying the mai's
far in excess of the rales for freight
and express matter.
"Since Juh 1. 19IX, the Department
has not heen aide to induce either i f
the two steamship companies operating
to Alaska to make a hid for carrying
the m'ail to stated ports cf call and on
a fixed number of sailings. One of
the companies refused to hid for tin
service to cover stated points, and •
other company refused to hid on a
contract on a fixed number of sailing!.
Kach company prior to July I. Mils,
had made such contracts."
The Committee has received many
general criticisms of the Alaska m. i
service and a number of definite re
commendations for the modification of
existing mail routes.
The Committee believes that the Im
provement of ocean transportation
herein recommended will make it pos
sible to so improve the mail service as
to meet all the general criticisiit. The
information and time available to the
Committee are insufficient to justify
specific recommendations in regard to
mail routes. The Committee recom
mends that:
1. In connection with the revision
of the transportation system suggested
in this report, a rearrangement of th
I ocean mail routes he provided, to the
end that more frequent and more ex
tensive service he given Alaska:
2. The Dost Office Department con
fer with the Inter-Departmental Alas,
ka Committee for recommendations in
the selection of the most feasible
routes to meet the needs of the inland
communities.
Respectfully submitted.
ALFRED If. BROOKS Chairman.
Department of the Interior.
II V SAINT, Shipping Board,
OTTO DP.AEfJRR, Second As
sistant Postmaster General.
Department of Agriculture.
Washington. D. C.. June 11. 1920.
PROOFS OF LABOR BLANKS
ON SALE AT NUGGET OFFICE
NEXT OUTSIDE MAIL
Mail for the States will be dispatch
ed on the Str. Ketchikan. As mail
matter must now he delivered to
S'eamshtp Company within »he time
they are accepting exprest and freight,
it is advisable to deposit your mall
matter at the postoffiec^is early as pos
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