Senator DILLINGHAM. If you will allow me just a moment; when we were there and Judge Wickersham was holding court at Rampart, Judge Mackenzie (who was the commissioner at Colford, I believe), came down and settled his accounts. He came 900 miles, and was twenty-nine days in making the journey.

Mr. WICKERSHAM. He came from away up above the Arctic Circle. Senator DILLINGHAM. But he followed the trails.

Mr. WICKERSHAM. Now, gentlemen, I think I have said all I want to say to you about this matter. I am most earnest in objecting to the passage of this bill.

The CHAIRMAN. Before you go, there is one remark I want to make as chairman of the committee concerning the fish law that was referred to this morning, and the abolition of those taxes.

Senator HUGHES. And the cannery matter.

The CHAIRMAN. A great many of us on this committee were surprised at the statement that was made, and we at once looked it up. It turns out that it never went through this committee at all.

Mr. WICKERSHAM. No; I know it did not.

The CHAIRMAN. It went through the Committee on Fisheries.
Mr. WICKERSHAM. I looked that all up, Senator.

The CHAIRMAN. In regard to the building of the so-called Guggenheim roads, if I remember rightly-I am sure that other members here do there was an application for several franchises before this committee, and among them that one. It was not favorably acted upon by the committee, however; and I think that road has since been built under the provisions of some general law.

Mr. WICKERSHAM. Yes.

The CHAIRMAN. This committee was not concerned in either of those matters. They never went through this committee. That is all. Mr. WICKERSHAM. But the people are concerned. They are especially concerned in this bill, because if this bill passes the Guggenheims will have advantages which they can not possibly get in any other way, and which they could not get if the people of Alaska had a local legislature and any chance to legislate upon these matters themselves. It is not, Senator, that the people of Alaska do not want the Guggenheims to build that road, for we do want them to build it. I have been out over their road from Cordova up to the Copper River, and they are building a magnificent road. We want them to build that road. We want them to develop the country. We want the coal mines and the copper mines opened. We want them developed. But we do not want the whole country turned over to one great corporation merely to get it developed.

The CHAIRMAN. Of course no one here wants to interrupt the course of your remarks, Judge Wickersham. If you are through, we merely wish to have it understood that your statement concerning this proposed legislation-which is, as you have correctly stated, really the President's plan-that it would in any sense turn this country or any advantages in it over to the Guggenheims or any other interests, is not correct, but quite the reverse, according to the views of other people.

We are very much obliged to you, Judge, if that is all you have to say.

Mr. WICKERSHAM. If this bill should pass, I think, of course, that the reverse would be true.

The CHAIRMAN. There are differences of opinion upon that matter. Mr. WICKERSHAM. You would have the people of Alaska bound hand and foot and the national resources of the Territory in the hands of a few people. I beg the committee not to pass it. The CHAIRMAN. We are very much obliged to you.

STATEMENT OF MAJ. W. P. RICHARDSON, U. S. ARMY.

The CHAIRMAN. We shall be very glad to hear any statement you have to make, Major Richardson. By way of introduction, I shall ask you to state your name and position in the United States Army.

Major RICHARDSON. I am a major of infantry, United States Army. The CHAIRMAN. How long have you been in the service, Major Richardson?

Major RICHARDSON. I graduated from West Point in 1884.

The CHAIRMAN. What was your first detail to Alaska?

Major RICHARDSON. As an assistant to Capt. (now retired Gen.) P. H. Ray, to investigate conditions in Alaska, in 1897. The CHAIRMAN. In 1897?

Major RICHARDSON. In 1897.

The CHAIRMAN. Who detailed you there?

Major RICHARDSON. The Secretary of War detailed Captain Ray and authorized him to select a lieutenant to accompany him. He asked me to go with him.

The CHAIRMAN. How long did you spend there in that service at that time?

Major RICHARDSON. About twenty-five months.

The CHAIRMAN. Where were you then detailed?

Major RICHARDSON. About three months after my return to the States I was detailed as adjutant-general of the Department of Alaska, commanded by Gen. George M. Randall (now retired), and returned to Alaska the following June.

The CHAIRMAN. What was your next detail that put you in Alaska, physically?

Major RICHARDSON. Two years after that, during the second fall, I came back. The following summer, 1902, I was detailed to build an army post at Haines Mission, near Skagway, which work occupied me for two years and three or four months.

The CHAIRMAN. Go ahead and state your services under detail from the department from that time to this.

Major RICHARDSON. In January, 1905, I was ordered here to close my accounts. After about three months here I was detailed to take charge of the Board of Road Commissioners for Alaska which was provided for in a law of Congress approved January 27, 1905. I left Washington in March to take up that work, and I have been on it ever since.

The CHAIRMAN. So that beginning with 1897 you have been either detailed in Alaska physically or else in charge of that military district?

Major RICHARDSON. Yes; except for about a month, I have had no other duty for twelve years and a half.

The CHAIRMAN. You are, of course, very familiar with the country?

1

Major RICHARDSON. I am fairly so, I think; yes, sir.

The CHAIRMAN. You have been pretty well over it?

Major RICHARDSON. I have been over all the traveled sections and some of them that are not much traveled.

The CHAIRMAN. How many white people should you say there are in Alaska?

Major RICHARDSON. The last census gave a little over 30,000, if I remember correctly; and it is my opinion that there are fewer people there now than there were in Alaska in 1900.

The CHAIRMAN. Fewer now than then?

Major RICHARDSON. Fewer now. There are reasons for that, perhaps; but I do not know whether the committee would care to hear them.

Senator CLARKE, of Arkansas. Oh, yes.

Major RICHARDSON. There was, of course, great excitement and a rush to the country on account of this remarkable discovery of gold, and conditions were very bad in the States at that time. Later on conditions improved, giving employment to men here in the States under more favorable conditions at good wages. Then a strike of gold was made in Nevada which attracted the mining part of our population, and those causes operated to stop the movement of people to Alaska temporarily. Many were disappointed, of course, and found conditions there very hard and became discouraged and returned to the States. The country has progressed, however, and the population has changed in character considerably. It is more stable; people have comfortable homes; there is a different kind of freight going in-furniture and the comforts of life. There are a great many children, the people have schools, and in the small towns they are quite comfortable. So the character of the population is different from what it was for two or three or four years, when it was nearly all men.

The CHAIRMAN. What is the fact, Major, about the ease or difficulty of transportation between the settled portions of the Territory-as, for instance, getting up to the Tanana district and the Nome district from the Juneau district?

Major RICHARDSON. Alaska has a remarkable system of waterways, both in southeastern Alaska in the inland channels and also in the rivers of the interior, but away from the waterways it is the most difficult country to travel over that you can imagine anywhere in the world. A considerable amount of it is broken and rugged. The valleys are generally covered with thick undergrowth and brush. There are deep snows in winter, and in summer the ground is permanently frozen underneath. The moisture can not sink down, and there is a condition of marsh and swamp over all the valleys and the flat section of the country, so that it is almost impossible to traverse the country without some way being provided-a trail, or a road, or some sort of passable route.

The CHAIRMAN. And it is in the building of these trails and roads that you are now engaged, under detail?

Major RICHARDSON. Yes, sir.

The CHAIRMAN. Since you were detailed to be in charge of that work in Alaska, how do you happen to be here? By direction of the department, or how?

Major RICHARDSON. By order of the Secretary of War.

The CHAIRMAN. That is how you are here now?

Major RICHARDSON. Yes, sir. At the beginning of my work, the first year, I reported to the Secretary of War that the fund accruing from the Alaska tax, under which we were working, was so small that it would be a long time before any appreciable results could be accomplished; and I stated that the available money was so inadequate that I would be glad to come to Washington, at my own expense, to lay the facts before the Secretary of War and before the proper committees of Congress.

The CHAIRMAN. Respecting the matter of transportation?

Major RICHARDSON. Yes, sir. The answer to that was a telegraphic order to come to Washington. Each year since then I have been ordered by the Secretary to report to Washington in order to go before the committees and represent the needs of Alaska in respect to my work. I have been appearing before the Military Committees of the House and Senate.

The CHAIRMAN. Have you, Major Richardson, in any way, directly or indirectly, represented or worked for any interest except the interests of the United States Government?

Major RICHARDSON. I have not, sir.

The CHAIRMAN. Have you ever had (and in your answer state it as fully as you like; I am putting the questions so as to bring the matter more clearly to your attention) any connection or relation of any kind whatever, directly or indirectly, with either what are known as the "Guggenheim interests," or any other commercial interests, or any other interests whatever?

Major RICHARDSON. None whatever, sir: except personal acquaintanceship with some of the personnel.

The CHAIRMAN. What do you mean by that? The people representing those interests who are in Alaska and whom you met during your service there?

Major RICHARDSON. Yes, sir. I should like to state

The CHAIRMAN. I will ask you just one question further, and then, if you have anything more to say, or if the committee has anything to ask, go ahead. Has any person connected with any interest of any kind, directly or indirectly, made any suggestions to you respecting their interests or the advancement of them?

Major RICHARDSON. Oh, yes, sir. Some interests up there have asked me to aid them; and where I could, I have not hesitated to do so.

The CHAIRMAN. Aid them in what way?

Major RICHARDSON. In recommendations-as, for instance, in regard to the transportation of supplies up the Yukon River from St. Michael by boat. It is a very dangerous passage around the outside of the island of St. Michael. There is a little canal that passes behind the island, which needs some improvement to make the passage of that route safe. I think the Senators are familiar with that.

Senator DILLINGHAM. We made a special report on that project. recommending it.

Major RICHARDSON. And the commercial transportation interests have asked me to go before the board of engineers on the subject to state the condition, and I shall be glad to do it.

The CHAIRMAN. That is, the steamboat companies on the Yukon? Major RICHARDSON. Yes, sir.

The CHAIRMAN. I did not have any reference to that, but more especially to interests asking you or suggesting to you in any way, shape, or form that you (I have forgotten the words used here yesterday) should represent them or help them in any way?

Major RICHARDSON. No, sir; none whatever-in no way outside of my official capacity, as an officer representing the Government there. I have not been asked or approached by anyone in that way. By no corporation or other interest in that country have I ever been approached or asked to aid them in any way except in the matter of official recommendations relating to things which were of apparent benefit to the Territory. Naturally, Senator, having been in that country for many years, a great many people come to me and discuss things pertaining to Alaska and ask me what I think about them, and ask me if I can aid them or recommend something or other. If I think I can, consistently with my duty, I do so. If I do not, of course, I say I can not. But so far as engaging in any personal way is concerned, I never have had any relation of that kind, nor has anyone ever approached me in that way. I think my character is well enough known in that country to prevent such a suggestion ever being made to me.

The CHAIRMAN. You may make any further statement you wish; or if any other member of the committee has any questions, I should be glad to have him ask them.

Senator NELSON. If Major Richardson will allow me to interrupt him there, I want to say that he has been of great assistance in getting special appropriations from the Military Committee for this road fund. How much have we gotten in all since we took up that work, Major?

Major RICHARDSON. A million dollars, Senator.

Senator NELSON. I mean outside of this Alaska fund?

Major RICHARDSON. Yes, sir; a million dollars.

Senator NELSON. We have gotten a million dollars in direct appropriations?

Major RICHARDSON. Yes, sir.

Senator NELSON. And that has been done largely because Major Richardson has been down here and explained the conditions to the War Department, and has himself appeared before the committees of both Houses. Since that act was passed, in 1905, the Alaska fund would have been but a trifle-it was passed in 1905, was it not? Major RICHARDSON. Yes, sir.

Senator DILLINGHAM. That, Senator Nelson, was directly in accordance with the recommendation that we made after you were there. Senator NELSON. Oh, yes; certainly. I appeared once or twice with Major Richardson before the Senate committee, and the Major has looked after the matter before the House committee. But for his efforts we never should have secured that appropriation for the road and bridge and trail fund, which I regard as one of the most vital needs of Alaska.

Senator DILLINGHAM. The committee ought to understand that five years ago there was not a highway in Alaska.

Senator NELSON. That is true.

Senator KEAN. About how many miles of road and trail have been built. Major Richardson?