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Show RAILROADS ARE NEEDED President Urges Government Govern-ment to Build Two Lines in Alaska Washington, Feb 6. Alaska b vast resources can besl be brought within reach of the world. In the opinion of President Taft. hv the construction with government assistance of two railway lines from the Alaskan coast' i" iho interior, ownership of which shall Ipp ested in the government, but which shall he operated bjr private pri-vate parties under lease. In 8 special megsnee transmitting lo i ngress the report of the Alaskan railway commission, the president Strongly urged legislation along these lines asking that the government either guarantee the principal and interest of bonds necessary to build the roads, or else construct them "I am erv much opposed to gov- ernment operation but 1 believe that private lease under government ownership own-ership is the private solution, wrote the president "One road operated b the commission would connect Cordoa with Fairbanks, by way of Chltana, the other would link Seward with Iditarod The first would oieu up the Bring rier coal field; the oth. er the Mat?.nnska field The two, roads would hae a total mileage with branches, of 733 miles and I would cost about $36,000,000. |