GOVERNMENT OE ALASKA.                                   47
Major Richardson. We have, Senator, about 720 miles of passable wagon road. Much of it, of course, is of a character that you would call very poor country road in this country; but it is passable for wheels.
Senator Kean. You mean, we would call it that in New Jersey ?
Major Richardson. But we have 200 or 300 miles of good, country wagon road there, over which tonnage can be transported in summer. We also have several hundred miles of what we call trail. It is, of course, simply constructed for use by dog teams or pack animals. Then we have over 400 miles of what we call " winter sled roads," suitable for winter traveling; and of course all of our summer roads are used also for winter travel in addition. Besides that, we stake many hundred miles of the trail every winter for the guidance of travelers through the treeless sections.
Senator Nelson. Before this law was passed, Mr. Chairman, and before this commission was appointed, I do not think there were any roads or trails in Alaska. Perhaps the miners had made little pack trails here and there, but there was no systematic work in any direction.
Senator Kean. Then you have practically about a thousand miles of road, all told, and how many miles of trail ?
Major Richardson. About 720 miles, including all roads passable for wheels.
Senator Nelson. Summer and winter roads?
Major Richardson. Yes; summer and winter roads. In addition we have over 400 miles of what are known as " winter sled roads," which are not passable in summer. They pass over swampy and low country. Then we have about 200 miles of ordinary trail, which has not been cut wide enough for double sleds.
Senator Clarke, of Arkansas. Did you prepare the bill that is pending before the committee, Major, or were you consulted in its preparation ?
Major Richardson. I was consulted in respect to certain features, Senator.
Senator Clarke, of Arkansas. Have you another bill which you prepared, which you have in your charge, which contains a provision that when a railroad builds into a coal field it may select 5,000 acres of each coal field at the price of $10 an acre ?
Major Richardson. That bill is here, Senator. I will state that a gentleman by the name of Mr. Falcon Joslin drew up that bill and sent it to me, and asked me if I would look it over and see if I thought it was-a workable proposition. I modified it, and made a number of changes and recommendations; and finally it was embodied in the form of a bill.
Senator Clarke, of Arkansas. It is your purpose to hand that to some Member of Congress to have it introduced, is it ?
Major Richardson. No, sir.
The Chairman. To whom did you first report that bill? To the department %
Major Richardson. Mr. Joslin had delivered a copy of it to Mr. Wickersham, the Delegate from Alaska, and wanted him to introduce it.
The Chairman. Was the bill presented also to the President or the War Department or any officers there %