Colonel Ohlson. It is a very serious situation. (P. 9, par. 2, Supplemental National Defense Appropriation, 1941, and Report to Accompany, H. R. 4124.)"

General Moore's only statement before the House committee after hearing the testimony is quoted on page 246 of hearings.

"General MOORE. Mr. Chairman, I would like to make one statement with reference to this testimony that has just been given. We are concerned in the safety of supply in Alaska, and the continuation of the safety of supply in Alaska, and the continuation of the safety of such supply and that is our entire interest.

"Mr. WOODRUM. The War Department, as I understand it, is very much interested in that project?

"General MOORE. In the safety of supply; yes, sir.

"Mr. WOODRUM. Supply and reinforcement?

"General MOORE. Yes, sir (p. 246 of hearings)."

II. Col. Otto F. Ohlson, general manager of The Alaskan Railroad, in presenting his testimony before the committee (Statement of Facts, a, b, and c, p. 1 of brief) as to sabotage, total cost for construction of new railroad and savings to Government, is confronted with the testimony of Delegate Dimond, of Alaska, page 307, who is familiar with the facts by the following statement.

66 * ** Mr. DIMOND. I have two suggestions to make. The fact is that by the expenditure of considerable less than $5,300,000 set up in the Budget estimate. In fact, by the expenditure of about $1,300,000 it would be possible instead of using the present high wooden trestles and wooden bridges to put in earth and rock fill and steel bridges and that part of the line would be substantially as safe as the proposed line going into Portage Bay.

"Incidentally, in building into Portage Bay from mile 64 it is necessary to drive two tunnels, one nearly 21⁄2 miles long and the other less than a mile long, and I suggest to the committee that if sabotage is attempted it might easily be attempted in one or both of the tunnels which would tie up the road as completely as the destruction of the wooden structures which now exist on the railroad (p. 307, hearings).

66 *

*

* I am intimately familiar with this matter and I am presenting this with the hope that this line now running into Seward will be rehabilitated which can be done at not over half the expense of building into Portage Bay, and when it is rehabilitated it will be as safe as the other line would be (p. 308)."

Delegate Dimond is supported in his contention by Mr. Johnson, engineer of Seward, Alaska, the mayor, councilmen, and leading citizens who are thoroughly familiar with the terrain of the present and the proposed railroad sites.

Mr. Johnson has pointed out in page A-1319, Congressional Record of March 19: "It is true that the original cost of construction of that part of the road between Seward and mile 64 was considerable, because a large portion of that work was in solid rock. But the construction is now in and will last indefinitely, and the only thing needed to make all of the line safe is to provide earth and rock fills for the present wooden structures in that area."

If, as General Moore has previously stated, "We are concerned in the safety of supply in Alaska," and Mr. Ohlson, in his testimony that it will take 2 years or longer to construct the new railroad, then in case of an emergency, as General Marshall has pointed out, if sabotage was resorted to in destroying the trestle of the old road which is the only avenue to carry supplies to Anchorage and Fairbanks. If such old railroad is not repaired at this time, and until repaired placed under military guard, how is it possible to protect the safety of supply into Alaska for the next 2 or 3 years unless some adequate remedy and appropriation is forthcoming to correct the trestle condition of the only railroad into the interior, and if necessary construct a highway as an additional guarantee of safey for supply by building a road 36 miles from a point 66 miles north of Seward at Turnagain Arm into Anchorage,thus insuring adequate protection for supply in case the appropriation of the $5,300,000 is approved, which Mr. Ohlson admits will not cover the cost of the new town site at Portage Bay in case the Seward terminus is abandoned.

As Mr. Johnson has stated, "The total cost of rehabilitating the present line of the railroad between Seward and mile 64, including a span at Snow River, and the making of fills in the Loop District so as to eliminate all trestle and wooden bridges would not exceed $1,400,000."

Mr. Johnson further states that should the present railroad be abandoned $18,000,000 would be lost to the Government and private citizens of the Kenai Peninsula.

CONCLUSIONS

I. If the present appropriation of $5,300,000 for construction of a new railroad 14 miles in length and change the seaboard terminus of that railroad from the city of Seward, Alaska, to a point at the head of Passage Canal known as the Portage Bay project of the Alaskan Railroad is approved by the Congress, three factors should be considered.

(1) The time stated to construct such a railroad will require 2 or more years at a cost claimed by engineers and Alaskan citizens and Delegate Dimond to be ten to twelve million dollars instead of $5,300,000.

(2) Unless an additional $1,400,000 is appropriated to rehabilitate the present line of railroad between Seward and mile 64 the danger of sabotage to the railroad for 2 or more years is present and in case rock fills are not made to alleviate fire hazards to trestles, the purpose of the appropriation of $5,300,000 as claimed by the War Department does not protect the Army in safety of supplies from tidewater to Anchorage and Fairbanks which also is in accordance with Mr. Ohlson's statement one of the proponents of this measure.

(3) To guarantee full protection while repairs are being made to the present section of the Alaskan Railroad from Seward to mile 64 a highway should be constructed from a point 66 miles north of Seward at Turnagain Arm into Anchorage (Army base) for if an emergency should arise in the immediate future and the trestles should be destroyed on the present railroad such highway would be the only means of ingress and egress to the interior from tidewater.

(4) In conclusion, Mr. Johnson again is in conflict with the testimony of Colonel Ohlson as to the wash-outs which can be eliminated by putting in steel spans at Snow River and other points on the old railroad and removing the pile trestles. These trestles catch all the debris and back up the water from freshets which cause lakes behind the fills and cause wash-outs. Respectfully submitted.

BROOKS COVINGTON JOHNSON,

Civil Engineer and Diploma from Western Society of Engineers,
Seward, Alaska.

RELOCATION OF PART OF ALASKA RAILROAD

STATEMENT OF BROOKS C. JOHNSON, OF SEWARD, ALASKA

Senator ADAMS. Where is your home?

Mr. JOHNSON. My home is in Seward, Alaska.

Senator ADAMS. All right, sir. Please tell us your view of this situation.

CONDITION OF TRESTLES

Mr. JOHNSON. Regarding the trestles in the loop district, there is one trestle there that is very dangerous. It is right at the end of a tunnel. Senator ADAMS. That is on the present road?

Mr. JOHNSON. On the present road; yes, sir. This trestle can be filled. The present road is of rock construction, most of it, solid bottom; and in that loop district there are several other small trestles. There is one trestle of medium size.

Here is a photograph of that country, taken in the wintertime, to show up the trestles, if you care to see it.

Senator ADAMS. Yes.

(The photograph was exhibited to the subcommittee.)

RELOCATION WILL SHORTEN ROAD

Senator ADAMS. What have you to say about the statement Colonel Ohlson made about shortening the distance?

Mr. JOHNSON. It will shorten the distance; yes, sir. He referred to two tunnels, one about 211⁄2 miles long and one a little less than a mile

long. In the investigation held before the House committee, Congressman Snyder said on a trip he made over the line with Colonel Ohlson there was a wet tunnel that they had to keep heated up to keep it thawed out during the winter months. Those two long tunnels are adjacent to glaciers. The country is faulty. There is seepage. There is no question in my mind but that they will freeze; and you cannot maintain ventilation in a tunnel of that length and keep heat in it to keep it from freezing.

LOCATION OF PROPOSED SITE

Here is a picture of Portage Bay that will show you the location of the proposed site. The wind was blowing so hard when this photograph was taken-between 70 and 80 miles an hour-that this fine snow was coming off the glaciers. This is the location of the town. They tell me that when Colonel Ohlson first went there in a Coast Guard boat, they could not get in there, and they had to return without seeing it. They had to make a second trip on account of the storm. We have here a telegram from Seward that I should like to put in. (The telegram referred to was read to the subcommittee, as follows:)

Delegate A. J. DIMOND,

House Office Building:

SEWARD, ALASKA, March 25, 1941.

Portage Bay (local name for Passage Canal) being grossly misrepresented as harbor terminus and town site. After one season observation Ohlson contradicting findings three previous competent surveys-two by Navy, one by Army. There is no anchorage, no town site, no soil, no back country, no road outlet for residents, and lousy climate. Affidavits in mail showing field ice and bergs in bay. Many winters' winds make handling vessels treacherous without tugs. Interior Department's plea expense operation false argument. Dangerous road is Portage to Anchorage. Defense proposition false. Portage not ice free. Roads already proposed solve defense necessities. Time big factor. Defense and Army now planning improvement wharf terminus at Seward and defense this harbor. Cook Inlet additional summer terminus emergency. Property sold Seward and Anchorage by Government high prices on promise permanence and development; neither permitted. What price Government promises? Seward requests you make personal appeal President now. Consideration Seward residents' loss property value recommended by House false promise unless machinery for execution included in original bill. Accompanying funds are for Johnson,

Senator ADAMS. Who is Mr. Dahl?

O. V. DAHL.

Mr. JOHNSON. He is the owner of the Seward Hotel, in Seward.
Senator ADAMS. To whom does he send the telegram?

Mr. JOHNSON. To our Delegate, Mr. Diamond.

GLACIERS IN PROXIMITY OF PORTAGE BAY

Senator ADAMS. Referring to this picture of the bay, is that a mountain coming down there, snow-covered, or a glacier?

Mr. JOHNSON. There is just the peak of a mountain there, Mr. Chairman.

Senator ADAMS. Over here to the right?

Mr. JOHNSON. The top of the mountain. That is all fine snow in the air. You cannot see the glacier. There are glaciers on both sides. Senator ADAMS. There is a glacier at this place, also, at Seward?

Mr. JOHNSON. There is a glacier above Seward, yes, sir; but that is taken care of by the Government's putting in a diversion tunnel which carries the water away from Seward into Resurrection Bay.

CAUSE OF WASH-OUTS

Referring to the question of there being a lot of wash-outs in this territory, a great many of these can be avoided by putting in steel spans. The debris comes down and lodges against pile trestles and creates a dam; the water rises in the lake, and the water comes over the fills and washes them out.

There is another question there. The Colonel just said that in the next 2 or 3 years, or less than that, this track would have to be all rehabilitated. The question in my mind is, if it is a matter of emergency, what are we going to do about maintaining these fills until we get this other project through? Certainly that one high trestle is not going to last 3 more years. I believe it is about 20 years old now, is it not, Colonel?

Mr. OHLSON. It will last 2 or 3 years longer-until the project is completed.

TIME REQUIRED TO COMPLETE CHANGE

Senator ADAMS. How long will it take to build the new road?
Mr. OHLSON. Between 18 and 20 months, sir.

Mr. JOHNSON. There must be added to that 3 or 4 months for bids and for getting materials up there. You will have to lay tracks to these tunnels. I think from 212 to 3 years is a good estimate. Senator BYRNES. For 14 miles of track?

Mr. JOHNSON. There are two long tunnels to build.
Senator ADAMS. There is one tunnel 13,000 feet long.

Mr. JOHNSON. You have to figure that you are going to run into difficult conditions there. No test holes have been put down there to find out what you have. There are liable to be glacier fingers and water pockets. I am an engineer. I have been in this game for 35 years in railroad construction, tunnel building, and all that, and think I have had plenty of experience.

Senator ADAMS. You say there have been no test holes and no drilling on the site of the tunnel?

Mr. JOHNSON. I have not heard of any; no, sir. There was a question of doing it when I was up there, but they had not done it. Senator ADAMS. How about it, Colonel Ohlson?

GLACIERS WILL NOT INTERFERE WITH TUNNELS

Mr. OHLSON. There have been engineer and Geological Survey studies of those two ridges between Portage Bay or Passage Canal and mile 66, and there is no question but that there is no difficulty whatsoever.

As to Mr. Johnson's remark about the tunnels having to be driven in close proximity to an enormous glacier, I will say that there are no glaciers in close proximity that will interfere with the tunnels in any way; and we do not anticipate that it will be necessary to heat the tunnels, as there is no evidence of any seepage in any of the ridges through which the tunnels will run.

Regarding the statement made by Mr. Johnson to the effect that Mr. Snyder had made a remark that it is necessary to heat one of the tunnels on The Alaska Railroad, that refers to a tunnel which is located at approximately mile 50 on the present railroad. It is necessary to heat that tunnel during the winter months only, because of seepage there; but that condition will not obtain in the two ridges that we propose to put bores through on this route.

Senator ADAMS. Referring to this photograph, were the contractors who built this road paid by the mile? Did they make money by seeing how long they could build the road? It seems to be looping and looping.

Mr. OHLSON. Do you mean the old road?

Senator ADAMS. I do not know. There is a photograph here showing a couple of loops, and I was wondering what induced the contractor to make them.

Mr. JOHNSON. That is to cut down the grade.

Mr. OHLSON. And that is a condition that we will eliminate entirely.

Senator ADAMS. How high does the road go? What is the altitude?

Mr. JOHNSON. The altitude at that point is about 1,000 feet where the loop leads up.

Senator ADAMS. What altitude is crossed in getting over to Fairbanks?

Mr. JOHNSON. The highest point on that road is 2,600 feet. That is north of Anchorage, north of Broad Pass.

PRESENT ROAD CAN BE IMPROVED

Senator ADAMS. Is it your opinion that the thing to do is to improve the present road, and not build a new one?

Mr. JOHNSON. Absolutely. I think the present road would have to be improved anyway, to carry it through until the other project is put in.

HAZARDS OF SABOTAGE

Senator ADAMS. What about the hazards of sabotage?

Mr. JOHNSON. The hazard of sabotage is now just as much present as it will be at any time. The rock fills will do away with that.

METHOD OF IMPROVING PRESENT ROAD

Senator ADAMS. That is, you would recommend putting rock fills where the trestles are now?

Mr. JOHNSON. Yes. You can put in a concrete culvert and fill around it with rock. On the high trestle you will have to build a bulkhead below, to stop the rock until the fill is in, on account of the slope of the hill.

Senator NYE. What is the prospect of accomplishing entry to the new terminus of the railroad, by comparison with the opportunities that now prevail?