New Ulm weekly review. [volume] (New Ulm, Minn.) 1878-1892, 1889-05-29

BrltlSh Columbia has often been called a
sSea OF Mountains" but this long depression
offers pathway from the southern to the
northern boundary, along which road
would have to cross no great trans
verse range, but though always among
hills and rocky river courses. could keep
at low altitude and would no where
meet such obstacles as have already been
successfully overcome by the Canadian
Pacific or the Northern Pacific lines After
the upper valley of the Yukon has been
reached, upon its emergence from the
Rocky mountains where it takes it's rise, he
engineering OF a road down its course would
be comparatively simple matter, for the
river is bordered by a wide flood plain ana
terraces for the most part. From the Idaho
boundary (forty ninth paraleD to the mouth
OF the Yukon in Norton sound is about 900
miles, measured along the course Indicated
above. At Norton sound a good harbor is
found. and from there it is only few hours
VOYAGE by steamship to the coast of KANT
skatka.
The railway system Of Russia already ex-
tends into Eastern Siberia, and engineers
long ago sketehed out a line for railway to
be known as the Siberian Pacific. which
should push eastward across the more or
less settled and productive provinces OF
Southern Siberia and down the Amoor to that
great rivers mouth. Already many steamers
are employed in traffic on the Amoor, and
the fort at it's mouth is an important one in
the commerce OF that populous part of The
world. Russian explorers and engineers
say that it is entirely feasible to
| build a railway northward from the
main line on the Amoor into K amtskaLka
and down to Petropaviooski or some other
port on Behring's strait which is almost
within sight of the Alaskan coast That tn
Siberian Pacific will he constructed within a
few years, there is little reason, 60 doubt,
since the fisheries, the mining products, the
furs, salt, timber and agricultural produce,
| military advantages and the diversion OF
| Chinese trade overland viii! justify the max
ing OF the expenditure. But that is their
affair; our interest is in regard to the POSI-
biliGy Of developing traffic able to sustain
line overland between the United States and
Alaska.
The same mineral belt which has yielded
The great wealth of the Western United
States extends northerly through British CO.
| lumbla where iG has been partially devel-
| oped in the remote camps of the Columbia
| canon, the Cariboo and Omenica districts.
| The same geological structure continues
f1om Montana to Southern Alaska, and the
| ores of the northernmost region are closely
similar to those OF the southern part. Yet no
| one doubts that the vast wealth we have
drawn from the silver aud gold Lodges of the
| West would never have been obtained had
not railroads made our mines accessible.
| Of the lesser advantages, that of the growth
| of great lumber and ship timber business
would be prominent; while the product of
| rivers, not to speak of intermediate lake and
rivers aboundlng in salmon and other deli
cious food fishes, are worth mention.
Could such road be operated? Undoubt-
eddy. 1t would run all the way west of the
mountains, and, as the more northerly part
was approached. would draw nearer and
nearer to the warm coast The provisions
against snow which suffice to protect other
northern roads in winter would suffice for
this Those who know the circumstances
oest believe that the operation of such u
road would noU encounter any serious inter
ruptions from the climate.
AS to the question of cost. we have the
opinion of Mr.. Walter Moberly, Canadian
| government engineer, who knows British
Columbia intimately and was one of the
foremost men in carrying the Cana dian Pa
cihc across the glacial ranges which makes
| its structure SO wonderful He believes that
| road to Alaska is necessity of the near
future
Mr. Moberly asserts the total cost of such a
! railway would be $3.50, 100000. He pro
poses that the governments OF the United
States and the provice of British Columbia
should cooperate in encouraging it-the
former by guaranteeing the interest for a
series of years, say twenty, at 8
or per cent on the capital
| mile), and that the latter give proportions
| ate lancl grant. British Columbia owns all
| the public lands of the province. and would,
| no doubt, find 1t profitable to grant portion
/ of them to such an enterprise; while the five
| or six millions OF interest added to the ex-
| pendtures Of the United States as a guaran-
Zee would be little felt by the people.
/ ERNEST INGERsoIL.
| E3,s- !. e