New Ulm weekly review. [volume] (New Ulm, Minn.) 1878-1892, 1889-05-29
A RAILROAD TO ALASKA
A Proposed Branch of the Canadian
Pacific Road-The Route to Follow
the Great River Valleys.
It Would Open Fertile Lands, Great
Timber Tracts and Rich
Mines.

More than twenty years have now elapsed
since the United States came into possession
OF Alaska, yet it is only lately that we have
begun to appreciate it's value, and even yet
| the majority of American readers know little
or nothing in regard to the resources and
possible economical development of British
Columbia
Alaska's seal and other fur products have
paid good interest on the purchase money,
and its salmon fisheries are already of large
Importance, while the yield of cod and hall
but is eadily increasing. The southern part
OF the Alaskan coast and its adjacent islands
contain extensive forests Of valuable tim Der,
and upon almost every river that comes
down to the sea gold has been discovered At
certain points mines are at present operated
upon great scale and large settlements ex-
ist
Alaska possesses several navigable rivers,
one OF which, the Yukon, rivals the Missouri
in size, and can be assembled several hun
dred miles. It flows al the lower part of it's
course through a comparatively level and
open country, and to limited degree agri-
culture and herding may be carried on along
it's shores. In the eorges whence it's earliest
streams make their way out to unite in the
main stem of the river go q is procured from
placers by colonies of men who have crossed
the lofty Coast range on foot, and around
whose ca bins vegetable gardens and patches
of rye and oats are grown.
In the valley of the Lizard, and along the
little Mackenzie, whose sources are not Tar
distant, the Hudson's Bay company have
had posts for many years, and the Indians OF
| that region are so nearly civilized that all
have abandoned to great extent the ways
OF savage life, wear civilized garments and
profess allegiance to the Roman Catholic
church, whose missionaries have long dWelt
among them.
| From the Lizard southwark the availab llitv
OF land for cattle and sheep grazing, and
other economical resources, increases, until
at Peace river you come down to region
where The harder grabs, like rye and barley,
can be raised TO good advantage, and even
wheat has been cultivated.
There is no physical reason why this dis
trict should not be connected by railway
along the eastern base OF the m ountaius with
the Can adian Pacific. and one is already
projected from Calgary to Edmonton-a long
step in that direction. But this is not where
the road to Alaska is pronosed to be built
though it would be possible to carry it that
way.
Ii the reader will examine map he will
perceive that the Rocky mountains enter
British Columbia in about the longitude of
Salt Lake City. The range then trends west
ward. until it merges into the coast range Of
Alaska. In the southern part OF British Co.
lumbiait consists OF three gre at parallel lines
or waves of e evations. That on the right is
the easternn1ost or main range of the Rockies
proper; then comes the Selkirks, having 4
! length of about two hundred miles north
and south; and third and westernmosJ, the
Gold or Columbian range, Which disappears
northward in The confused highlands that
divide the Fraser valley FROM that Of Canoe
river.
Now the great Columbia river, rising not
far north of the United States boundary, in
the narrow valley between the Rockies
and the Selhirks, flows turbulently north
ward until 1t passes in sharp loop around
the northern extremity OF the latter's mighty
barrier, and then flows back STRAIGHT south
Ward between the Salkirks and the Gold
range and on into Washington Territory.
East OF the Columbia along the boundary,
and drained by the great Kootenay river, lies
the Kootenay valley, one OF the most valua-
BILE and productive regions in that part of the
world, and directly contiguous with the wheat
growing and cattle grazing prairies of North