Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1890-11-03
BRIDGING BEHRING.
Governor Gilpin's scheme for Railroad
Through Alaska.

JUNEAU, ALASKA, November 2.-The
project of Ex-Governor Gilpin, Of Color
ado, 10 build line of railway through
the wildS OF Alaska to Cape Prince OF
Wales, to connect with the Rus
sian railway system throug ST.
IBERIA, thus linking the old and
new worlds with railroad. is fcaS-
ible one, and the future will see 1t ac-
complishcd. But there is a giant OBJ
stacle in the way of an unbroken line
connecting the two worlds, and that is
Behring Straits. Mr.. Gilpin's PROPOSE.
tion is to bridge these straits. which is
all well enough in theory, but quite a
different thing in practice.
AT considerable expense the straits
can undoubtedly be bridged. as an is.
land lies about midway between the
Asiatic and American shores; the dis
tance is not great and the water is shall
low-the Government charts showed
the greatest depth to be only 81 faith
omS. But could bridge be built high
enough to allow towering icebergS TO
pass under 1t, and, with strength to
withstand the great lee foes that are
yearly swept down through the straits
from the Arctic ocean?
The current swept through the mar
row straits from one great sea into an
other very swift and strong. and great
ccbcrgS would be borne against the
bridge, its piers and abutmcntS, with a
force that neither steel Stringcrs nor
mason work could withstand.
Captain Emery, Of the United States
ship ThetS. stated that the only prac-
tical means OF crossing these straits at
all seasons OF the year is by tunnellng
under them. The character Of the
coast line Of Alaska is such that rail-
way building along il would encounter
obstacles almost as great as the ice lloes
in Behring Straits. The mountains
are rugged and PERCEPTIONS in
the extreme; they break in
precipice sheer into the sea, and run
back 10 attitudes Of from 600 10 nearly
20. 600 feet, and the crest Of the range
Is capped with eternal snow and ice.
Every canyon is an inlet from the sea,
which, octOpus-like. seems 10 cling with
mighty arms To the mountains for sup
port.
These channels are nayigablc for the
largest ships, and curious as it may seem.
great steamships glide up these canons
with barely passage room on either side
for miles, and come TO another directly
under the towering ice-capped peaks in
the very heart Of the coast range.
Where the waters OF the sea end in
these canons il comes in the form Of a
glacier. with IA surface like an angry sea
and cracked In every direction.
Through the interior Of Alaska,
rather than along the coast, lies the
route for Governor Gilpin's railroad,
across the headwaters Of the Stickren
and down the great valley Of the Yukon.
In the main this route would be
through rolling country until the lower
reaches Of the Yukan were reached.
where the country becomes almost
fat. swampy AID frozen. The line
would probably follow the Yukon down
as far as Niclato. where it would leave
the stream and strike nearly due west
TO Cape Prince Of Wales. The re-
sources Of the country that the line
would pass through have to be learned
and tested. but there is every promise
that IL IS rich in mineral and coal.
II is fine grazing country, and from
the rolling hills and prairies thousands
of tons of wild hay could be cut, and al
though the summer season is short,
stock raising might be made profitable
Industry. The Yukon and its tribu-
taries swarm with salmon Of the
finest quality. and a railroad would un-
doubtedly opena great salmon fishing in
dustry. As 10 the country's agrlcultu-
raj qualifications. this has yet to be
proven. although at some Of the posts
along the river fine gardens OF yegeta-
bles have been raised.
Although the season for manufactur-
ing agricultural products is short IN
months. # is very warm, and no little
sunshine. During the longest
davs of the year, the sun does
NOT set and crops would mature rapid
llv. Many miners who have spent both
winter and sumner In that section say
that vast country has great country
before il. and what II needs TO open il
and offer permanent and profitable
homes 10 thousands Of American peo
nle Is Governor Gilpln's railroad.