The San Francisco call., 1897-07-30
TO THE YUKON BY WIRE.
Some Relevant Facts About the
Almost Forgotten Survey by the
Western Union Company.

Western Union Company.
Inquiries received in this City by per-
sons engaged in the construction of tele-
graph lines and the sale OF material
confirm the belief that the Western
Union. having faith in the truth and per-
manence of the Alaska gold deposits is
about to extend it's lines either 20 Fort
Wrangel or Juneau, with future eXten-
sion TO the alley of the Yukon.
This company in 1864 undertook the con-
struction of the trans Siberian line, and
surveyed route from New Westminster,
on Puget Sound, to Anadye Bay, few
miles below Beriag Straits, which was to
be crossed by cable 206 miles in length
and continued across Kamchatka, along
the eastern coast OF Asia to the mouth of
the AInoor River, where it was TO connect
with line from st. Petersburg, forming
an unbroken circuit from New York to
the capitals of Europe.
This project was conceived by Perry
McDonough Collins of this CITY, and it's
success was dependent upon the failure of
the attempt to Law cable across the
Atlantic. The success of this latter
sche me caused the abandonment OF the
Collins attempt but not before the sur
veys had been completed for the entire
distance.
The survey from New Westminster car
ried the line up the valley of the Fras er
River to the foot Of Stuart Lake, a dis
over the watershed into the Pearce River
country, which it followed to the junction
with Pelly River 10 the Yukon.
Construction followed after the surveys
with such rapidity that the line was &C
tually in working order before the close of
1865 to Simpsons River, a distance of $50
miles from New Westminster, where It'd
-<Nf% %ha Al
was received, and all extensions were
abandoned. The surveys and building of
the line were accomplished without ex-
cessive difficulty. Tim Der was found in
ample quantities, and only the wires had
to bs transported from the base OF sup
plies.
Another route was also surveyed from
Fort Wrangel up the Stickeea River to
its headwaters and thence into the valley
OF the Yukon, route which had the ad-
vantage OF being entirely within the terri
tory OF the United States. At Fort Wran-
gel the company collected an immense
amount OF material, consisting of several
thousands OF miles of wires hundreds of
crates OF glass insulators and other
articles, which have remained at this
point ever since and are now available
From Fort Wrangel to Forty mile Creek
the distance is $50 miles by a route of
which the Western Union has the SURVEYS
and which, IL Is esti mated, could be built
for less than 81, SOC, 900. One season would
construct the line. The Western Union,
in order to connect with Fort Wrangel,
will have to do IL by submarine cables,
following the inside route for steamers
from Seattle to Fort Wrangel, distance
OF 726 miles. The whole cost of the extern
sion by cable and land from Seattle to
Forty mile Creek, a distance of 1476
miles, could be built it is estimated, Tor
less than So. 000,0O
Should the reports of the inexhaustible
riches of the Yukon discoveries be sus-
tanned by future developments the com.
pany will run through telegraph line In
short order.