New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-10-31
THE GATEWAY OF ALASk A.
AMERICAN ENTERPRISE SOLVES The
TRANSPORTATION PROBLEM.

OK COOKS INLET AND ACRES UPON ACRES OF
p,c,, p1.aCERs IN CONTIGUOUS TERRITORY.
WILL ESTABLISH GREAT COMMERCIAL DE-
POT AT SNUG HARBOR. WITH RAILWAYS
TO THE COPPER RIVER. KLONDIKE AND
YUKON DISTRICTS. AND STEAMERS TO
SEATTLE AND SAN FRANCISCO.
Abundant evidence has been laid before the pub
liz nv the press-in the shape Of reports from re-
turning miners-and by the Government 10 es'ao
,ish hevond doubt the extraordinary rlchhess vi
tho Alaskan gold fields but both homecoming Pill
grims and official reports also picture CANCERS
sunernes and privations sufficient to deter even
the most foohardy from engaging. under existing
circumstances. In their Guest.
The routes open at present to the most expo'eo
Of these Alaskan gold fields are. nominally' hve IN
number: but the valid objections to them are so
uany and 10 the unfortunate traveller, so con-
vincng that were there no promise OF bet
+er Alaska might we'll be considered for
hidden land The eastern routes. through the
dangerous Alexander Archipelago and over
the terrible mountain passes and the 1our
thousand seven hundred miles Of the western
route via St Michaes and the Yukon. which by
the way is choked with Arctic ice nine months OF
the wear seem alike to daunt and discourage Amer
lean as they did Russian. pluck and enterprise
For In considering the drawbacks OF these TEDIOUS
difficult and dangerous routes. II must be reHem-
bered that the transportation Of the miner Is but
country about yields nothing to support lie. All
supplies must come from without, and, failing to
obtain these. the miner must face starvation
Now. while It is contrary to all American tradition
TO forego any undertaking. whether OF profit or
glory because Of the dangers besetting IT, 1t Is
equally an American trait to conquer such dangers
through auiokness of perception and fertility
Of expedient. 1t WILL then. hardly surprise
TIE Trbune's readers. though II VIII be
rood news to such may wish TO try their Tort
unes in Alaska. TO learn that practical solution
10 the problem has been found by company OF
Eastern capitalists and men Of affairs prominent
transportation people, mining experts. men expert
enced in Alaskan ventures and men high In the
councils OF the Nation. who will at once push their
plan to its legitimate conclusion.
The United States Government has lately
reached from it's official adv1ces. the same conclu-
sion that these gentlemen had arrived at some time
since. Captain Ray, Of the Gh L. 5. In
fantry who has been sent by the Govern
ment into the Klondike for the purpose or
making recommendations for the betterment
Of affairs there. reports "a practical route from
the Tanana across the divide to the head Of
Cook. Inlet. via the head of Copper River" and
expresses the opinion that "as soon as the devel-
opment Of the territory will Justify. this will be
the shortest and most practicable route for railroad
communication with the open sea. With rail com
munication from the head OF Cooks Inlet TO the
Tanana the commerce OF the whole Yukon Valley
could be controlled by routes lying wholly in our
own territory.
Fully alive 10 this as long ago last spring
this company OF gentlemen planned water route
from Seattle and San Francisco 10 their deep.
sn,cious and land-locked Snug Harbor In Cook s
Inlet where they have laid out a town. and a rail
route thence through the valley OF the Sushtna.
via Mentasta Pass to Circle City in the klondike.
md along the Tanana to Weare. the Yukon.
Such q transportation system Will enable Its pro-
prie,ors TO collect toll from all enterprises In
The Klond,ke in the Yukon. and in the still more
promising Copper River district. for these would
naturally seek an outlet for product and an inlet
for supplies over the safest, shortest and least
Objectionable route.
One cause which led these gentlemen to select
Cooks Inlet base OF operations was tnei'
ownership at Snug Harbor OF thrty-hve quartz
lodges or veins. Of extraordinary promise In one
place on a piece of ground three thousand zee;
deep and two hundred feet wide. groupings OF
rold- hearing freemlling quartz are TO be seen foI
a distance of eight hundred feet. In this huge
mass of ore alone there is. above level OF mill
site work for a fve-hundred stamp mill Tor ar
incalculable period. Magnificent water power anc
fuel in abundance. are Mt hand
Another reason for this choice is well set forth
IN recent San Francisco dispatch. TO THE New
york Herald which says: Cooks Inlet has been
designated as the garden spot OF Alaska IL II
known that all this region Is admirably adapte'
for agricultural and stock-raisins Industries. Ant
.,u, another is indicated by recent press dispatches
brought by miners from the placer helds OF
Cooks Inlet and adjacent territory And all thu
gold seems to have been gotten out by compare
t,vely few men, with the crudest OF appliances
No great wonder though. when II is known tina
there are numberess streams entering INTO LOOK
Inlet and every one goldbearing
These faets and the natural strategic advantage
Of the port determined them to locate there II
connection with their mining plant. great com
roerc,al depot for trading not only with the miner
hut vii
80 ashermen who would find their advantage fl
such a market. In the official report FOR IN
ysar 1897 of Governor John G. Brady of the Dis
trict Of Alaska, TO the Secretary OF the treasury
nrinted by the Government. and brought up 10 IN
close OF the recent summer. he says: This is tn
great problem-how to get supplies there and sci
them at prices not akin 10 robbery, and how 4
6istribute them 10 every river. creek or gulcl
where men are at work. Capital put into enter
nrises with such ends IN view Will be rewarded
richly
pesides its holdings az Cooks Inlet. the North
.rn Pacific and Alaska Mining. Transportation an
trading Company Uhe company organized by thes
geptemen) is the OF rich placer claims In tn
Klondke and Copper River regions and so. 10
their own sakes, were compelled TO give serious at
tention TO a rail connection with their base OF suT
plies at Snug Harbor
The directory Of the company is as follows
President Henry A. Parr. Of the great grain hous
~ I M Parr Son. Baltimore: vice-presiden'
1ohn K Cowen president OF the Baltimore ant
Ohio Railroad: treasurer. Christian Devries presi
dent National Bank of Baltimore; secretary
Robert Ramsay. president Baltimore Shem