Evening journal., 1897-10-22
ENGINEER PRATT'S SURVEY.
HE TELLS OF HIS ALASKAN WORK
land EXPERIENCE.

EXTRACTS FROM THE REPORT TO
THE YUKON MINING. TRADING
AND TRANSPORTATION COM
PANY.
In his report to the Yukon Mining,
Trading and Transportation Company
on his Alaskan survey, Civil Engineer
William A. Pratt, says:
THE route as surveyed follows the
Silver, Salmon and SinOakhaheen
rivers. From the mouth of the Silver
Salmon to point on the SinOakhahesn,
where it reached a level plateau 5000
feet above sea level, there is a distance
of twelve miles and the difference in
elevation is 1000 feet.
With 3 per cent. grade this
would require 13 1-3 miles Of line. After
reaching the plateau, there is level
stretch OF 80 miles, after which the head
waters of the Nakana river is crossed
at an elevation of 5000 feet above sea
level. After crossing the river, the
line would wind up per cent. grade
through a gap in the Pitcher Noun
tains for about 9h miles 20 a plateau
near the summit, about 5000 feet above
sea level
Emerging from this plateau, the
whole valley of Teslin lake, some 10
or 20 miles in length, has to be crossed.
From the top of the plateau the main
range of mountains extends to the
northwest, striking Tes,in lake about
20 miles from its end, and the line
would with advantage be hocatei along
the slope CT this range, striking the
lake where it is about its maximum
width and deepest water, with the
shore lying in good shape for termi-
nal. The distance would be about q
miles and the elevation 2,400 feet, sS
that grade of about per cent. cOult
be obtained. Though grade
of 3 per cent, is necessar.
on the south side, l would recommend
the same on the north side, as it woulC
save some expense in construction K
reach the valley as early as possible
The waters of Lake Teslin We found u
be $500 feet above sea level.
Railway constructions cannot b.
carried on in Alaska to any advantage
I'm the Winter, but surveying can b,
done fairly we'll ait that time Tn
route as stated does not present an
special difficulties to railroad construc
tiOn; in fact, considering the yer.
rough and mountainous country it run
through it is very favorable and will
compare advantageously with an.
crossing of the Allegheny range TIL
fall OF snow on the mountains $500 t
$500 feet high along the ccact is s.
deep that il does not disappear durln
the entire Summer. found these con
I ditiOns change very materially as 500
as we proceeded through the frs
range of mountains. There was muc
less precipitation. The weather wa
generally fair instead of frequent rain
as l found it on the coast, and yer
, little snow was seen, mountains eve
I 5000 feet high being entirely devoid q
it. made careful inquiries from whit
prOspectors and others. who knew IN
route. and the Indians who hunt and ira
there during theWinter, ,andiearned this
there is rarely over four feet of sno
even on the summit, that it falls in th
v early part of the Winter and remain
frozen afterwards with very little add
tionT This would allow the road tobe ope
ated almost the entire year and woul
= be a, ,vastadvantage over the passes nei
the coast where the snow fall is frl
= quently fifteen or twenty feet.
Another strong point in favor Of II
Il Taku route is that, by short railroa
line, you connect salt water on the OF
side, where the largest ocean steam'
can discharge into cars, with the hes
of navigation for steamers on the "
kon. The whole length of the rive
with its ,navigable tributaries, can
readily reached from this point vii
loaded boats. having the advantage
going down stream. instead of the lor
fight against a swift current that tn,
| now have from the mouth.
=. "The distance from Seattle to Dan
II son City, via st. Michaels. is 49,
n miles, and via the Taku Inlet route
Teslin lake and from there to DawsC
J. City would be 1,549 miles, or a saviI
Of 2,SO4 miles"
NH u