The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1899-09-20

The Seattle, Wash, RdIt.Intelllgen-
Ger, of September 10. III copy Of
which the Intelliseneer lSindebted to
Mr.. WIN Egerter,- who rse Entity return
ed from the Klondlks, gin the follow
ing important information. about the
wonderful richness initssources Of
Alaska, which is to be developed by a
railroad project. 1t Is intkrestlng and
instructive about a part Of American
territory, of which so little is known by
many of our citizens: lS
The directors and general officers Of
the White Pass & Yukon railway re-
turned from visit to Alaska and their
railroad property In that country yes
terday morning. They went north on
the Post -Intelllgeneer excursion, and
unanimously express the opinion that
the visit Of the business men did more
for the trade relations between Alaska
and Seattle than could have been done
in any other way.
so far as the White. Pass & Yukon
railway is concerned, 1t has long passed
the experimental stage, and the people
who said Its projectors and builders
were crnzy have ceased To do anything
but marvel at the wonderful success Of
the enterprise" said PRESIDENT s. H.
Graves. 1--WE are not IN . position to
give either the cost Of building the road
or the returns made upon the invest
ment. Suffice 1t to say that the Inter
ested parties are more than satisfied
with the earnings so far and the pros
pect for future business.
"Just now we are snow-sheddlng
much Of the road already built, and
getting ready for the coming winter.
The road will be graded to the foot of
White Horse rapids before winter sets
in, and the track will be laid next
spring. This work Is chfid.s play COM
pared with the work thathas been sue
cessfully accomplished. How much far
Their we shall extend the line is a mat
ter of conjecture. We shall reach the
foot Of the lakes, and unless the devel-
opment of the country demands a rail-
way into Dawson. will probably make
our terminus as at present located.
"The road viii be operated through
out the coming winter. We are rum
ming three trains each way day, but
the winter schedule will provide for but
one. unless there is a demand for more.
1--WE shall run to Bennett, and at that
point will be met by stage lines running
into Dawson. The only reason there
has not been stage line before is be-
cause of the inability to provide feed
for horses. The new stage line Will
have road houses with changes Of
horses, and will do away entirely with
dog teams.
swe have excellent shops at Skag-
way. We have entirely rebuilt what is
now our engine No. 8, bought here when
we started construction, and It Is now
a first-cIass engine. This winter we
shall rebuild engines l and 2. but while
we can build an engine in our shops 1t
is cheaper to buy them. so we shall buy
three new locomotives for use next
year, when the road is finished to the
foot of the rapids, That Will give US
eleven locomotives in all.
whether 1t will pay US to compete
with river navigation from White
Horse rapids on is a question. What
we are looking for is haul both ways.
So far our receipts have been satsfac-
tory. but we want to Increase them.
Now we expect to haul ore out Of
Alaska this summer consigned to Seat
tie for smelling. don't mean a few
rocks. but many car loads, and let me
tell you this" said Mr.. Graves, impress
slvely:
II believe that the results from the
first large shipment Of ore from Alaska
will create as great, or even greater.
excitement as did the first arrival Of
gold from St. Michael. III
'I tell you that Alaska is rich. rich
beyond dreams in gold, silver and cop
DER ore. The placer mining will be a
bagateile to the quartz mining we are
planning to bring out of Alaska next
season a vnst quantity of ore. 1t is ore
that VIC know will pay not only the
cost of mining, shipping and smelling
but will leave handsome bfOHt be-
sidss. placer mining in AlaskawIll not
last long, but quartz mining win last
forever up there, and be. in my opinion,
richer than the mines Of any country on
the earth"
The directors of the whltelPass &
Yukon we're busy yesterday with audi
tors and experts. Messrs. Close and
Lambert will return to England as soon
as possible. There Is a tremendous
amount OF European capital pouring
into Alaska, and the chances for good
Investments are being rapidly taken up.
It Is The purpose of the railway com
pany to assist in every way the deyel-
opment OF paying mines. not only along
tha line Of the rond-and there IRE
some rich districts adjacent to the line
blu; along the waterways. which are
feeders to the railway line. Mr.. Graves
expects next year to have the road run
Ming not less than three trains each
way every day. winter and summer.
and to have extra freight during the
warm scngou.
rl,lrr, t,n n,I1nI rnItr IIAnntsrt,