The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1899-11-13

"18oOGb 81 - 6WAtG "a AB0RAsVes
Before his departure for Washington By
way Of the Vancouver army post Capt
W. X. Abercrombie talked interestingly
OF the great northland enterprise he has
undertaken in the name OF the government
and which thus far has been carried on
70 auspiciously. 1t involves. as IL well
known In Alaska, but scarcely credited
elsewhere outside OF the national capital
and Seattle. the construction OF great
military road from Port valdes on the
seaboard to Eagle City or Fort Egbert on
the mighty Yukon The route lies through
what is popularity known. and 50 generally
abused, az the Copper river country. The
distance Ia four or five leagues less than
40 miles, or. TO be exact. according 70
government survey. 3S5 miles.
''Of this. eighty-fiye miles have been
constructed, and with the same amount
OF labor IS was expended on this. the
mountain division Of the road" Capt.
Abercrornbie observed yesterday. the
highway can be completed-driven through
TO the Yukon-next season. And that It
Wal be done / have no doubt The stretch
We have just finished was far more diff
ficult than all the rest Will be. for the
route from the present terminus Hes over
level stretch OF country. We have dis
posed Of the mountainous part.
Our worst obstacles were encountered
in what is known as the Coast range OF
mountains, short distance back from the
sea- We crossed txese by means of two
passes. 2.600 feet being the greatest alti-
tude obtained In one other place the
road rises TO height OF LOO feet. II Is
a highway practicable for men and horses.
and over three-fourths OF the road now
constructed a wagon can be driven with
ease. And to my notion 1t Is bound in
the near future to be the main highway
h. VII II 10 hair sol faey
the government as mail route. Already
the trim has been made DO Al ways by the
mail carriers. and / feel confident they
will be able to make. regular journeys
over this tran throughout the present
winter.
Military Posts Established.
There are military posts at intervals
OF fifteen and twenty miles over the COM
pleted portion OF the road. and at each of
these two soldiers are stationed. and at
every other post also dog team. In con-
structing the road / had from seventy
five to eighty men. mainly prospectors
who went into the count. with the Cop
per river rush. employed Eany Of these
stances. but In this way the government
enabled them TO earn sufficient money to
get out OF the country IL they wished.
Il have been criticised / suppose, by
helped. 1t may be that some OF them
had work thrust upon them. And there
were others who chafed under military
discipline and regulation. In any event
Ii did away with the cry Of restitution
and distress and made the Copper river
population one OF thrift and industry.
There is no distress there now"
Capt. Abercrombie gave an outline of
the work to he done in completing the
road, saying:
THE country is comparatively level. and
the route lies across n series Of rivers.
great and small. These We will have TO
fnr tNfA AND Tlgyf har "a M
difficult feats In connection with any OF
them.
The principal streams to be crossed are
the Tonsina which we will bridge; the
Taxlena. which must be crossed by ferry:
the Chestochena. a broad. shallow river,
which X will. he more practicable TO ford.
and the mighty Tanana, which, OF course.
must also be crossed by ferry. In the
completed portion Of the road we con-
structed $50 feet OF bridges. all OF which
stood the summer high water test.
Opens Heart of Alaska.
1.-The construction OF this road will open
the heart OF Alaska. which is susceptible
OF sustaining stock, strange as that state
ment may sound 10 some. The hay the
government needs can be grown In the
Copper river section OF Alaska, and con-
tracts have been let for such For that
matter. tho government just now has Sc
riously In contemplation plan to drive
heeves next summer over this road to the
Yukon to supply Col Roy's command OF
soldiers at Fort Eghert 1t can. and 1
dertaken. the drive viii begin at Port
Naides about June !. have already
driven cattle such as were needed for my
men over the completed portion OF the
road.
Mark what ! say. the Copper river.
which has been so generously abused will
yet be heard from In no uncertain way"
Capt. AhercrombIe had the rare expert
enee OF observing the effects of the ter
rifle earthquakes Of September and Sep
the interior of Alaska
Both shocks came on Sunday. just a
week apart II was a terrific trembling
We were I'm a cottonwood grove. Some OF
the men were badly scared, particularly
when the dead trees began to topple over.
Great rocks came tunhing down the hill
sides. really endaneer.ng lie. But the
grandest sig.t was that Of Mount Wran-
the lofty peak yet we could distinctly
see her belching forth great volumes OF
dense blacx smoke No doubt she spit
Are 200. hut the flames we could not see.
The smoke was densest and blacklist just
after the shocks. IL was thrilling scene
I assure you.
During eur sojourn North Oscar Rohn.
on. Of the 10pograpsers, explored some
country never before trod by white man.
crossing from the head Of the chettynu 20
country. In making this voyage Rohn
crossed a glacier forty seven miles long. -
Capt. Abercrombie looks the picture az
health His more than five months stay
in the Copper river leaves him looking
Ike a trained athlete lie will remain al
Vancouver hut short time. proceeding
thence 20 Washington to give an account
q. his stewardship and 10 advise with the
war department relative 10 the work for
the coming srason. which he viii no doubt
personally dtres. as In the past Two sea-