The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-01-29
fljRT ON COPPER RIVER
ApERCRoMBIE TELLS RE-
AIRS OF HIS EXPLORATION.
...1.s Feasibility of Building Rail-
la From valdes, Estimating
o.st At s75o,OOO. ana Testifying
Z. nichness of Copper Deposits.

waaprNsToN. Jan. &.--The war de-
,rsent mas made public an important re-
4.s from Can't. W. r. Abercrombie, Sec
S infantry. who commanded the Copper
~. .xnlorin9 expedition In Alaska. last
"sac The chief topic treated in the re-
~ q the laying out Of the great trans
sssskan military route from Port vaioes,
t,ssta. to Port Egbert. on the YUKON.
Thiie engaged on this work the oincer
W. charred to take note OF the mineral
sss.ourcs Is OF the country, OF Its adapta-
S,sv for agriculture and stock raising
"a Inc fuel and food products for man
e99 - Abercronibie arrived at yaldes on
~ list az April. A party Of old railroad
"a trail builders were selected py Sapt.
ibsrcrombie, and they started from Naides
Ssystone canyon. The harbor at Val
~ ovinx to the proximity OF the japan.
~ cnrreiit, is accessible at all seasons OF
- year to chips q any Y, size 5eae sxesh se a oniy
kssIble site for railroad terminal Is a
SrroW strip Of land, three-quarters OF
I'D broad. extending up the lower river
ram flowing from Robe lake. There is
Sscticaily nominal grade UP the valley,
Trssine through Keystone. canyon. with
dnsry Ssnyon, W sSs Inn Mna cenv egb asn
ron that point there are. two feasible
mrtee. one east of Marshall pass. at the
ovation OF 100 feet. and down the Tas-
' nussi north. crossing the mountain range
"a THOMPSON pass, $500 feet high. thence
down d the Teithell river valley, through the
swempy pass at the head OF the knata,
ifsnce down the Toneina into the Copper
nv cat. Anercrombie believes that the flu
sure for q railroad through this session OF
Alaska is very promising, owing gg,,v 70 , the
sraiixed copper deposits, the development
Il which, ne says, undoubtedly will yield
local tonnage Of great value. He states
n. and and the absence Of any great en-
sineering features, would render railroad
obstruction a comparatively easy prob
lem
Feasibility of Route.
Mr.. Edward Gillette. a member Of the ex-
e su the report. on the Feasibility Of estab-
ushing Z practical railroad route up the
Copper river valley. He draws com.
sSn between ,t the sna rove Wd from ronte te
the advantage Of tho latter. He shows
hat while the distance from Seattle to
Magway is 1850 miles. az against 1850
3 practically Offset by the unimpeded pas
sage Of the outside route. Then. vessels
are not required to pass through some
100 miles Of water claimed by foreign
country, and Valdes IL much nearer the
center Of Alaska, Skagway being 200 miles
nearer. BY railroad, to the Forty-Mile
country. Insurance rates on the inside
route also are double those on the out
Mr. Gillette believes that the develop
ment of the country In the future prob
ably will necessitate the construction of
Keystone canyon through Thompson's
pass and by Marshall pass. He recon-
mends that the line be constructed on a
three-foot gauge, in the interest Of econo-
NV ronfdffv nf construction arguing
that the marrow gauge would fully meet
The needs Of the country.
Better Than White Pass.
Tho report makes a comparison of the
projected Valdes road and the existing
iailroad from Skagway over White pass
mum grades are much less: that the cur
rent value Is less, and that the Valdes
highest elevation 10 fully 800 feet less than
the White pass road.
pass suffers, can be practically eliminated
irom the Valdes route by the peculiar for
nation Of the country. The point is also
srsy within HntaS states srrtor Se
He fixes the probable cost at $753,500 or
S2ba per mile, the estimate being from
to SO per cent. higher than rates in
yaldes to Port Egbert, on the Yukon. would
be 80 miles long, and $50 miles would af-
ford all the diversion required for the line.
The report refers to the trade of Central
Alaska as an unknown quantity, but dwells
1t length upon the reputation the coun-
Try has OF possessing vast deposits of cop
per ore.
The report says the soil is productive.
that vegetables and hay may be raised.
that there is plenty of timber and that
hardy farmers, from Norway and Sweden,
woulc farm as easily in the Copper river
try also contains coal Of good quality, and
marble OF various cOlOrS