The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1900-12-04
A QUEER RAILROAD.
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1t Runs From Nome City to
Anvil, Alaska--.Narrow :
Gauge Line

One of the queerest railroads in TIE
world and probably Ire quickest built
is that between Nome City, Alaska
and Anvil. Anvil Creek, the scene of
the original discovery Of gold, lies four
and One-half miles directly n jrth Of
Nome City and Is a slender stream six
or seven miles in length, rising in u
divide s to 400 feet in elevation. On
account of scarcity of water for sluic-
ing in portions of the creek where
great mining interests were, "The Wild
Goose Mining company" decided to
install a pumping plant for pumping
water from Snake river, the nearest
large stream with constant flow, con-
Quoting the water in pipes from there
to the heads of Anvil and Dexter creeks.
To carry the 1s-inch steel pipe with
dispatch railroad was resolved upon,
so when the steamer Charles d. Lane
arrived at Nome June $4,000, she had
not only large pumping plant, but the
equipment of a complete railroad. COM
prising locomotive, cars, rails and even
ties, for there was no wood available
here except scattered driftwood along
the beach. Probably no railroad was
ever built as rapidly as this one. A
gang of men was set to work. Sixty
eight pine ties were hauled out on the
tundra by horses, rails for a three-foot
gauge followed the ties; cars were
launched on the part already built.
Snake river was bridged on piling. and
with marvellous rapidity the track sped
northward, regardless of the Unequal
tiles of the surface of the tundra, with
out grading or ballast In four days
trains were running between Nome
| and Discovery claims.
A passenger Of the most northern
railroad in the world, describes a trir
| over the line as follows:
THE train does not leave until 4:4t
| o'clock" said Mr.. Livingston, the traf-
fic agent, when reached the station
Here's souvenir to keep" said he
| after ! had paid over dollar for the
fare to Anvil and received in return Q
little oblong slip Of pastboard. On II
| was printed: 49,
Wild Goose r. r. Co. Good for ono
passage from Nome to Anvil. LIST class
(Signed) TOM T. LANE.
Genl Man.
| The ticket had been punched fivt
times. and ! noticed that one corner
had been clipped off. Mr.. Livingston
proceeded to explain: I'VE had onl,
thousand of these printed. Mr.. Lane
signed the first lot. After they wer,
taken up Mr.. BREWSTER signed them
and we passed them out again. Mex
time ! signed them. Next time ther,
wasn't any more room to sign, SO
clipped off a corner. Next time ! will
clipp off another corner. After that
rdon't know what will do"
Presently a whistle was heard up tn
track and the train came putting |,
and came to a standst.ll along side tn
station.
1t consisted OF q ridiculous little en-
gine operated by sort OF marine en-
gine with cog gear on the shafts Of tn
driving wheels (for the purpose. evi
IDENTIFY, OF securing power. on tn
sradesl and two. small fiat cars. Upo
the car next to the engine two lon
benches were placed back to back, an
all who were entitled to ''nrst-clas
passage" were told TO get aboard.
we were soon on our way at the rat
Of Ave miles an hour. In q few min