New-York tribune., 1900-12-23
MONIES QUEER RAILROAD.
1T WAS BUILT TO OPERATE THE WILD
GOOSE NINE.
From The Philadelphia Record.

and probably the quickest built is that be-
tween Nome City, Alaska. and Anvil Anvil
Creek, the scene of the original discovery of
gold, lies four and One-half miles directly north
OF Nome City. 1t is a slender stream six or
seven miles in length, rising in a divide 500 to
1,4OO feet in elevation. Three miles from its
source II leaves the hills and wends it's way
through the tundra flats and enters Snake River
a few miles distant from it's mouth, as the wild
goose mes; but whole day journey by canoe
or polling boat. The claim known "DiscOV-
cry, staked jointly by Erik c. Lindblom, n
sailor tailor Jafet Lindeberg, a reindeer herder,
and JafCt' BrynIeSOn, a miner lies at the point
where the creek enters the tundra. Above Dis
covery" are thirteen claims, each $40 feet in
length by Gtj0 feet in width.
Upward of Sl,uOOO0O taken out of Anvil,
Snow and Dexter creeks last summer, shallow
diSSings making the work of mining compara-
lively easy. But this latter favorable circum-
stance was so greatly offset by scarcity of water
for slucing in those portions of the creeks where
the Lane interests chiefly were that The Wild
Goose Mining Company" the Lane company
is called. decided TO install a pumping plant for
pumping water from Snake River, the nearest
large stream with constant flow, conducting
the water in pipes from there to the heads of
Anvil and Dexter creeks.
To carry the 1S-inch steel pipe with dispatch a
railroad was resolved upon, so when the steamer
Charles D. Lane arrived at Nome on July 10,
1900, with Lane himself on board she had not
only large pumping plant. but the equipment
Of a complete railroad, comprising 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
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. The Snake River was
bTidged ping and with marvellous rapidity
the track sped nOrthWard, regardless of the in
equalites of the surface of the tundra, without
grading or ballast. In four days trains were
running between Nome and Discovery claims.
Lanes wealth was made in California in min
ing and fortune. apparently. has followed him
fhnr Few will has for TDlI hg
been as successful Lanes, thousands here
testify TO their sorrow. There was more
than the ordinary touch of humor, therefore. in
Lanes selection OF a name Tor TINS company,
and even more apt did the title seem after my
first ride on the Wild Goose Railroad"
My journey over the road was eventful. THE
train does not leave till 4:4J o'clock, said Mr..
Livingston the traffic agent, when l reached the
station Here's a souvenir 10 keep" said he,
after 1 had paid over 81 for the fare to Anvil
and received in return a little oblonS slip OF
cardboard. On it was printed:
Wild Goose r. r. Co Good for one passage
from Nome 10 Anvil. 1st class.
TOM T. LANE. GenI Man.
The ticket had been punched five times. and I
noticed that one corner had been clipped Off. My
Livingston proceeded To explain. we had only
a thousand of these printed Mr.. Lane signed
the first lot. After they We're taken up Mr.. Brew
ster signed them and we passed them out again
Next time l signed them. Next time there WASN'T
any more room to sign, so l clipped off a corner
Next time ! will clip off another corner. After
that l don't know what We'll do
As the hour of departure drew near quite a
crowd had assemble There were miners i'm
rubber boots. Esquimau water boots, or mukluks
and high miners shoes and wearing ''SlickerS
or mackintoshes; some with packs and shovels
three or four women of many degrees OF
respectability and a few Walamut dogs
with their owners. Presently a whistle was
heard UP the track. and the train came putting
in and came to q Standstill alongside the sta
ton.
II consisted of a ridiculous little engine Oper-
ated by a sort of marine engine with cog gear
on the shafts OF the driving wheels (fOr the pur-
rose evidently Of securing power on the grades
and two small fatcars. Upon the car next t.
the engine two long benches were placed back
to back and all who were entitled to first class
passage were told to get aboard.
We were soon on our way at the rate of five
miles an hour. In a few minutes Snake River
a sluggish stream about seventy-fve yards wide
was reached and there we slowed down to cross
the bridge which was provided with draw
TO allow boats TO pass through The reason foi
slowing down soon became obvious. The bridge
was so narrow that there not over three
inches of space between the timbeTs and the
sides of the car, and / learned that il was usua
for the train to stop SO as 10 allow the conduc-
tor TO inspect the sides of the for any lum
Der, or the feet Of passengers that might bt
projecting so far 10 be caught in ths
bridge. Luckily squeezed through without
accident and took the grade on the other side.
I thought for a while would never react
the top but by much putting We got there, anc
resumed schedule time. The track had beer
placed loosely on the tundra. II twisted firs
this way and that, and here and there one raj
had sunk considerably lower than the other