The Montgomery advertiser., 1902-03-23
|TRANS-ALASKAN ROAD.
IT IS. SOON TO BE IN PROCESS OF
 ERECTION. ', .
Most Important Link in the A round the World System-Will opsn Up One of the Richest Couu-
 tries in the World. i

Brooklyn Eagle.
 Railroad engineers have long dreamed that the day might come when contin- uous run between New York and Paris would be an actual achievement Within the last week the announcement was made that the actual work of construc- ton on one of the most important lines In this around-the-world system would . De commenced April l5. This is the Trans-Alaskan Railroad, which will tra- verse Alaska diagonally for a distance or $50 miles. This line will open up one or the richest countries in the world, but its chief importance lies in the fact that It will form part of an all-ral route to Asia and Europe. short time ago a oill was introduced simultaneously in both houses of Congress asking a land grant in aid of the Trans-Alaskan Rail road. It is expected that the bill will be passed at the present session.
 Y. 5. Granger. d Seattle capitalist, who was for many years connected with the Burlington Road. and J. C. Cornforth. or Denver and Skagway. have spent tn" past five years solving the preliminary problems of the project. and among some of the other men associated with them are Harry Josephs of Denver ] k. Frye of Denver. formerly General Manager of the Santa Fe Railroad; Gen A. l.. New of Washington. First Vice President and General Manager of the Continental and Pacific Wireless Tele- graph and Telephone Company, and S.
 
 sel of the new company. In discussing the enterprise MT. Granger said
 The plan as adopted provides for a single track road from lliamna Bay, in- side of Cooks inlet, to Port Clarence on Boring Strait to connect on this side with steamers of the Trans-Alaskan Railroad running from Seattle and on the other with steel ferries to make direct connection with the Trans-Sberian Rail- road.
 A Feasible Scheme
 '"The sheme is rot only feasible. but practical and profitable. In 1907 one can go from San Francisco to St. PetersburR or Paris In twelve or thirteen days; the together and great mineral and agricul- tural lands will be thrown open, and greater wealth than one dreams of will be reaped by the nation.
 Our engineers have reported that the streams to be bridged offer no difficult ties, and we set five years as the limit of time before the road will be in active operation. but we hope, and rather ex- pect to cut ten months from that esti- mate.'
 While the immediate purpose of the Trans Alaskan Railroad Company is to take advantage of the vast resources Of that country by providing speedy trans portation facilities at reasonable rates. the importance of the project lies in the fact that its Boring Strait terminus at Cape Prince of Wales provides the con- nection that will be necessary when the capitalists who are ready to suply the funds for the construction of the Sihe- rian end of the inter-continental road de- eide to carry out their plans. It must be admitted that as yet this portion of the project is very much in the air, for Harry De Windt. the explorer, who is making the preliminary surveys in Si- beria. has not yet been able to demon strate its practicability, but it is ex- pected that he will return within few months with the necessary evidence of the feasibility of the project
 The present expedition set out with ev- cry prospect of success. MT. De Windt secured assurances of assistance and pro- lection from the governments of Russia, England and the United States, so he is certain of not being molested during his work in Siberia. but he has the sat- isfaction of knowing that he will find the other powers waiting to assist him with provisions and transportation facil- fties as soon as he declares himself ready to leave the Russian territory.
 Survey of the Coast.
 MT. De Windt left Moscow. accompa- ned by the Vicomte de Clinchamp, one of the members of the foreign syndicate, late in December, and proceeded to lrk- utsk. the last available station on the Trans Siberian Railroad, where he found his valet, George Harding, waiting for him with dog and reindeer teams. From Irkutsk. the last point from which news of the party could be received, they ex- pected to wait until the dismal Tundra swamp became entirely covered with snow and ice, over which they would be able to pass with comparative com fort by means of their dog sleighs, to Sredne Kolimsk. where they. would be able to replenish their store of provisions in preparation fer the long trip along the practically unknown Siberian coast to East cape, where the worst part of the journey would be at an end.
 When starting upon this long trip MT. De Windt admitted that he could not hope to reach East Cape before March. and that several weeks would then be spent in making a thorough survey of the coast around Berine Strait before he could think of crossing to the Alaskan side. for he is confident that he will be able to devise some plan to bridge this narrow strip of water. In fact. person. ally, he is of the opinion that the en- gineering obstacles to be overcome at Boring Strait will he scarcely worthy of consideratio as compared to those which will confront the railroad builder who undertakes to overcome the difficulties that will present themselves in the 1000 miles of Tundra swamp. and yet he eX- poets to be able to show that even these adverse features are not serious enough poti I.1