The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1902-03-09
CONTINENTAL RAILWAY SYSTEM.

Railroad engineers have long dreamed
that the day might come when a continu
Gus run between New York and Paris would
be ar actral achievement. Within tho last
week the announcement was made that the
actual work OF construction on one Of the
most important links in this s~round-the.
world system would be commenced April
10. This is the Transaiasksn Railroad,
which will traverse Alaska d!agonally for
a distance Of $50 miles. This line will open
I'D one Of the richest countries in the world.
but is chief importance lies in the fact
that II will form part of an all-rail route
to Asia and Europe. A short time ago a
bill was introduced simultaneously In both
houses OF Congress aeking a land grant In
aid Of the Transalarkan Railroad. II is
expected that the bill will be passed at the
present session.
F. S. Granger. a Seattle capitalist. who
was for many years connected with the
Burlington road, and ]. c. Cornforth Of
Denver and Skagway. have spent the past
i've years solving the preliminary problems
OF the project, and among some Of the
other men associated with them are Harry
Josephs of Denver. J. X. Fry Of Denver.
formerly general manager Of the Santa Fe
Railroad: General A. L. New of Washing
ton. first vice president and general mana
ger of the Continental and Pacific Wireless
Telegraph and Telephone Company. and
q. L. Selden Of Washington. general coun-
sci OF ths new company. In discussing the
enterprise. Mr.. Granger said:
said to Be Practicable.
THE plan as adopted provides for a sin
gle track road from Hanna Bay. inside OF
Cooks Inlet. to Port Clarence on Bering
Strait. to connect on this side with steam
ers Of the Transalaskan Railroad running
from Seattle and on the other with steel
ferries TO make a direct connection with
not only feasible. but practical and profita-
bic. In 1907 one can got from San Fran
cisco to St. Petersburg or Paris in twelve
or thirteen days: the Old World and the
New Will be brought together. and great
mineral ihIoTn o ;;nd s se5iI sIss lsnds , Si,n o6 be
dreams OF win be reaped by the nation:
Our engineers have reported that the
streams sire to Be bridGsd onS e. no Em dif1 of ,ims
before the road Will be in active operation.
but We hope. and rather expect. to cut ten
months from that estimate
alaskan Railroad Company IL to take ad-
vantages of ths vast resources OF that ooun-
try by psovidinS sprsds sr ;Ss ,mnoqsap feet q;
the project Hes in the fact that its Berine
Strait terminus at Cape Prince OF Wales
provides the connection mn tnat ho ~ .Is n r.a nsre 10
supply the funds for the construction Of the
Siberian end Of the tntercontinental road de-
eide to carry out their plans. It must be ad-
ect is very much in the air. for Harry De
Windt. the explorer. who IN making the
preliminary surveys in Siberia has not yet
been able TO demonstrate its pfacticability.
but 1t Is expected that he will return with
in a few months with the necessary evil
dence of the feasibility of the project.
De windt's Third Attempt.
This 10 the third attempt that Mr.. To
windt has mAdS to prove that it IS pos
sibls to establish an overland connection
between the United States and Europe by
the way of Alaska and Siberia: and. as the
entire ntercontinsntal railroad project de-
ponds Upon the result Of the surveys which
he 10 now making. It may we'll be imagined
that his temperance IL awaited with the
anxiety by fnanciers and railroad
II must be admitted. however. that Mr..
Windt's lack of success Oh the occasion
Of his previous experiments reflects no dis
upon him nor upon the character of
the enterprise which he Represents. His first
was made in 1851. a~d On that occa- !
sion he managed to reach the Asfatic Coast |
Of Bering Strait. when. owing TO his cap
lure and subsequent Ill treatment by koar.
Tchuktchi chief. II was only by the
py the crew of the Beicedere. q New Bed |
,ord, Mass. whaling steamer. In spite OF
unexpected turn Of Affairs. Mr.. De !
energies were not entirely wasted.
ters Of Bering Strait never freeze 30 solid
y As to interfere seriously with the progress
" an ics-breaking ferry service between the (.
- r.sosted to II = bridge is not built. Last
ear Mr.. De W1ndt again attempted the
Quincy. and this time he selected the re-
Terse direction. but, owing to the political
roubIes in China and TIE otherwise I'M