The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1903-06-23
RAILROAD NEWS.
Contract Let For an Alaskan
Railroad.
Seems to Have a Good Financial
Foundation.
WILL BUILD Alb MILES
George w. Dickinson Is Presi-
dent Of the Company.
Expected to Vastly Increase
Alaskan Gold Output.

Chicago June 23.-The gold output Of
Alaska 100000 coo per year. viii be great
~ Increased by the early building of a
new railroad from the southern coast
az Resurrection bay northward to the
Tanana river. definite announcement OF
which was made here today
The Reward Construction company of
Chicago has Secured the contract for
the building and equippng of f13 miles
Of the Alaska Central railway from
Resurrection bay north through the
Cook inlet country and UP the Sus-
sitna valley 10 the Tanana river $50
miles above its junction with the Yukon
The construction company is made up
OF Illinois. Michigan and Ohio capital
lists. Its general manager is John
Dowdle Of the contracting firm of Nash
g. Dowdie. The president is George A.
Skinner. "a Michigan banker. and the
treasurer. George II. Ford national
bank examiner OF Cleveland The COM
pany has placed an order for 70-pound
steel rails which viii be shipped via
Seattle and Vancouver. Locomotives
ANA cars also have been secured and
Will be forwarded with the rails Con-
struction must start before July is and
be pushed with all possible speed
HE --W railroad is projected by
prominent men of the Pacific coast.
The headquarters are at Seattle and the
financial office is in Chicago. The pres
ident is George w. Dickinson, former
general manager of the Northern Pa
cifc. i August Heinze, the Montana
copper mine owner. is also heavily in
tcrested in the railway company and
IS one of the directors. John E. Bal
lame. vi Seattle. chairman of the
finance committee, has been in charge
of the financial arrangements, which
are now definitely concluded. The Cen
trial Trust company of Illinois is trustee
FOR the hondholders. The chief engineer
of construction is A w. Swanitz, of
Chicago. representing directly some of
the financial interests behind the en-
terrrise He las been in charge of
large railroad constructions in New
York. New Orleans and Chicago hav-
ing recently completed the terminal
clearing yards of Chicago.
The southern harbor of the Alaska
Central lis open every day Of the year.
owing to the influence of the Japan
current the weather never falls to zero
in winter weather. The route of the
railway which was surveyed last sum-
mex. is through valley heavily timber
ed and opens Q vast country rich ia
coal. gold and copper. Its northern
terminus is in the midst Of the new
Tanana gold fields many times more
extensive than the Kiondike.
The road win make interior Alaska
accessible every day in the year and
save three weeks of travel now neces-
sary to Interior points by the circuitous
routes up the Yukon river
The projectors predict that the buildina
0f the Alaska Central viii increase 'he
annual gold production of Alaska from
The present output of SioW0oln to s2e9. oao.-
o1o and attract an increased immigration
of scores of thousands
The agricultural department of the Uni
ted States government has carried on agri
cultural experiments for the last five years
in Southern and Central Alaska. and mas
demonstrated Thar amy vegetation can bt
grown successfully thcre which can be
grown ia the northern states of the unicn
The climatic conditions are about the SAINT
as in England and Southern Norway ThcS'
countries are tempered by the Gulf stream
similarly as Southern and Central Alaska
is tempered by the japan current
I'm addif...n to the resources Of gold, Goa
and timber. tho new railroad will penetrat,
copper belt which has been pronounce
hy government and private intercollegiate
10 contain the most extensive and highes
grade copper deposits known in the world
Mr. DOwdle Will leave Chicago with mis-
construction equipment next Wednesday
via Seattle en- route to Seward, the south
eru terminus Of the Alaska Central. Mr.
Bailaine left for Seattle today