Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-02-19
COOK INLET 10 NOME
RAILWAY ROUTE SAID TO OFFER
INDUCEMENTS TO CAPITAL.
Capt. Heron Describes Conditions in
Alaska and Suggests Narrow
Gauge Road.

there is no better investment awaiting tIeLH
than the construction Of a 6OO-mile mar
row gauge, sing!e-track railroad from Cook
Inlet, Alaska, to Nome said Capt. Joseph
S. Heron, ID United States Cavalry, today
to a reporter of The Star at the New Will
lard. The War Department rates Captain
Heron among the most daring and sue
cessful of the many men in the United
States service who have explored that
country since 1t became part of the pub
lie domain. 1t was Captain Herron's duty
in the summer and winter of 1899 to find an
al-Amercan route into the center of Alas
ka from the open harbor of Cook Inlet. Re
ceiving no tidings of the expedition for two
months the War Department had about
given it up as having persisted in the snow
and ice of that inhospitable region, when,
December IL. a party Of men wrapped in
tattered blankets and with feet bleeding
and bodies emaciated, tottered into the
ramparts of Fort Gibbon and declared their
identity.
Il am among those who believe Alaska
has a great mining and commercial fu-
ture," continued Captain Heron, hence
the necessity of the construction of the
road in the near future. Rich our island
possessions are in commercial possibilities,
l believe that Alaska is the most valuable
of all our foreign acquisitions. Much has
been written of late in the daily press and
the magazines relative to the building Of
railroad from Valdez. Alaska, to Eagle
City. There are not enough population and
mining interests at the last-named point to
justify. in my opinion, the construction of
a road to 1t. The surface indications are
that the object of it's constructors Is to tap
the copper fields at Copper Center. But
even If the proposed road were built to
Eagle CITY, what commercial advantage
would b. gained? Passengers and freight
ers would still be LOCO miles from Cape
Nome and st. Michael and only on the outer
edge OF Alaska. Furthermore, miners and
n no cd fn Low ar,11I
would still be compelled to transport them
selves and their supplies across the boun-
dairy to Dawson, where the mines are To-
Gated, distance of ninety miles, and would
stlH be compelled to pay tribute to Cana
dian custom houses. The distance from
Eagle City to Dawson would have to be ac-
complished by ste amboats In summer and
winter. 40
Would Begin at Kustatan.
Were to construct a railroad in Alaska
l would break ground in the vicinity of
kustatan, Cook Inlet Thench 1 would
run the line to Tyoonok, and from
tina point proceed across the country to
the Keechatno valley piercing the Alaskan
range through Simpson Pass. Once through
the pass I would extend it in a northwest
erly direction until I reached Nulato on
the Yukon l am informed that railroad
surveys have already been made from Nu-
lato to Nome City. Plenty of timber for
bridges, ties, buildings, etc, can be had
along the line From personal observation
L can say that there are no remarkable
grades to be overcome. The constructors
OF such a road would not be compelled to
blast solid rocks on mountain sides half of
the way, was the case in building the
White Pass and Yukon road, and there
would be comparatively little to do in the
way of making cuts and fills. While the
last named road was built at an enormous
coSt-S4 80 0O0-its gross receipts the first
season are officially reported to have ex-
ceeded 100000, while its operating ex-
penses were only 100000.
Now, this is what the proposed Cook In
let-Nome railroad would be expected to
accomplish: First 1t would handle all the
trade and passenger traffic of the large and
growing settlements and mines already esr
tablished at Nome. Second it would open
for exploitation and settlement the wonder
full Kuskokwim region. the largest and
most fertile region in Alaska and still I'M
touched except by n few explorers and pros
pectors. Gold and quicksilver have already
been found within it's boundaries and It's
timber resources and agricultural prospects
are the best In Alaska. II the matter of
fish and game other section in Alaska
can compare with it. 1t goes without say
ing that the line mentioned would control
all the freight and passenger traffic of the
Nome region.
Monies Prospects.
Nome equals. and will probably exceed, in
mineral riches, the famous Klondike Rich
finds of silver, gold and lead have been dis
covered on the numerous creeks for miles
around. Two narrow-gauge roads, each
seven miles in length. are already in OPP
GRAFTON and paid for themselves the first
season. The Inhabitants between Nome and
the creeks in the recently discovered miner
al region would not only be furnished with
the necessares of life and mining supplies
the year round at greatly reduced prices,
Il hny- nd r.
built, but In tapping the rich Kuskokwim
country the line would connect with the
river Of that name. the second largest in
Alaska and navigable fer 600 miles.
1T will be seen. then. that there is a