The Nome nugget., 1904-05-18
A Nugget Correspondent
Gives His Views.
FAvoRS new Route.
That by Way of VaIdez--Figures
Submitted Showing Actual
Cost of Service.

Unalaklik, May 5, 1904 .-Editor MUG
GET:-Our paternal and loving Uncle
Samuel is now negotiating bids for a
weekly postal service between Valdez
and Nome via St. Michael. Undoubted-
ly one Of the corporations that always
need little ready money, will get it,
and the money so made by the corpora
ton will return to the country to help
build roads, stake trails, build school
houses, ETC., and so help to develop
Alaska. 1t is way our Uncle Sam
has Of hiding his benevolence by doing
kindly acts through second parties and
letting them spread the money so that
it will do the greatest good to the great
est number-one of the foundation
stones of our government.
will try and and show by figures
what it would cost to run daily or tri-
weekly mail service between Valdez
and Nome, with a spur line from here
to st. Michaels, that is, if the govern
ment would run it through tried and
competent mail officials and the un-
doubtedly competent mail carriers that
are in the mail service at the present
time: and by thus eliminating the prof
its of the middle men. or mail contrac-
tors, who are continually adding to
their atiiuence, would, with the money
so saved, either give better winter
mail service by giving the carriers bet
ter pay than they are now getting, or
divert it to the development of Alaska.
The distance from Valdez TO Cinema
is about APO miles, and the trail passes
through country besprinkled with
timber: the longest distance that tim
Der is not to be met with is about 80
miles. From Cinema to the mouth of
Tanana is 300 miles and from there to
Unalaklik 800 miles, all through u
known and well timbered country,
without any formidable divides to cross.
From Unalaklik to Nome and St. Mich
upon, but the distances are: From here
to ST. Michael, 65 miles: Nome, 30
miles, making the total distance from
Valdez to Nome 1870 miles and to St.
Michael 1905 miles.
TO run daily mail to Nome from
Valdez and to make the best possible
time would necessitate relay stations at
distance of 30 miles from each other:
and, as the distance is 1870 miles, it
would mean As mail stations, and these
mail stations could be erected complete
at, say cost of s75 per cabin, or a total
cost of So, $50. Each station would need
a team at, say cost of 5000 per team,
or total cost of S13. 800. Dog feed for
the winter months would amount to
S12,528: board for the mail carriers
would cost $l9,320 and the mail car
riers' wages at the rate they are now
paid. would be 1872, 300. making a total
1877 1923, as against the SS7, 900 now paid
to run a weekly mail from Eagle to
Nome, including the branch from Una
laklik to St. Michael.
In the foregoing estimate | have not
allowed anything for running expenses,
or for the salaries of the mail superin.
tendents, as ] have no means of deter.
mining accurately what it would be-
but it is safe to say that 100000 would
cover all expenses of the first year, and
as that would be the first cost, it is evil
dent that each year the cost would
grow beautifully less. The cost of feed
ing the dogs during the summer woult
not amount to much, as one or two mer
could catch all the fish necessary, be-
sides taking care Of them, as is nov
practiced by the present Yukon mai
service.
In figuring the cost of the service,
have based it upon what the Yukon
mail carriers are paid and what i
costs to board them. The government
could certainly board men and dogs fol-
less by buying the necessary merchan
disc at outside prices, and the trans
ports and river boats could place the
necessary food supply along the river
mail route at very small cost. 1t Ger
tainly would cost more from Valdez tt
Cinema than along the river route, but
not enough to make any material in
crease in the above figures.
Another distinct advantage TO be
gained by the relay system is the rap
idity with which mail could be deliver
IN Nome. each mail carrier having only
30 miles to go, and the same upon his
return trip; his dogs and himself would
become so familiar with the route that
they could travel equally well night Oh
day. Admitting this. 60 miles per day
would be low estimate to allow for the