The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1905-10-04
BRINGS LATE NEWS ]
. FROM AWAY NORTH

: -
DONALD MCKENZIE OF ALASKA
IN MINNEAPOLIS TODAY.
He Is Engaged in Promoting Rail
road from the Coast Thru the Copper
River Country to Eagle City on the
Yukon Tells Of Alaskan Progress.
Donald A. Mckenzie Of Cordova Bay,
Alaska, is in Minneapolis. He is en-
gagged in promoting the construction Of
a railroad from Cordova Bay, short
distance west of the mouth of the Cop
per river, on the south shore Of Alaska,
northwest thru the Copper river coun-
try and across the Tanana to Eagle
City, on the Yukon river. The distance
is about 40 miles.
Mr.. Mckenzie knows Alaska. When
the excitement in the Klondike was at
it's height, in 1898, he did not follow
the crowd to Dawson, but after study
OF conditions, decided to go exploring
on the headwaters> of Koyukuk, the
largest river of northern Alaska flow
ing into the Yukon. He went 500 miles
from the mouth Of Koyukuk, far up
above the Rrctic circle into the north
ern part Of our Alaskan possessions,
to camp called Cold Foot. Indeed,
that region. While no startling dis
coveries have been made in that region
up to date, Cold Foot is good camp,
and the few men who have been pros
pecting there have done well.
Mr.. Mckenzie was made commits
sioner in that district, which means
that he was the recorder, probate
judge, coroner, Justice Of the peace and,
indeed, the whole thing so far as the
authority of the government existed in
that far-away place. His official du-
ties brought him to Rampant, on the
Yukon, at the time of the senatorial
visit to that point in the summer of
1903. There he made the acquaint-
| ance of the senatorial committee and
was one Of the most urgent advocates
before that committee Of the necessity
or road building in Alaska. .f ;.
- Government Does Some Work.
The following winter he "came out
slde,,' as they say in Alaska, visited
| Washington, and continued to urge
upon congress that steps be taken to
improve the transportation facilities in
our extreme northwestern possession.
The government has taken some steps
in that direction. It has appointed an
! army officer to make surveys and has
| appropriated portion Of the revenues
Of the district outside the incorporated
towns for the purposes of road build
ing. The project to make special
appropriation for a road from some
point on the south coast into the Ia
mana country and eventually to Eagle
| vxrho "a
veloped in congress a feeling that If
the government were to do anything in
promoting roads in laska it should be
done in connection with the building
OF railroads rather than wagon roads.
With this cue Mr.. Mckenzie, thru
influential acquaintance in New York
succeeded in interesting capitalists
there in a project to build road from
Cordova Bay, a short distance west OF
the mouth Of the Upper river, up that
stream thru the Copper river valley
and in a general northwestern direction
to Eagle City. Il
Il A bill was drawn up providing for
government aid somewhat on the plan
which the government has followed in
promoting railroads in the Philippines.
The matter was brought before Senator
Nelson, who is recognized in Washing
ton as the highest authority in either
house on Alaskan affairs, and was mate
rally revised by him, one important
provision which he incorporated being
the requirement that the road should
be completed from the south coast to
Eagle before the government aid should
apply. When this is done the govern.
ment will guarantee the interest on the
bonds at the rate of 4 per cent.
Capitalists Are Interested.
An association has been formed, but
no company organized as yet. Among
those interested are such prominent
capitalists as William L. Bull Of Ed win
Grant B. Schley of Moore & Schley, a
brother Of the admiral; William M. Bar.
mum Of Harvey Fiske & Sons, and Err.
est Thalman Of Ladenburg, Thalman &
! Co., all of New York; John Byrne "a
railroad man Of Pittsburg; Winthrop
Smith, Willim B. Kurtz, W. Fred Sny-
der and Sabin W. Cotton of Phila del
Pa, General James r.: Wilson Of viii
mington, John H. McGraw of Seattle.
Charles P. Hunt and Irving a: Stearns
heavy coal operators at Wilkesbarre
and Andrew F. Burleigh, an attorney of
New York. This list is important as
indicating the confidence of men of cap
ital in the enterprise. .,..... 1871:
/ Following up the bank OF the Copper
river, the road will cross thru the coast
range on very slight grade, the most
serious and expensive difficulty to be en-
eountered being two glaciers which
break into the river, one on either
side and distant from each other about
{ two miles, In order to pass them il
becomes necessary to cross the river
twice, passing the front of each glacier
on the opposite bank. These are live
glaciers, having a front perpendicgla1
J wall nearly 300 feet in height: The
, discharge Of immense masses of broker
ice into the river gorge at frequent in
tervals sounds like heavy cannonading
and will add a sensation to the novel
i, ties of the trip on this river by raj
not to be duplicated in any other par
!; Of the world.
Great Natural Wealth.
The Copper river valley attracts cap
ital for an enterprise of this kind be
cause it is unquestionably very rich II
. copper and in coal. It is believed tina
the largest copper deposits in the worlt
: will vet be uncovered in this Cope
r river valley, while veins Of coal ninet,
feet in thickness have been discovered
In the vicinity Of Cordova Bay, tn
head Of which will be the Terminus @
the road, are also found promising lnd11
cations of oil and prospectors are al
ready at work seeking to develop con
siderable flow. A road from Cordovi
to Eagle will penetrate the. heart Q
I Alaska, and undoubtedly lead to grea
development, not only in the mining 0
coal and copper, but will stimulate plae