Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1905-03-09
ALASKAN ROADS.

ALASKAN ROADS.
How the TerritOry's ThOrOug hfafes Are
Onstructed-Mountain Highways.
During the months of May. June. July,
August. and September. 1901, Mr.. G. W.
burlington. a mining engineer II Denver,
accompanied by MIR. Sidney Paige as as
sistant, jOurneycd through Alaska. inNcs-
tigating, for the United states geologic
cal survey, the costs and methods of gold
placer mining in the Territory. For the
purpose OF making comparative observa-
lions, he also visited the Atlin district OF
British Columbia and the Klondikc gold
fields Of the Yukon Territory. In study
ing the conditions which affect placer
mining In our northern possessions, he
WAS impressed with Tho present made
quate means of communication between
the different parts of the Territory. Tho
gold mining which has been done in the
interior of Alaska has been conducted in
spite of difficulties of transportation
which SEQ m hardly credible. From officers
of the Canadian government Nh Purng-
ton obtained data tbIsed on Nlondike en-
periencc) concerning road constructs ION
which ,rdic,.o ,h,t road bui,dipy ON ~,
extensive scale in tho northern ATTITUDES
Is entirely feasible. and that both con-
struction and maintenance eau he accoin-
p'ishod a, moderate cost His conclusion
Is that highways must be CONSTRUCTED in
Alaska. if the Territory. is ia dcv.lop = :
it should.
NJ. burlington advocates IN, anno,nt-
,;,..i
be general Superintendent Of road con-
there should he appointed. under Tho mou-
eral superintendent. property qualified
road oversecrs in each district Of Alaska
He also irdorscs the recommendation
made by Mr.. \. ". Brooks. gooogist in
charge of the division OF Alasknn mineral
resources. T.. s. geological survey. that an
appropriation of NoOo."o bo spent for
wagon roads in Alaska He thinks +,
probable that for this sum 90 miles Of
roads 800 of the Dawson standard wagon
tyne and CO. for slcds-cc,uld be built in
those part, Of tho country which would
ne mos, assisted by their construction.
Provision should also be made for their
tannuoI ,n,irtnuance nv ,hue ;,,rr,vin,
TRANSFORMATION facilities IN. annual Alos.
la, nroduct in eo,d would ,,,do,h,od,,
he cr,atlr incroased
! OWING IN ite varied tono,ranh,. Alasl,a
may ,,a di,idod rror, :, biohr,r st,,a
,o;,, into ,rrc. nro,.;,,ofs ,ba 1ar,l
ico,,t ,,.o,.i,co TIC c.,,r,, yr,,,,, ,,o,.
j ;,,. ,,d ,h, c.u.,r, ,,o,,;,,,,,.
,,.,vi,co pic ro-,, -. .i,.;.,
r,...,,o, H.. 49,, ..,
;,s,, ,, ,,<,o,,no,i,,,. ;,,,,- 49,, -.
Co,,ar ,i,.a,. h,.t, ,d..h -, priro, wiz
,ia,,, S,,,,,, ,,,.a ,,,. ..,,o,i,',,.. .,.;.,
o,a, -, No.. r,,ui. 49, ,t ...
- ~, mention. ~
49,. o., 49,. -
oo.;or r., e,,,'e,,, :. ,,,., ~, at. ,,r,
n,nr ,h,. 49, COS, ~ o,,s.,,,a,ia,, :,
49,. ,a',.. +, ~
~ e., '', .
a., Con.ou .;,.n. h,.,,, ~. =.
- ., -, "
.,t ,,,wa.o,, h..',.. 49, ..,,
=. 49, ..,,. .,.. .
.s,. 49, -;o. $780,. a,...,a.. - 49,. a..
~. "
49,; -, .,..,. .,,,.
| =. .,o Ali, a;...;.. 5000 r,,.
,,o,, rood. howo 49,, oo.;,,, iii. -.
cost of fro,,, ssno % 4, nm nil. v.ry
little corduroy road IA found here
In the vicinity OF Dawson. in tho Yu-
kon Territory Of Canada. standard high.
ways have becu constructed nv tho Cana.
dian government at a cost of from 81. ~
tn "a 3no y mile The annual maintenance.
of such Il road costs $3.50 a mile. This 10
lcalitv offers the most instructive lessor
in practical highway construction in tn,
north. and affords a striking contrast II
this respect to the adjacent American do
main. The average cost of constructio,
for sled or winter trail in this Territor,
is from, SO To 1870 n mile These trail
can be maintained for about SO A year
Previous to th,, construction of the WACO.
roads. TRANSPORTATION charges per l.N'
hounds from Dawson to Grand Forks.
djstauc. of 70 miles Amounted 70 e. Tn
same a,nouut of merchandise l. nov
transuortcd the sam. Jistruc. for 81 I'd
THE i,nprov.d conditions thus mean 4 iii
rect benefit t. lhc miner of at leas, ca
,p,.r CEN, on All supn,ics and machiuer,
fr.ipht,1 nv wagons over tirst-,lls
roads
It /. Estimated that standard highway.
sjnjlo, to thos, in fin, Canadian Yukon,
ic,,,ld Inc constructed in ,ho csn,raI YIN
kan nrovinc. in ,bo r,rar. Hirrh crool,
and KovuEu,. uiv,ricts for from, /, 700 I,
ss.,.o . milo such roads co,,,I H., main
t,i,od ~, % ,,,r,,. ,1,o,.,, ~ cen
milo Sled mr. winter trails nigh, n, con
lcons,ructcd in thn Same district for SO
- mile
Nv proo,.s b,, .,,.,,....,l tho r,'i,,.
inu routes for ,rovcrrme,t roads in IN