Seward weekly gateway., 1906-01-06
RAILROAD WILL
 AID PROSPECTORS
Construction Toward Interior Ex. pected to Stimulate Search
 for Mineral

PNNNNA VI ANNSANS d SAOdG AtupSJuo NLlS year by the building of the Alaska Central railroad toward the interior. Although it is not possible to build the road farther than the head of Knik Arm during 1906 because of the inn mense stretchss of heavy rock work which intervene between that point and Turnagain Arm and cannot be completed rapidly like dirt grading in a level country, the operation of trains to Knik will practically open the way to the interior.
 Beyond Knik the railroad will run for POO miles through an almost level valley and the railroad company has determined to build trail ahead of the grade through to the Panama river. This will require little work beyond Knik except the bridging of large streams. When that is done travel will be easy between Seward and Fair banks. Before the end of 1906 passen- gers and freight can go byrail to Knik and over the trail the remainder of the way.
 The construction of the road and trail will make the transportation of freight in large quantities a simple matter. Prospectors can go in and out without difficulty and in a short time. Regular communication will be established in many regions which are now almost unknown. This is eN- pected Co induce thousands of Prospec- tors to explore the creeks and hills of Central Alaska, where already several hundred hardy adyenturers are at work and are reaping the reward oI their enterprise.
 The biggest gold strike of 1905, the Kantfshna. Although in the Panama district. is close to the further end of the protected line of the Alaska Cen. traI railroad and when the line is in operation will furnish part of it's busi- ness. Farther south but in the same general region is the Hentna camp where strike was made year ago and 8 small number of miners worked until late in the summer when some of them came out with pokes which started 200 men into the region in the fall
 This camp is in the Mount Mckinley region which all old prospectors of Central Alaska have always insisted presents all the external indications of being rich in gold but which has been explored very little because of it's remoteness from the sea and the diff cuIty of access. It lie, to the west ward Of the proposed railroad line, but . the ranges of hills lying eastward of tine line have also been prospecte1 sufficiently Co demonstrate that they too are rich. Both copper and gold ..no,Gr, ol -vea, value have been found in Jaa. region.
 Tu. building of the railroad past the
 arm, O. Cook Inlet will also stimulate rno development of the hydraulic and dredging properties which line both sides os those .-uarics. Every creek flowing into TwnagaIn and Nuik Arms has been worked with profit for gold, ard .u. delta a, their mouths all con tain rich deposit, of the metal. All .nu,e hydraulic and dredging areas have been located but some have not been worked because capital is requh- ed to operate them with large profit, and only since the railroad began to build that way has it been possible to attract capital to the region.
 Today eastern capital controls the famous Crow creek from it's mouth to it's head and on two properties eXpen- sivc machinery is employed in washing out gold by the hydraulic process. On Willow creek, fifty miles north of Knik Arm. Boston company is working hydraulic property and taking out steadily large amounts of gold. During the past summer and fall all the dredg- ing lands Lot previously taken at the mouths of the creeks flowing into the Inlet were located and several will be worked by expensive machinery this year.
 Besides the interest in placer gold mining which has been directed to Central Alaska theprospects forquartz mining. which have received little attention in any part of Alaska, are believed 10 be equal to the chances in placer mining. The discovery of the rich Falls creek quartz mines only thirty miles from Seward, containing ore that sometimes runs as high as sl50O ton in gold, and the fact that every creek of Kenai peninsula con- taius gold deposits, leads mining men 10 believe that quartz gold Of great