Douglas Island news., 1908-08-12
City of Cordova

Cordova is the sea terminus of the Copper River & Northwestern railroad. It is in latitude 60 degrees north, situ- ated on Cordova bay on the southeast ern portion of Prince Williams sound. For the reason that it is from here the only railroad leading to the great Alaska interior it being built, CordoVa is more talked about today than any town in Alaska.
 If one stops to study the map, and to consider the topograph or tne country and charts of the sound, as we'll as the latent resources of the vicinity, he will readily understand why Cordova is the chosen spot. First, she has an excellent land-locked, har- bor, where all sea going vessels can lie in safety The islands so lie in front of her that Qualifications could be made impregnable.
 Second, there is no mountain to cross from Cordova to the interior, the 1 grade from the town to Copper river being only one.half of one per cent. This mighty river has cut her way through the coast range, and by bridge ing her twice, an easy grade, free from glaciers and mountains has been found, and over it the road is now being built as fast as men and money can do it. 'Tis here that the rail meets the sail, and the copper meets the coal. All the copper ore from Prince i Williams sound can be brought here by inside routes on scows or boats of most any kind, as sea going vessels are not required. The coal can be brought by rail from the Bering river fields, only twenty miles from the main line of the road up Copper river. All around Cordova, excellent copper ore in immense bodies has been found during the last year, making the town the choice spot for smelters as soon as the railroad reaches the choice coal fields and the big copper mines of the vast interior.
 The new townsite, in which lots are now on the market, is one of the most beautiful on the coast, and is we'll pro- tected from the Copper river winds by mountains in the ear. Flowing down from these mountains, directly through the town, are clear, cold streams of water, assuring for all time to come, not only pure drinking water, but ex- cellent fire protection. Within few miles of the city is one of the finest water falls on the coast, thus assuring power for the operation of all kinds of manufacturing plants. A patent has been granted to the land in the town site, and everyone securing lot has an absolute title to his home or place of business. All the main streets are being graded and rock-graveled by the townsite company, thus avoiding heavy tax to be made by the municipal ity upon abutting owners, as IS the case in nearly every new city.
 Cordova has been made port of entry for collection of customs, and the cable ship Burnside is now on her way here to lay the cable, thus con- meeting us by wire with the other DOT tions of Alaska, as well as with al l the outside world.
 Application has already been mad for the formation of school district, and the townsite company has offered the finest location in the place for a building.
 The lots in the new townsite were put on the market June 1st, and over forty business houses are now erected. A fifteen thousand dollar hotel is now being built, and two or three more ten thousand dollar buildings are to be built at once, the lumbe now being on the ground. One hundred and fifty men are now busy doing street grad ing and house building. A large num- ber are at work on wagon road being made through the woods from the townsite to the dock.-The Cordova Alaskan.