The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1910-06-08
Great Chitina Basin Soon
to Have Daily Trains
RICHEST or COPPER CAMPS
Next July VIII See the Begin
Ming OF Remarkable Develop
nents In One Of the Worlds
Widest Glacier Areas, which
now Is Practically an lnacces-
sible Wilderness and within .
Year VIII Have . Permanent
Population Of Thousands.

The mysterious regions Of the earth left
blank or marked unexplored on the maps
have become so few that the opening OF
one of them is to-day an event of pic
turesque if not industrial Importance.
Up in Alaska next summer one of the
widest and most forbidding areas in the
world will be made comfortably avail
able to the most luxury-loving tourist.
This region is not quite blank on the
maps, because it is filed with mountain
peaks visible for a hundred miles and
because among the comparatively few
white men who have entered 1t are gov
eminent biologists and surveyors.
The region is the great Chitina basin,
which extends eastward from the Copper
river, about 100 miles from the ocean.
This part of Alaska is exceedingly noun
famous and filed with glaciers. The
rivers that come from it are navigable
only IN sections, and the few trails try
even the patience of the Oldest sourdough.
10 the average city man they would seem
no more passable than the side of a
house. AT any rate, they and the in
Vulnerable glacier streams are difficult
enough TO have kept out all but few
prospectors and engineers. There are
some remarkably intrepid woman trav-
elers N Alaska, but none, so far as is gem
orally known, has ever been IN the Chitina
country, and no man would think OF going
IN there for anything but a big stake.
Under present conditions it is no pleasure
trip.
The mouth of the Chitina river is about
Azo miles up the Copper river. This l25
miles mad hardly been travelled by white
man until three or four years ago, and
beyond there, up the Chitina and its
numerous tributaries, an added fifty or
more miles, was an even harder journey.
even IN winter, when, of course, it can
DC made over the snow if one is willing to
camp OUT IN below-2ero weather
About 1902 white men first heard from
the Indians that there were copper de-
posts IN the region, and these deposits
OF copper, now known to be among the
richest IN the world, have been the cause
OF almost all the travel there has ever
been INTO the region. 1t is to reach the
copper properties that railroad is now
being built from the seaeoast, at the
new town OF Cordova, up the Copper
and Chltlna rivers. When track LAYING
ended for the winter few weeks ago
the rails had reached the mouth of the
liekei river, l02 miles inland. The mouth
OF the Chitina, thirty-six miles farther.
VIII De reached. it was announced the
other day, by July / of this year, and a
lew months later the mines viii be
reached
by the time the road has crossed the
sWirilng Copper river at the mouth of the
Cnitlna, a town, where now there is moth
ing, will have sprung into being. and new
roads and trails will have made the region
readily accessible to the man willing to
walk Soon thereafter comfortable daily
Trains will be taking travellers into the
very heart of one of the widest glacial
regions in the world and bringing ont
Tram loads Of the richest copper ore ever
The suddenness of this TRANSFORMED ;,,
makes 1t OF peculiar interest. r. i
syplcal OF modern methods that tb;s
strange, wild part. of the earth which 4
low can be visited only with hardsbins
7 real severity, viii almost in a dav he
ONE the pleasant. familiar route Of tour-
st travel souA
but even more remarkable viii mn.
oubtedly be the industrial change II i
are to predict that IN all the fhousa,ds
7 square miles of the Chitina bss;r,
Vnere now there are not a hundred b,'
nan beings another year viii see ; non,,.
alton OF thousands and several 49,
snt towns, electric lighted, policed. with
telephones, banks, hotels, Churches and
lu0s- Inc outcome is as certain as tbat
ne wealth is there waiting for ra;lr so.,
, haul it out. -a1i1 e'u
There is at present in the d;str;o.
MY one property which minino NO.,
'ould call q mine, but this Is az snfI;-
emily proved richness TO warrant Az
ulldlng OF the $4,000, 900 Conner R;var
40 Northwestern railroad. The craat
onanza mine, large amounts of ore &c
hieh IS 70 per cent. pure conner :
any recognized as the richest eov,,,e,
Inc IN the world It's exposed fsc So r.
rple and blue ore can be seen oiss-,;,s
&c an opal in the sun for tbirfv 49,
is almost needless to saw that go
opertles as these are not for sale J
But the interesting thing is that the
'nanza . only one spot on Contact !
rock formations that has already been
aced Tor 10 miles through the district
Us contact" Is geologically favorahla :
the existence of stores of mineral and !
ready there are thirty-five grouna of
inns on il, several of which have baen 9
gntiy developed. Notwithstanding th;s :
belt has really hardly been prospected .
miners for years to come Will bsrs
ny !, o. room GO look for new Bonanzas 2