The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1910-12-06
is COSTLY PIECE
Of RAILROAD
Vice-President Young of Copper
River Railroad in Alaska
Here.
TALKS ABOUT HIS LINE
IN THE FROZEN NORTH
One Hundred Thousand Dollars
Per Mile Was Average Cost
of Construction.

An average cost of 100000 per mile
Tor railroad 200 miles long, or Il Total
cost OF s2.ooo.ooo. will mean The largest
amount that has ever been spent on a
railroad I'm the world for the same total
number OF miles. Yet this is what 1t
VIII cost TO build the Copper River K
statcment made Monday by Joseph H.
Young. vice president OF the road who
arrived in this city Monday afternoon
and left this morning for New York.
Joe Young, as he is known to the
railroad world, and especially 10 his
friends In this city, was born here, be-
ing son of Judge Letirandc Young. His
early railroad training was received in
Utah. and whenever J. H. comes to Salt
Lake City he is kept busy receiving con-
gratu'ations on the way he has risen In
his chosen profession
Is Expensive Line.
In a little chat Monday afternoon. Mr.
Young said: u think that ! am safe in
SAVING tnat there is no more expensive
Sp0 miles oG railroad In the world than
that OF the Copper River While the
average cost win be 100000 per mic.
some parts of the road have ran three.
Jour or five times that amount per mile
Much OF the work has been in tho Sc
curing OF the roadbed through and over
soid walls OF rock. As high as G0o0 men
nave been employed at one time, though
at the present tire the working force is
moi much over 2000 men, every one OF
whom are worked az long as the day
north.
AT the present time we have the road
compieteu FOR distance Of $50 miles and
the grading done for the greater part of
tue remaining nifty miles. At the present
time the weather is good and unless
something unforeseen happens We VIII
have the road completed by March
next"
Building a Big Bridge.
Mr.. Young stated that at the present
.fn the construction of tho cantalever
bridge over the kushlaua river This
bridge is litue over 500 feet long. and
owing 10 the ice gorees which come down
the river at times. has to bc built with
Especial care.
In discussing the construction of the
road. Mr. Young said that he dG not
believe there had ever been pioneer
road built in the rairoad history OF the
world with the same care as 10 road
bed. steel and passablc safety the
Copper River & Northwestern WAS be
Ing built. II is practically Impossible FOR
any pcrscu who has not been in that
country 10 begin 10 realize what the
building of such n road means. Its COM
.plction will mean a triumph for modern
engineering and tribute 10 the men
who financed it,
Opens Mineral Region,
Tho Copper River road in Alaska Will
open up the largest known coal and cop
per fields In the worid-fclds over which
'there has been no end of discussion and
In and out Of congress- dur.
ing the last two gears. The road is be"
Eing built by the Guggcnhclm Exploration
company. which is said 10 have the back.
ing and support Of j, L. Morgan. the
Rothss hilds and other big financial In
terests.
In addition TO being vice president Of
1hc Copper River a. Northwestern. AIR.
Young is president of The Alaska Steam
ship company. which operates u line Of
stcamers from Seattle to various points
in Alaska.