The Alaska citizen., 1910-08-06
PRINCE RUPERT IS
 STANDING PAT
EVERYBODY IS PLAYING A WAIT ING GAME AND THERE IS
 NOT MUCH DOING.
LOTS $500 PER FRONT FOOT
H. Roden, the Mining Man Who Left Here Some Weeks Ago tor the Rainy City Is Not Satisfied With Present Outlook.

The following interesting letter was received in town during the week, from H. Roden. Mir. Roden is known to be q conservative man. and his opinion of the situation is worth consideration.
 Prince, Rupert July 9.
 In accordance with my promise write to give you my impressions in regard to Prince Rupert was 25 days getting here from Fairbanks. and have been here two weeks. There is no doubt a great future for the city Incorporated a few months ago) and everybody is look ing forward 10 the completion of the railway in 3 or years (some say ? years).
 l understand the track has been laid 107 miles from this end and 123 miles from Edmonton.
 Prices of land are exceedingly high, especially in the business sec ton. ranging in that section from $loo to $500 per foot frontage ac- cording to location. In the residen- tial quarter lots 25x1OO can be had from $2o0 up. The greater part of the residential part of the town is behind a ridge which runs parallel to the water front
 They could hardly have chosen a worse site for a town if they had tried, there being hardly enough level ground in one spot to make a tennis court.
 Some of the principal streets are laid out temporarily with planking, but the city will be starting the | leyellng and grading of the streets in a week or two. This is big work as there is little or no soil here but hard, solid rock to be handled.
 A man told me that he was offer ed a lot for $50OO, but when he went to inspect it he found that it | would take fully another 5000 to | blast out the rock to the required | level.
 It is estimated that to grade the business section of the city alone will cost $2,000,OOO and with the cost | of the water and drainage services. | and other necessary work the city | will start in with pretty good load l of febt.
 There are three or four steamship | companies boats calling here ire queutly and a few outsiders, and there is a fair amount of shipping being done; but business generally (and real estate in particularly is conspicuous by it's absence.
 When the city work is started there will be a pay roll of about $30,OOO a day which will help mat ters
 There are two daily papers, and one bl-Weekly; also banks, With 7 more in prospective.
 The population is about 4,000 or 5,O00.
 There will not be very much do- ing here until the railway is through everybody playing waiting game in the meantime a tax of 15 mills 01a per cent.) has been decided to be placed on assessments of land (not improvements).
 Even if I had the money I would not buy real estate at present values |
 Stewart is about 120 miles from here, up the Portland canal, which the mining boomlet has called into existence, but I have not heard of any good prospects being found as yet in that quarter, although about q score of companies have been floated. They may find it yet.
 From all accounts the weather here is execrable, but it has been tolerably fair since my arrival.
 Yours sincerely