The Chitina leader., 1911-04-01
RAILROAD COMPLETED TO THE COPPER BELT

from valdez. Inc o1n1cuittoS OF get
ting through the canyon and the high
grades necessary In climbing the
mountains brought discouragement.
| In the fall of 1905 the valuable
coal deposits Of the Katalla fields
began to be generally discussed and
the Alaska Syndicate was impressed
with the necessity of taking the coal
question into consideration in the
construction of q railroad. Work was
suspended at Valdez and Mr.. Rog.
ers directed his attention to Katalla
land the Copper River country. 1t
was then decided to build from Ka-
ITALIA. In preference to Valdez or Cor
dova. active work starting in the
early spring of 1907. Efforts to con-
struct a breakwater and secure a
suitable harbor at Katalla soon met
with unsatisfactory results. after
trestles had been built. ten miles
of grading done and eight miles of
track laid.
In June, 1907, the Syndicate Sc
cured the services Of E. c. Hawkins.
formerly chief engineer Of the White
Pass & Yukon railroad. He came
north on July first to study the whole
situation. For over three months he
tramped over the various suggested
routes for reaching the BONANZA
mines. He held in mind the neces-
sity for starting at tide water at a
common point to tap both the copper
belt and the coal fields, with the
ightest possible grade. He also de-
sired an open harbor the year round,
with deep water and secure anchor
age, where a large feet of vessels
might be safely sheltered.
Mr.. Hawkins satisfied himself that
Cordova offered more advantages
than any other point, even though
the cost Of constructing from there
would DE greater than from some
other port He went to New York
and at a meeting of the Syndicate
in October. reported in favor of dis
continuing work at other points and
starting from CorGova. The meet
ing decided on the line from Cordova.
On November is, 1907, Mr.. Hawkins
was made chief engineer and gen
eial manager of the Katalla Com
pany. organized for the pur pose Of
constructing the railroad, and which
positions he continues to hold He
was placed in absolute charge of the
engineering and construction work.
The first contract was for rebuild
ing the old part of the Copper River
Railroad five miles out from Cordova
nd new construction to Abercrombie
or mile 81. Track was laid to this
point by October 80, 1908, with the
exception of the bridge crossing the
river at mile ~, The next contract
was to Tiekel, or mile 101, which
was completed on December 1, 1909.
The road was completed to Chitina.
or mile 131, on September IL, 1910.
Track was laid to Kuskulana, mile
149, October %, and the steel bridge
across the river was completed De-
cember Is. The trestle $50 feet long
and from eighty to ninety feet high
was built across the Gilahina River,
mile 100. in eight days, and trains
were running over it January %. For
the rest of the distance the actual
track laying in the dead of winter
and over ice and snow progressed
at the rate of nearly mile per day
not including the building of trestle,
until the end Of the line was reached
on the afternoon of March %. 1911.
Some Items of Expense.
Some of the most expensive rock
work in railway building has been
Encountered. ranging from nominal
amounts to 100000 per mile. Faces
Ct mountains and canyons were lit
orally torn away by tremendous
charges of dynamite and powder.
Practically along the entire line
north Of Miles and Childs Glaciers
the very mountain SUBMITS echoed
and re-echoed again and again the
nartial-like sound and explosions
|proclaiming the indomitable will and
physical hardihood Of the Industrial
soldiers of peaceful progress blazing
q way for the enrichment and con-