The Chitina leader., 1913-03-18
ROAD TO WHITE RIVER

The enOrt to secure road IRON
mile 191 on the C. r. G. n. W. rail
road, through the Nazina river Sec
ition, across the Scolai pass and into
tie White River country, has seeming
ly gone a glimmering. The Cor
dova Chamber of Commerce started
to circulate petitions for signatures,
asking the Alaska road commission
to extend aid to this desired project,
and the miners in the White river
country demonstrated considerable
anxiety for an outlet on the Ameri-
can side.
The peculiar transportation condi-
ton which forces American mining
CT mpanies operating in American
TERRITORY to buy their outfits in Cana
da to escape payment of duty on
goods consigned to American terri
Itory-the White river country, in
Alaska-and the necessity for rail
ways tapping the remote points of the
interior to obviate this injustice to
American commerce. is strikingly il
| Illustrated by Maurice D. Leehey, of
Seattle, attorney for some of the
American companies thus ar ,cted.
Mr.. Leehey cites the case If ore
lconcern, the Scolai Mining Company,
of Akron. o., which is sendlag an
outfit costing $4,000 into the White
river country this spring. AMI is COM
PEELED to expend this purchase monev
y vancouver. instead of Seattle. be.
cadse OF the collection of dutv ty
1.-THE Canadian customs at 'I,' term
1 inal of the White Pass & Yukon road
at Whitehorse.
AS it is, the unjust condition pre-
walls of American mining companies
being forced to buy Canadian goods
to transport into American territory
free of duty, which there is no pro-
vision for collecting, and being pre-
vented from taking in American
goods by the only route available
into Whitehorse and thence over the
Whitehorse & Kluane road to Lake
Kluane, and across the boundary
from there, near its intersection by
the White river-without paying
duty. because there is no provision
for shipping such goods through in
bond and no means of customs col
lection.
An extension of the Copper River
& Northwestern from Chitina over
Scotia pass-a feasiable and compar-
atively inexpesive extension-would
obviate this costly anomaly which
throws the trade of rich portion of
American capital to Canada.
1t is the common belief that this
extension would have been made long
ago, as it taps copper district ad-
judged as rich in resource as the
Copper river country, had it not been
for the repressive attitude of the gov
eminent in its Alaska railroad policy.
Among other companies affected
Jointly with the Scolai in being com
PEELED to purchase outfits in Canada
for use in American territory are the
Alaska Natazhat Copper Mining
Company, which has extensive hold
ings in the White river country. and
which has already expended more
than $4,000 in development work;
the T. company, which has large
holdings; Solomon Albert, David
Pugsley. Andy Taylor. all having
large properties in process of develop
ment and many others.
1t is estimated that the board of a
packer in that country averages S12
a day. in spite of which difficulties
the copper properties are being de-
yeloped, and those who are spending
money for that development are
forced to make the outlay in Canada
Ito permit their accomplishment of
lpioneer and development work in
lone of the potentially richest and,
from transportation view point,
most remote districts in all Alaska.
T. B. Tansey is now located at