The Alaska daily empire., 1914-07-11
.SKAGWAY ROAD
 SURVEY COMPLETED

Engineer L. T.. Merry, ,whoSwas de- tailed by the Alaska Road SGommis, sion to survey the proposed government
 wagon road from Skagway to the
 summit of the White Pass, has just
 returned to Juneau after complet- ing the work and Is now preparing the maps and data which are to be
 submitted to the board The road
 is designed to connect at the interna. tional boundary line at the summit with the Canadian system of wagon
 roads reaching to the Atlin section and to Yukon Territory as far south as Dawson.
 The new road will have grade
 from Skagway to the summit averag-
 ing less than five per cent and at no
 point in the entire distance will 1t exceed eight per cent. An effort was made in making the present survey to keep outside the right of way of the White Pass and Yukon railroad as much as possible, therefore there are but three crossings made on the entire route, one at the present pub lie crossing at Clark's homestead, an. other near mile No. 4, and the final crossing near the summit.
 The new route as located makes State street the point of departure from Skagway going northward, and at it's terminus on the banks of Skag- way river the latter will be crossed by a standard pile bridge, the west end abutting on the U. S. military re. serve adjoining the H. D. Clark home. stead, now known as Sunnyside farm.
 The road according to the new sur. vey will from this point follow the old '97 trail for a considerable distance, but defects at the point where the old trail led toward Black lake, but keeps on the west side of Skagway river, however, to Rocky Point, thus avoiding the long and torturous hill to Black lake and what Is worse the abominable slide country through which the old Bracket road was built in '9S, and also the climb over Porcu. pine hill
 Following the old line of the 97 trail, the road will pass through the site of historic Liarsville, which Is now a pleasant meadow, and then approach a sheer wall of granite which will en. tail in road construction. either tres. tie work or extensive cribbing for a distance. Clinging to It's granite cliffs the road continues on its way to spot just a little North of Rocky Point when it crosses to the east side of the river and holds to that bank nearly to the summit, and then 1t again crosses to the west side.
 Al Y1Ni1n pN9f pF hn Whit, Pass and Yukon railroad, the real scenic value of the roadway becomes apparent and continues to grow more impressive in its beautiful confusion as the road winds its way through the rock.ribbed canyon of the Skagway to old White Pass City, once a wild rol. licking hamlet living or the travelling public, but now reduced to a huddle of deserted and decaying cabins The aspect continues to grow in interest until the very summit is reached. It is certain when completed to grow into great favor and become in time a great thoroughfare for summer tourists in their automobiles.
 The old Bracket road, which was the cause of many serious mishaps to both man and beast in the early days following its construction, followed the east siGe of the Skagway river from its town starting point to the East fork of Skagway river and then swung across to Porcupine hill on a J high bridge. After passing over the hill 1t again swung back to the east side at Rocky Point on another high bridge. Much of the first part of the road traversed a section that was for slides. for the most part, however, 1t clung to the walls of the river canyon and was built largely of corduroy in lieu of grading and ditching. Much of the timber on the old road is still sound after fifteen years of idleness and disuse.
 While making the present survey Mir. Merry and his assistants Ed Ach- ison and Herman Olson of Skagway, pitched their camp on the site of the ancient town of Liarsyille. They had delightful weather conditions for do- ing the work which required about six weeks.