The Alaska daily empire., 1914-04-15
Survey of Taku-Atlin
 Railroad Begins Today

The preliminary survey for the rail, read line of the Taku Railway and Nayigation Co. was begun this morn ing. F.. P. Pond, who has been the local agent for the interests back of the enterprise, left for Taku river last night accompanied by F. J. Wettrick, the well known civil engineer, for the purpose of making the preliminary survey up the Taku river to the Brit ish Columbia line. The line on the American side Is to connect with a line running northerly on the Canad' ian side to Atlin and to Lake Teslin. At Teslin it is designed to connect with a line of river steamers that VIII navigate the Yukon river and triou' tarIes. Another branch is planned to rup in a southerly direction to connect with the Grand Trunk Pacific. For the present the tide water terminus will be on Taku Inlet, but 1t is not improbable that eventually it Will be built to Juneau.
 The entire scheme and its financing was begun more than a year ago by George w. Mitchell. who interested the Close Brothers in the White Pass and Yukon project. Mir. Mitchell came to Juneau shortly after he had inter- ested British capital to carry out his plans and while here made arrange ments with Mir. Pond to look after the preliminary survey up the TaEu river. During the last session of the Canad- ian parliament at Ottawa the charter was granted for the construction on the Canadian side and there is now nothing standing in the way of actual construction.
 The news cabled from Seattle yes terday that three million dollar cor poration had been organized for the purpose of building and operating the American portion of the enterprise and the departure of engineers to make the preliminary survey is eVi dence that start is to be made toward early construction.
 Mir. Mitchell has had agents in the field for some time gathering data as to the mineral and other resources along the proposed route of the road and the section immediately adjacent to Atlin.
 When Dreams Come True.
 Mir. Pond is one of the happiest men of Juneau. Many years ago when the White Pass and Yukon was entering upon its career of success and Skag' way was beginning to put on the met ropolitan airs of railroad terminus, the Alaska Chamber of Commerce Of Juneau. sent out an exploring commit tee to search a practical route from Juneau to Atlin via the Taku river valley. Mir. Pond was member or that party which made the journey from Juneau to Atlin trayersing the route that will be followed in con structing the railroad that is now to be built
 The party completed it's labors and, returning to Juneau, made it's report to the Chamber of Commerce Septem' Der 6. 1898. The report shows that there Is practical river navigation Tor a considerable distance up the Taku river and that the construction of a trail which was then sought could be realized at a comparatively small cost The grades were reported as not ex cessive and the summit is only 5000 feet above sea level For most of the distance the country offers natural roadway.
 The route as selected for the trail would lead up Taku river to the con huence of the Inklin and Nakana rivers a distance of 43 miles; thence to the mouth of the Cloclohene distance oi six miles: thence to Nakana village; thence up the Nakana and Silver Sal mon rivers to the small lakes on the summit: thence down the Pike river following the old Indian trail to Atlir lake. Most of the route is reported tc be dry. gravelly ground and ideal foi road building.
 Mir. Pond said that ever since mak ing the Journey he had looked forward to the time that Juneau would be con nected with the interior country by railroad and eventually with the out side world