The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-03-29

4 a OF washington ana the town OF
Fairbanks in Alaska. When the
Government railroad recently voted By
Congress IL built the journey will b ~
duced to nine days-hve days BY train.
Washington to Seattle; three dayS By
boat. Seattle to the south coast Of
Alaska. and one day over the new rail-
way to Fairbanks.
The winter route At present - from
Seattle to Cordova, q southern port on
the North Pacific Ocean, thence straight
over the Copper River Railroad to
Chitina. 1871 miles distant. From Chitina
the man or the letter travels to Fair
banks. $40 miles away. In bobsled
drawn by four horses. Tho horses arr
changed every twenty miles At . road
house.
The Government contract for cary-
ing the mail requires that the trip from
Chitina to Fairbanks be made In eight
days. The time has been cut in good
weather and over broken roads to six
days. But seven days Is the average
length Of the Joarney. Arrived at Cor
dova by ship tho passenger pays the
Alaskan Syndicate $3.50 for taking him
to Chitina over Its railroad. Thus the
fare. as a little figuring will show. Is at
tho rate OF about Is l-3 cents mile.
Onward Chitina to Fairbanks. $40
miles. the fare by the syndicate's bob
sled Is s135. Meals average $3.50 each.
Lodging IL the same. The charge for car
rying the passengers baggage amounts
TO 81, 900 a ton. A trunk and valise.
for instance. cost one traveller $4S.
Now all Of this money. even down to
that paid for dinner or a bed. goes
into the treasury Of the Alaskan Syndi-
cate. Such is q winter journey. WASH
ington to Fairbanks. $500 miles In
round numbers
The summer route-continuing from
May 10 to October 10. $500 miles In
length-also takes thirty days and Is
all water. Seattle to Fairbanks. except
for III miles between Skagway and
White Horse. Passenger fares and
freight rates are the same as over the
winter route. The money paid for trav-
cling either way flows into the Golfers
Of the syndicate.
Fairbanks Is the northern point Of
importance and interest In this article
because It is the town. probably. to
which the Government railroad will be
built. 1t has some 1000 inha bitants, Is
about 450 miles from the southern sea-
board and IL the gateway into the in
terror Of Alaska From It east and
west. north and south, BY reason Of the
Yukon and Tanana rivers. merchandise
and machinery can be distributed to the
vast mIneralized regions now waiting
development.
Judge James Wickersham, the Alas
kan Delegate In Congress. says there
are immense quantities OF gold rocks in
the vicinity Of Fairbanks: and the rich
placer mines are very far from being
exhausted. Up to date. he declares,
374.000.O 900 Of gold has been taken out
Of the territory in and around that
frontier city-taken out by workingmen
mostly who have owned the claims
Half Of all those millions. Judge Wick
ersham asserts, was paid for freights-
not for food, clothing and machinery.
but for the item OF transportation alone.
1.-THE freight rates Of Alaska" he said
to me. ARE the highest In the civilized
world. Every white man. woman and
child in the Territory has an annual
freight bill OF $3.50. Such Is a part OF
the tribute Wa pay to the Alaskan syn
dicate."