The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1914-05-08
ALASKA BOUNDARY IS NOW MARKED BY
 600 MILE AVENUE

Sitka, Alaska. May S.scarring a
 broad line across 500 miles of will
 derness in the far North in order that
 the possessions Of the United States and Canada may have a distinct sep
 aration at every point, will be com pleted during the coming open sea- son. The work has been in progress
 since 1907 under the direction Of Thomas Riggs, Jr.. civil engine er,a representing the United States Alas kan Boundary Commission, and T.. b Craig representing similar com
 mission of Canada
 Although the United States and Canada have been neighbors in the liar north for over half 8 century, the sessions, especially. as to the north- lern portion, was, previous to this sur vey, indefinite and conflicting. Many
 disputes arising. the two governrnents decided, finally. through their cons-
 missions that an absolute survey. iscIear1y bIfshed and marked for all time should be made along the lone hundred and forty first m meridian from the MI St. Elias Alps, on the Pacific, to the Arctic Ocean, a dis tanee of approxin at ely 500 srliles. I The United States surveying party consisted of from 60 to 8 0 men each
 season since the work WAS undertak- len. Chief Engineer Riggs. himself q young college man, selected his aids from the hardest classes cowboys, forest rangers. prospfctprs, timber cruisers and frontiersrnen with q liberal sprinkling of engineers. New expeditions were organized each spring, although many Of the men who started at the beginning have re- naained in the service Up to the pres ent time It was the custom, too, to leave a few men in the north each winter to care for Equipment and sup pplies.
 The actual visible result of the six or seven years Of effort is 3 2o-foots vista. cut, like a gigantic avenue, or lane, through all timber and brush districts, together with nonumenta set at intervisible points, from three to four miles apart.
 The monuments erected are of two of the locality. At prorninent stream crossings and main points of travel I the Hne-marker consists of 5-foot aluminium bronze shaft, weighing 300s pounds. set in 2.068 pounds of con- crete. At less important points the monument is smaller, being designat- ed as "a cone. cast Of the same metal. and requiring only l,500 pounds of Iconcrete for the base. There are app proximately 200 of these 3nonunents along the 500 miles of boun dary. The work of conveying the heavy mater iaIs for their construct ton, mostly on pack-animals. sometin7es on the shoulders of the men themselves was very slow and 1aborious.
 l This survey is declared by engin-l leers to be the straightest of the world for the length encompassed. In speaking of t, one of the engineers. said ssz
 ssThe start was made from one of the desoIate peaks of the Mt St. Elias Alps, on the southern extremity. Jcif for the Northern Lights and thereaf ter swerved not so much as a hair breadt peaks, gulches. bottomless swamp Whereever the needle point. l way through brush tang1es. the next. building a track across marshes, or crawling over rocks and through ere vases
 Small steamers, plying the Yukon and Porcupir1e Rivers. co-operated with the expedition, but they were able to reach with supplies only ;a 1 small portion of the actual route. South of the Y ukon is vast region.i over 250 miles in extent, over which the most part, on the backs of horses and mules, the com nnissary wagons being rendered useless by the terrible mud which follows the escape of 1 frost from the soil in that region.
 As might be expected. the greatest | the Arctic Circle. FolIowing the rough sealing Of the southern portion Of the survey, the joint expeditions es- | tablished their base at Ranpart House, an ancient Hudson Bay sta l lion, s3ns the Porcupine, from whence several dasfes were made before the Arctic Ocean was finally reached. When the steam erss landed the to- pographerss and their equipment at Rampart House the native Indians ]. IT . Lk they first took to be huge dogs but later decided must be variety of 1 hornIess caribou. Inquiry developed the fact that they had never before seen nor heard Of the horse.
 1 Almost at the Water-ine of the Arc tic Ocean one of the larger of Inc s17onu ments stands to-day, marking the international division. The fi1a- al lap required to place it there was l over a.4region fairly bristiing with natural difficulties, although only about 100 miles across. The course lied over the treacherous lakes and swa nps of the Old Crow country, over the Zimmerman Mountains, the David son and British Ranges, thence down the long slope to the coast. On this
 dash, wild animals raided the caches and n1enaced the surveyors, raven ous mosquitoes settled upon them m 1 hordes, day and night; phantom lakes,
 mountains and cities 1ured and con- fused them, and over all blazed the summer sun of the Arctics, 24 hours each day.
 The farthest-north monument was placed in October, two years ago. Since then the line has been traversed several times for the purpose of clos l ing up the different divisions, and the work ise not yet complete. Eacl, year large force of men will be ern- ployed, during the open season. to brusa-out the avenue and keep the monuments in repair
 LIME STnffks nHA nrxEr