Arizona republican., 1915-04-12
Fertile Agricultural and Rich Mineral Sections to Be Developed by Con- struction of New Gov ernment Railroad
CANAL MACHINERY
 TO BE USED IN WORK
Construction Army to Be Flung into the Northern Country as Soon as Pos sible-Two Routes Were Considered
ASSOCIATED PRESS DIsPATCH1

WASHINGTON, April 11.-Presi- Fairbanks route of the proposed gov ernment railway through Alaska puts in motion the most extensive govern mental railway project since the link ing of the east and the Pacific coast by the trans s-cOntinental railway sys- tenn. Like the latter, the new proJ- ect has the two-fold aim of opening the way for pioneers and settlers in this new and almost unknown region of vast virgin resources, and at the same time providing and outlet for these resources to reach the seaboard and the trade routes to the Pacific states and the Orient.
 The new project has the added problem of climatic conditions in this far-northern region, ts short seasons. and a country of mountains and gla- ciers quite different from the plains across which most of the transcon- tinental route stretched. Already however. the development of Alaska has dispelled much of the popular idea Of a region of snow and ice. and has disclosed rich and fertile agricultural sections in addition to the boundless resources of coal, cop per and other minerals, and fur bearing animals. Thus far, private enterprise has devised the only means for penetrating this little known region, but now for the first time the government takes in hand the building and operation of a rail way 1000 miles long, running through the heart of the country
 President Wilson had before him an enormous amount of data on Alaska to aid in his decision as to which of the two proposed routes from Prince William sound to Fair banks should be followed. He had no recommendation from the Alaska Engineering Commission which made the investigation. however. the com missioners confining their report to a full statement of the facts regard ing each route.
 Since the bill appropratign s35,- line was enacted last year. the com mission has had hundreds of men at work locating and surveying along both routes. Additional information has been placed before the president as it became available and in antici- patton of the beginning of work early in the spring the commission has been making inquiries as to equip ment available on the Panama cana
 
 otherwise making ready to filing well equipped construction into tn, northern territory as soon as tn, presidents decision was made known
 Each of the proposed routes-on' known as the Cordova- -Fairbank route, the other the Seward Fair banks route-contemplated the pur chase of an existing railway line The question lay in selecting eithe Seward on the west shore of Prime, William Sound, or Cordova on tn, east shore as the tidewater termina of the government system
 The two routes were of approx mately the same length and esti mates of construction cost did no vary widely. The issue before tn president probably lay in the pric at which the existing lines could b obtained. Neither route presente serious engineering difficulties.
 From Cordova, on the easter shore of Prince William Sound, tn Copper River and Northwestern rail road. controlled by the J. P Morga Co, provides an outlet for coppe mines at Kennicott and reaches Chit na, 132 miles distant following tn west bank of the Copper river. Nc far out of Cordova the road run for miles parallel to the coast lin and crosses the Sheridan glacie flats.
 ff The line finally turns nOrthwar and passing between Miles and Child Continued on Page Four)