Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1915-04-11
Seward-F fairbanks Line ChoS-
en- and Property of Alaska
Northern Company Over
First Stage Is Purchased,
BRANCH LINE TO TAP
MATANUSKA COAL FIELDS
Most Extensive National Pro-
ject Since Building of Trans
continental Railroads Put in
Operation,
l.r Aoamrs Jouns., spser., LEASED w,..l

Washington, April 1O.-Ihe Sew
ard Fairbanks route has been selected
for the government railway in Alaska,
Secretary Lane announced late to-
day. The property of the Alaska
Northern Railway company from
Seward over the first stage Of the
journey has been purchased for 81
1900
Tho government system, the state
ment adds, will include 3S-mile
branch to tap the Matanuska coal
fields w. q. Edes is designated as
chairman of the Alaskan engineering
commission. which will build the road
by the presidents order. The estl-
mated cost of the entire system is Civ
en- at $26, 100000. Congress provided
not to exceed 35.0OO,000.
TO Open New Country.
President Wilson's decision on the
route of the proposed government
railway through Alaska puts in
motion the most extensive gov
eminent railway project since
the linking of the east and the
Paeifie coast by the trans-continental
railway system. Like the latter, the
new project has the two-fold aim OF
opening the way for pioneers and set
tiers in this new and almost unknown
region of vast virgin resources, and
at the same time providing an outlet
for these resources to reach the sea-
board and the trade routes to the Pa
cfic states and the orient.
The new project has the added
problem of climatic conditions in TINS
far-northern region, its short sea-
sons, and country of mountains and
glaciers quite different from the
plains across which most of the trans
continental route stretched. Already,
however, the development of Alaska
has dispeled much of the popular idea
Of a region Of snow and ice, and has
disclosed rich and fertile agricultural
sections I'm addition to the boundless
resources of coal, copper and other
minerals, and bearing animals.
Thus far, private enterprise has de-
viscd 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
q railway 900 miles long, running
through the heart of the country.
No Recommendation.
President Wilson had before him
an enormous amount of data on Aias-
ka To aid in his decision as to Which
of the two proposed routes from
Prince William sound to Fairbanks
should be followed. He had no rec
ommendation from the Alaska engl-
necrng commission which made the
Investigation, however, the commas
sloners confining their report TO a
full statement of the facts regarding
each route,
Since the bill appropriating SSo'-
600 900 for the construction OF tne
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 1t became available and in antlclT
patton of the beginning of work carry
IN spring the commission mas peei.
making Inquiries as to equipneht.
available on the Panama canal ana
on other government tasks ana otle,
wise making ready to fling we'll
equipped construction army into the
northern territory as soon as the presl-
dents decision was made known.
Between Seward and CordoNa.
Each of the proposed routes--one
known as the Cordova Fairbanks
route, the other the Seward-Fairbanks
route--eontemplated the purchase OIL
an existing railway line. The question
lay in selecting either Seward on the
west shore Of Prince William sound
or Cordova on the east shore as the
tidewater terminal of the government
system.
The two routes were OF approx
mately the same length and estimates
Of construction cost did not vary
widely. The issue before the presi-
dent probably lay in the price at
which the existing lines could be ob-
tanned Neither route presented Sc
rlous engineering difficulties.
From Cordova. on the eastern
shore of Prince William sound, the
copper River and Northwestern rall-
road, controlled by the j. z. Morgan
company, provides an outlet for cop
per mines at Kennicott and reaches
Chitna, 132 miles distant, following the
west bank of the Copper river Not far
out of Cordova the road runs for miles
parallel to the coast line and crosses
the Sheridan glacier flats. Making its
way across a network of smaller
streams which give the river an out
let to the sea, the line finally turns
northward and passing between Miles