Valdez daily prospector., 1915-05-27
ALASKA WRITER
 VISITS ANCHORAGE
Mrs. Helen Van Camper Tells of New City On Cook Inlet Grad
 ing Has Started.

government railroad, gave out the
 following interview recently: | Grading has advanced from the
 mud flats to the camp itself, and on May 18th gangs of men were exca- yating and filling in through the l busiest section of the camp. Grading is also going on at two gravel cuts about two miles from tidewater, and | tracks are being laid, and ties cut and piled, for dump tracks at these spots. The tundra is cleared from the ice, at present about eight inches from the surface, and exposure to the air melts at least some of the ice. | The clearing gang, in charge of Dan F. Leach, a veteran station man, from the Canadian Northern railroad, is about twenty-six miles out.
 At Eagle river, Mile Fifteen, a permanent camp of boarded tents has been made. There is an engineers camp at Mile Four, and these men work from there to tidewater and back, as conditions demand. "A noticeable change was achieved by the arrival of James O'Reiliy, superintendent of construction, and an old-time Alaska Northern man. Work began to shape up as it should
 under efficient handling, and railroad
 men who had been standing around looking thoughtful, decided they wanted to stay and take job. Mr. O'Reilly is creating system, and he
 is accessible to whoever needs to see him. He wastes no time and he knows the country.
 "A petition is ip circulation among business people of Anchorage ask ing that the townsite be changed to bench on the opposite side of Ship Creek. The planned site is one mile from the present camp. For reasons of sanitation the land office is said to favor the change, but did not talk with representative member of this office, and I can't guarantee that a definite statement was made.
 Water is sold from one private we'll at five cents bucket. Ship Creek, and springs that are really only seepage water holes, supply the people. Marshal James Wardell has ordered garbage dumped on the out going tide, once every twenty-four hours, and is making other rules to safeguard the camp. There are two doctors besides Dr. Reidy, the gov ernment's physician. Meals are most ly fifty cents each and at that rate the restaurants are making very lit tie.
 Launches charge one dollar per passenger to land people at the ships or anchored barges. Trunks are car ried for one dollar, and freight pays a barge and launch charge, as it is sent only to the ships side. There is a. palm garden under construc- tion, and a poo room with six tables is to appear as soon as permanent building is safe. Many stores now up are built in sections for moving.
 Tents are everywhere, and so are
 sniffly colds, but the sun shines and the Alaskans are feeling pretty cheer full.
 huv of without money, but I didn't see them, and the number walking about, idle, is likely not over hundred. Most of these have money and are there for speculation. I don't think any are hungry, and since the energetic O'Reilly's round genial face appear ed, the strollers are less, for he is | working many into the station work. ,"It is all section work so far. Com
 mon labor is 371a cents per hour,
 carpenters 50 cents. No Sunday work on government construction. This is smaller wages than Alaskans are used | to. Only one shift being worked, which causes comment, when the uay- light is sufficient to work all night
 without lanterns.
 ''If you're going to Anchorage and don't mind the snores. you can get
 beds, with bedding, in several clean l bunkhouses For such effete persons
 as object to the snores, tent with
 a headline around it is needed.
 'I slept in q tent and on tho ! ground, and l liked it so well that
 when the Alameda blew, I had tho
 hedroll and pack sacks roped, the
 tent struck and rolled, in about twelve
 minutes. The camp is worth looking l at. It's different than any Alaska ev> l ar Saw Pm going again."