The Alaska citizen., 1915-11-08
WICKERSHAM'S
 REPORT FAvORS
 P|ONEER'S HOME
DELEGATE MAKES REPORT OH ESTABLISHMENT OF HOME
 AT HOT SPRINGS.

mer Delegate Wickersham made Il visit to the Big Cinema Hot Springs for the purpose of reporting on the | advisability of establishing a home there for aged and indigent pio- | neerc He made the trip as
 t the last session of the Territori- al legislature to lock into the mat ter of the construction of a home for pioneers. and his report to the governor, another member of tle committee. is herewith presented 1 House of Representatives
 Washington, Oct 4. 1915. Hon. J. F. A. Strong,
 Governor of Alaska,
 Juneau, Alaska.
 Sir:
 When you were in Fairbanks on July ?, you called my attention to the Act Of the First Territorial Leg islature providing for the location of a home for the aged prospeCtors at some point in the interior where there are hot springs, and providing that the Governor, the Secretarr | .ld the Delegate select the site. You asked me to go to the Cinema Hot 1 Springs and to report upon the ad visibility of locating the institution there l made the trip to the Cinema Hot Springs, examined them and | the surroundings carefully and beg l leave to report to you and to the | Secretary, as follows:
 "On August 12, left Fairbanks in a motor boat, accompanied by Mr. l Chamberlain, who was employed by the Pioneers, Igloo No. 4, of Fair he morning of the 18th we Jeff the launch far up the Cinema river nd walked the rest of the way tC the Springs, where we arrived on the 17th Remained there till the 23rd, when We returned home as We came, arriving on the 26th. Herewith are three printed cards descriptive of the Cinema Hot Springs which contain facts substantially correct.
 The letter from Secretary of Az 8, 1912, addressed to me, is a copy of the original and gives a correct analysis of the waters of the spring. More recently the Department has had an examination made of these springs by a special agent, who took temperatures, measured the flow. etc, and probably this winter that report will also be printed for the information of the public; if not it will no doubt be possible to secure manuscript copy for use.
 There is a large flow of water from these springs I am told six hundred gallons a minute-at any rate, the flow is sufficient for the use of a large institution and for hotels, and all the cottages that will be needed there. The water is nearly or quite 160 degrees of heat where it comes to the surface, and it's medicinal qualities are thought to be highly valuable in the treat ment of rheumatism and other di- seases incident to old age.
 "These springs rise in flat ba sin at least half a mile wide; it is a beautiful valley, through which other stream5 flow. These throw out a larger body of water than the hot springs and can be utilized for farming and irrigating and for pip | ing for fountains, etc, and during the summer months will furnisH fine water power, sufficient to gen crate electric lights and run ele vators, laundries, and for similar use. There is not much good land the hot springs enables gardens to be grown with certainty and profit.
 "A most difficult problem con fronting the location of public in | StlLutlOn neIc IS IudL OI TOduS- \ road for winter use Is now built, hut it is impossible to reach tn, springs from Fairbanks during the summer season except by followin the ridges or by wading the almost bottomless swamps across which the winter trail is cut. A first class summer and winter road from Fair banks can be built with little ex' pense along the toe of the bluff on the north side of the Cinema river. but 1t is not yet built
 An obstacle of a more serious moment, however, to the immediate location of a home at this site, $ the question of title. MT. George Wilson made homestead entry o: the land covering the springs some years ago, and the United States has since then contested his good faith in the entry. It Is quite prob able that Wilson could be induced to relinquish his homestead claim and permit an early location of the institution on the land upon pay ment of reasonable sum for his | but fnp p~ty tf.lI-