Iditarod pioneer., 1915-06-12
SURVEYING PARTIES
 REACH FAIRBANKS
Fairbanks News Miner, May 26)

Fairbanks will get the government rail way from the coast. There is not the slight est doubt of that in my mind. Secretary Lane speaking for the President, stated positively that the railway would come here, and referred specifically to Fairbanks by name. The only reason why the route was not designated from the mouth of the Nenana river up to this city was simply that we did not have sufficient information to make the selection, and under the law the President was compelled to give the rout- ing in detail.
 T am back here this year to make def nite location surveys from the head of the Nenana canyon to Fairbanks, an approxl- i mate total distance of l25 miles. It is a good seasons work, and we expect to have !, to go Outside over the trail late next fall "In the preliminary survey down the | Nenana we found number of places where expensive bridging was necessary, and it is to eliminate this heavy cost that R. J. Weir will take party into the field and make permanent location down the Nenana Last year he worked on the other end be tween Ship creek and Seward and is man of very high reputation in his profession. "Mr. Bailey who was here last year, will start from Fairbanks and go over the Gold stream route, which was temporarily sur veyed last season by Nolan. We must find out some more information regarding the cost of construction on the Goldstream line before it can be adopted If conditions are favorable. as reported by Mir. Bailey, it will very likely be adopted; if not, one of the other river routes from Nensna up to Fair banks will be selected The cut of across the flats we have practically give up as i'm practicable.
 This season these two survey parties will do all the work; consequently we shall not be under such heavy expense at this end as we were in 1914, although we brought In thirteen men and will employ about thirty local people. Our offices will continue to be maintane here in Fairbanks l shall spend most of my time in the field.
 Railroad construction will be pushed as rapidly as possible by the commission, and next year we expect to begin at this end Of the line We can build out from Fairbanks, and from Nenana, both ways, up the Nenana river and up toward Fairbanks. In this way we shall avoid taking supplies to the h. teror by packing or in boats, which IS too expensive to be practical, and shall be building the road from the ends so to speak. I do not believe that it will be completed and in thorough running order until lJl0."
 This in substance is the cheerful news brought by Commissioner Thomas Riggs, Jr., of the Alaska engineering commission, in charge of the Interior division, who reached Fairbanks last night on he Rel- ance with his men. He reports very busy winter back in Washington, shaping up the work of railway building in Alaska. and sees a very bright outlook ahead for thi, coun- i try He says that the Outside Is turning it's eyes toward the kantishna and Broad Pass quartz districts both of which are on 1 the railway survey, across the mountains, 1 and that people are very anXiously awaiting the outcome of the Tolovana camp.
 Commissioner Riggs gives the interesting news that he will come to the Interior to live next year and establish his home at this end of the railway line, convenient to his work. This will be good news to all who know him as one of AlaSka's staunchest friends, and particularly to Fairbanks peo- pie. who claim him as one of our people.
 The men who came in yesterday were Thomas Riggs Jr., C. F. Cramer, disburslng agent; F. H. Bailey, locating engineer; R. J. Weir, locating engineer; F s. Ryus, assist ant locating engineer; c. w. Colwell, assist ant locating engineer; Gerald Gill estlma- tor; Frank Waller, draftsman; D. E. Large transitman Stefan Shuman, draftsnan; C. B. Richardson, transitman; E. E. Bennett, packer; H. w. Sterling, topographer.