Tensas gazette. [volume] (St. Joseph, La.) 1886-current, 1915-07-09


the United States coast and ge-
odetfc survey. Mr.. Riggs was selected because
OF bis familiarity with the region and on account
OF the part he took in running the Alaskan-Ca-
madam boundary line. finished but two years ago.
Associated with Mr.. Riggs in the railroad sur.
vey were Lieut.. Frederick Mears of the United
States army and William c. Edes. As q result
Of the work done last summer and data previous
~ gathered In the same territory by other ex.
petitions of the coast and geodetic survey the
route now to be followed is to run in part along
the Susitna and the Cantwell rivers and through
the foothills Of towering Mount Mckinley The
experts predict great prosperity for the whole
territory and declare that the ultimate cost of
$1e,S00.000 for the system complete will be am
ply compensated for by reason of the resulting
benefits
Whatever may be the ultimate economic sig.
nihcance Of this aforementioned railroad in
Alaska. there should be no question about our
present interest in the work done In running
ne preliminary survey and that which will later
follow ~ the steel rails are led farther and farth-
or northward in that rugged region
From past experience 1t has been amply es
tablished that surveying in Alaska is apt to be
fuu OF thrills. First the open season is a short
one and great deal Of action has to be crowded
Into . brief period by the surveyor. His is not
the task merely Of the explorer who pushes
ahead by the shortest route to his objective. but
gradients
Tor the intrusive locomotive. spanning the short
est valleys and bridging the rivers or torrential
streams where the foundations or the approaches
can be built for the least amount Of money COM
patible with present strength and durability.
Some of the most towering peaks in North
America are In southern Alaska and from
their snowclad shoulders In the spring and sum-
mer the waters flow seaward in great volume and
with much violence Then the stricken timber
10 washed down into the flooded channels, and
this wealth Of logs rushes onward like veritable
avalanche when the way is clear, or, what is
even more menacing, these millions Of mighty
sticks jam in some narrow pass penning up the
waters and themselves until ruptured by the
titanic forces they have halted for the while.
roaring stream and the whirling timber until the
broad reach Of some wide channels robs the tor
rent Of its turbulent fury.
The surveyors have not only to avoid these
dangers in planning the right Of way and the
points for bridging. but their work will demand
when blazing the way for the line. The waters
are icy and the currents swift while means of
rescue are apt to be woefully scant.
Mr.. Riggs mas given US some spectacular in
stances of ttrs hazards confronting the civil engi-
neer in that part Of the world. and what has been
experienced N the past up there is pretty good
index oi thu diicuties to be faced In running the
liuo iuiouu COm tue Tdli ne8Q Oh tne exStluS
road, II m'fss long. which will form the nucleus
Of this gr~ss government undertaking.
But torreptial rivers loaded with millions of
logs are nor the only forms of titanic masses
with which she railroad builder in Alaska has to
count There are the slow marching but irre-
sistibly advancing mountains of ice, the glaciers.
and some If these have taken possession of the
very valleys through which the railroad engineer
would preferably choose to lead his line. Indeed.
the Copper River and Northwestern railroad in
Alaska gives a pretty good notion of some Of the
difhculties 70 be faced by the surveyors and pro-
vided for " the government when II comes to
actual cont.ruction. That road is 1876 miles long
and yet r. that distance there nearly 275
trestles. bridges. tunnels and fills. Indeed. there
are sections where q mile OF construction has
cost much as 100000
There Is q steel bridge fanked by two glaciers
that cost million and half dollars to build.
and before a bit of that structure was reared
peculiarities Of those moving mountains Of ice.
One OF the most serious phases OF Alaskan sur.
vey work is the problem of transportation. AS
Mr.. Riggs says. There is food to be carried for
the party. which is big item. and oats for the
horses. At some time during the life of the
Alaskan boundary survey every known form Of
transportation In the North was used. In sum-
mer We have been known to adopt the Indian
practice and pack dogs. One year. at the close Of
the season. practically al our horses had died,
and We 3ourneyed down the White river for .
distance Of 100 miles on RATS
Early one May start was made from White