Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1915-04-16
kAlLRoAp 70 TAP
UNKNOWN REotoN8
OF FAR OFF ALASKA

since the linking OF the east anu the
Pacific 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
i the same time providing an outlet for
these resources to reach the seaboard
and the trade routes to the Pacific
states and the Orient.
The new project has the added prob
lem Of climatic conditions in this far
northern region, its short seasons, and
a country Of mountains has glaciers
quite different from the plains across
which most of the transcontinental
route stretched. Already however. the
development of Alaska has dispelled
much Of the popular idea Of . region
Of snow and ice, and has disclosed rich
and fertile agricultural sections in adj
dition to the boundless resources of
coal, copper and other minerals, and
fur bearing animals. Thus far private
enterprise has. devised 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 railway 1000 miles
long, running thru the heart of the
country.
President Wilson had before him an
enormous amount of data on Alaska
to aid his decision as to which OF the
! two proposed routes from Prince
William sound to Fairbanks should be
followed. He had no recommendation
from the Alaska Engineering Commits
sion which made the Investigation,
however, the commissioners continuing
their report to full statement OF the
facts regarding each route.
Since the bill appropriating $780,
900, 900 for the construction of the line
was enacted last year, the commission
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 anticipation OF
the beginning of work early In spring
| the commission has been making In
quiries as to equipment available on
the Panama canal and on other gov
eminent tasks and otherwise making
ready to fling we'll equipped con-
lstruction army into the northern terri
tory as soon as the presidents decision
was made known.
| Each of the proposed routes-one
known as the Cordova-Fairbanks
route-contemplat the purchase Of
an existing railway line The question
Hay in selecting either Seward on the
west short of Prince William sound, or
Cordova on the east shore as the tide
water terminal Of the government
system.
4 The wo routes were Of approximately
the same length and estimates OF con-
structfon cost did not vary widely.
The issue before the president prob
ably lay in the price at which the ex-
listing lines could be obtained. Neither
route presented serious engineering
difficulties.
From Cordova, on the eastern shore
OF Prince William sound, the Copper
River and Northwestern railroad, con-
!, trolled by the ]. p. Morgan Company,
provides an outlet for copper mines at
Kennicott and reaches Chitna, 1872
miles distant, following the west bank
of the Copper river. Not far out OF
Cordova the road runs for miles par
allel 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
and Childs glaciers. follows the course
Of the Copper river all the way to Chit
ma where it turns east again to reach
the copper mines.
It is from Chitna that the proposed
route to Fairbanks via Cordova con-
templates the building Of 80 miles Of
new railroad. The line would continue
1Hn Wv inc "a
to the west, then strike directly toward
encounter. Beyond the lake the route
lies close to the shores Of the Tangle
lekes that well deserve their name.
until It emerges on the broad delta
where rise the sources Of the Tanana
river up which the final stretch to
Fairbanks would be laid.
This would form the trunk lines; but
as feeder branches are contemplated to
the Bering river. Matanuska and Sus-
tina valley regions to open the vast
coal supplies and other mineral depos-
its, the total mileage Of the proposed
branches would be 420.
Two routes to the Boring river fields
were suggested, one via Katalla and
the other via Lake. Charlotte. It has
been urged that the Katalla route
would open the coad road to attack
from open sea In case Of war while
the lake Charlotte line, twelve miles
inland, would be protected from SHIN
guns by intervening hills.
From Seward, on the west shore Of
Prince William sound, the Alaska
Northern railroad winds thru the
hills to Kern Creek, on the shore Of
Turnagain Arm OF Cook Inlet. The
distance il seventy one miles and the
company now is operating only light
gasolene cars most Of the time. heav-
fer equipment passing over the line
only when mining machinery Is to DO
moved inland. It was proposed to
continue the line along Turagain Arm
for thirty miles, then swing northward
up, the east shore of Knik Arm cross
ing that inlet at It's head and follow
the Susitna valley to Chulitna Pass.
emerging on the banks Of the Chulitna
river: Following the Chulitna to Broad
Pass, the line would make q right an
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