The Chitina leader. [volume] (Chitina, Alaska) 1910-1928, 1915-07-13
MUCH ACTIVITY
MAMIE Is At
ANCHORAGE

the westward.
The following improvements are in
contemplation by the Engineering
Commission at Anchorage:
The present track from the dock to
the Office building is only temporary
and will be replaced by straight
track as soon as the other improve
ments contemplated have reached the
proper stage There will be a track
built from the main track to a point
a little east of the Crist House at
which place an engine house will be
built.
Machine and repair shops will be
installed in the same vicinity as soon
as the equipment arrives from Panama
which will be within 60 days. A ma
teriol storehouse will also be built
near the same point.
Freight yards with eight side tracks
will be built north of the present main
line, and "Y" constructed north of
the middle of the railroad yards.
The corral and stable will be moved
from their present location to a point
little east of where the Pioneer
Lodging House now is. A frame COM
missary building will be erected near
the site of the present blacksmith
shop, which commissary will be for
use of the local camp, while the big
warehouse on the dock will be the
wholesale distributing commissary for
all commissaries at the different
camps.
About 5000 tons of steel rails will
arrive during the summer, for the
storage of which additional tracks and
sidings will be installed, as the rails
will be stored on the sidings, sorted
in different lengths, ready for ship
ment along the line. A patent rail
bender will arrive to curve the rails
as required. A great amount of room
is required for the storing of this class
of material so as to handle same
quickly and at the least possible cost.
The present dock is only temporary
and will be replaced by the perma.
nent coal dock. It will be recalled
that at the time the railroad route
was announced by Secretary Lane, the
statement was made that Ship Creek
would be made the shipping point for
Matanuska coal. The plans for Great
ing the terminal for the handling Of
coal are under way, but of course will
not be completed until next year..
Harbor. Improvement
In connection with the permanent
coal dock terminal, the Commission is
now engaged in driving piling off the
mouth of Ship Creek to form staging
for drilling machines to determine
the character of the material which
will have to be dredged for the i'm
provements contemplated. This is a
preliminary investigation to deter
mine the character Of the material
which will have to be dredged for the
improvements contemplated. This is
preliminary investigation to deter
mine the cost and feasibility of con-
structing a 90-foot deep basin which
will be 100 feet wide at the bottom
and 300 feet wide at the top and will
run 1000 feet up the creek from the
present dock to the office building and
will also extend about $500 feet from
the present dock out to deep water.
When these plans are carried out
Anchorage will have facilities which
will enable government and other
to ship large amounts of coal and
other products at minimum coast.
The railroad grading will be com.
pleted from Anchorage to Matanuska
by November LIST and track laid by
January LIST. The steel and proper
equipment to finish the line for that
distance will arrive here by October
LIST.
At present there are 1914 men en-
ployed out Of Anchorage on railroad
construction, including men clearing
townsite, but excluding locating engi-
neers and their parties. The number
will be increased to 1900 as soon as
additional material and equipment
come. which viii be within 80 days.