The Alaska citizen., 1915-05-24

IN FAVOR Of
HAPPY ROUTE
SAY THAT CITY MUST
GET BUSY SOON OR
LOSE BUSINESS.

That Fairbanks must soon get
busy ON trail to the new diggings
or else stand by and see all of the
trade of the Tolovana go to Ram
part. is the statement of a number
of Tolovana men who recently ar
rived here. They say that the PEG
pie of Tolovana generally favor the
Happy creek route TO Fairbanks as
the best for trail. most of them
being thoroughly disguised with eX-
isting conditions on the trails over
which they have already travelled.
The arrivals here state that the
miners of the Tolovana wish to do
their trading in Fairbanks and will
do SO if sufficient inducement is Of
fered. The induCement asked Is
in the nature of a decent trail over
which freight could be hauled with
out the necessity of paying exorbi
tant rates. such as now prevail.
Ii is reported that some OF the
Tolovana mining men are already
planning to bring in their supplies
by way of Rampant as it has been
proven conclusively that they can
do so at much less cost than the
present freight rate from Fairbanks.
IT is stated that steamers can navi-
gate the Mike Hess to point with
in Is miles of the diggings, and
that a good dry trail can be built
from there with little or no trouble.
In fact, if reports can be believed,
the navigability of Mike Hess creek
mas already been demonstrated as
the government steamer, General ia
cobs, is said to have assembled last
summer to the point mentioned.
1t is understood that all of the
men who have been freighting from
Fairbanks to the Tolovana concur
in saying that the Happy route could
not possibly be worse than any other
over which they have travelled. They
have not been over the Happy route
but are Of the opinion that 1t will
be found to be the best if all re-
ports concerning it are true. Two
Japs, who have roadhouse near
the new diggings. say that it is dry
er and more free from steep grades
than any other route.
The Tolovana people do not favor
the river route from Fairbanks to
their camp for the general reason
Of high freight rates They figure
that counting the cost of portaging
freight at the log jam, it could not
possibly be laid down at Lake City,
three miles from discovery. Liyen-
good creek, for less than 16 cents
a pound. In the opinion Of the re,
cent arrivals in town from the Tolo-
vana, freight could be landed at dis
covery over the Happy route at less
than five cents pound.
According to the report brought
back by the Rutherford party who
arrived in town Saturday from
launch trip to the ToloVana. freight
can be landed by the water route at
a point about three miles below
Lake City. Members of the party
state that they went to that point
in a launch from the log jam, but
they are of the opinion that it is
but a polling boat route at the best.
They further state, however, that
freight can perhaps be landed by
horse scows, such as are used on
the lditarod river.
When asked to make statement
do toward building trail to the
Tolovana, John Tug, assistant en-
gineer of the road commission said
III pdll
I'VE can do nothing at present,
owing to the lack of sufficient funds
to undertake the construction of
new trails. Col. w p. Richardson,
presiden of the commission, will be
here some time next month and
will probably go over all Of the
feasible routes with him. Until he
comes nothing definite can be decid-
ed. He leaves Skagway on June 4
and will come to Fairbanks by way
of Dawson and the river. do not
think, however, that you can ex-
pect the road commission to do any
thing more than to construct a trail
for next winters use"
1t is understood that the execu-
tive board OF the Fairbanks CONNER
cial club is to have a meeting this
evening to talk over ways and means
Of getting freight to the Tolovana
country with the least possible cost.