El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1916-05-06

ANCHORAGEs Alaska May ~
y have just returned from a ride
4 n along the line or Uncle Sans
railway. The new construction begins
at the mouth OF Ship creek. where
ocean steamers land their supplies in
the summer. and the roadbed has been
graded for about 40 miles. Twenty
miles Of track have already been laid.
and everything is in preparation for
rapid work as soon as congress passes
the bill supplying the money.
The work has been so pushed that
by last November the engineers had
done what was supposed would re-
qutre the whole winter. They have
made careful surveys Of the route from
here to Fairbanks. and have covered
The branch line which goes from Ma
tanusks Junction to the Chickaloon
coal fields. They have gone over the
Alaska Northern railway. which Uncle
Sam bought last year at cost of
Sl,15O.O00, and have put 30 miles OF
that road in running condition. They
have laid out the extension Of the
Alaska Northern TO Anchorage, and,
in short, have now planned the whole
railway
They have made careful estimates Of
everything connected with it. and
have constructed contour maps show
ing the country on the scale Of one inch
10 the mile. They know Just what
the road can be pushed as rapidly as
congress will furnish the money.
VIII Need More Money.
The act providing government rail-
roads for Alaska was passed March II,
1914. It authorized the operation and
building Of railroads here to an extent
not to exceed 900 miles and at a cost
Of not more than S55, 600, 600 It was on
this authorization that the president
bought the Alaska Northern railway
n nd n ! n Fairbanks.
q distance Of 472 miles, at a cost OF
something like S2IO0O,OO0. But con-
Eress will have TO appropriate the
money as needed and the progress Of
the work is dependent upon the two
houses at Washington. IN 1914 the
appropriations amounted to about
81. 600. 900.
Something like s2.OOOOOO was appro-
priated last year and the engineers !
have asked for 100000 to be spent
IN 1915. II that is granted the road |
10 the Matanuska coal fields can be (
completed and the lower portion of I
the extension TO Fairbanks put into /
operation this year. The road can also /
be built from the Nenana coal fields to /
the Fairbanks gold mines, giving that /
rich country the cheap fuel II so 1
greatly needs
THE total length OF the government 4
railway will be under 500 miles, and
the engineers tell me it can be con-
Etructed at an average cost Of about
$4,000 per mile. In some places the
cost will run TO $4,000 per mile but in
Others IL will be 900 or under. The
road will cost about the same as the
western end Of the Grand Trunk Pacific
railway and il will be more expensive
than the North Pacific or the Puget
Sound division Of the Chicago, Milwau-
l1oe and st Paul. The track is TO be OF
the standard gauge. with rails Of 20
pounds TO the square yard. It VIII be
built and Of the most
modern construction.
No Red Tape At Anchorage.
There Is no red tape here at AnchOr-
age and so far fuss and feathers
are absent The three engineer com
missioners are as plain as pipe STEMS
and they tramp about with the men
and go over the job on foot and on
horseback Nevertheless, William C.
Edes the chairman OF the commission,
has built some OF the great roads OF the
west Lieut.. Frederick Mears was
superintendent OF the raliWey y an
anna. and Thomas Riggs IT., was az
the time OF his selection CHIEF OF the
boundary survey. They are all men OF !
practical experience and are especially
fitted for life and work on the frontier
7 have already written OF the head
luarters Of the engineer commission.
The two-story house put UP for them
10 Anchorage would not rent for more /
han SIS a month in the States. The
most OF the clerks are doing their ! ,
'orestry department Of the government /
s two-room shack with folding cots,
IN which the clerks sleep at night
The commissary building is Of logs,
md the stables nearby, where from Z
10 10 100 horses are kept, are Of canvas.
The hotel or messroOm for the men and
government employees is Of logs, and
hree meals there are given for 81 s
lay. So far I have to meet an official
Who puts on any airs Most of them ,
70 about with their trousers in their :
.oots. and the clothes worn by the '
nRineer commissioners would hardly '
ring the value of the wool in them C
Z a second hand store.
No Time Is Lost. o
Everything 10 business. The work began
days after the president decided the
cute, and II has gone steadily long L
$ the money hiss lasted. Fifteen hundred q
hen have been at work the past year. and / '
0mething loss than thousand now on Z
be Job. W. c. Bdeg, the chief engineer, has s
I'D large experience in constructing rail- [ o
Tayu IN our Rocky mountain highlands and o
throughout the west. and he Is using the | .
anne methods Of employment which have / o
roved most economical and most efficient I
J oregon, California, Washington and Cana K
The construction and grading are after a Il
sctlou Of the road. station, II given out | =
a number Of men called gang who con-
-act 10 build IL according 20 the specinca- | A
ions. They 20 In together as partners. and . Z
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