The Alaska citizen., 1916-06-26

Goldstream. first crossing ...... 42.
 Goldstream, second crossing .... 454
 Happy Summit ................ 45G
 Fairbanks .................... 466 Table gives the approximate
 locations of the various points of
 interest in miles from Seward The principal benefits to be de rived from a railroad will be thr l opening up of coal fields for the u,a Of the people of the United State and Alaska. Nearest the coast on the route of survey lie the Mata nuska coal fields. recent test of sample from these fields show the coal to be available for use by the Navy. The coal is d fine-quali ty. semi-bituminous coal, comparing fayorably with the semi-bituminous coals of West Virginia and Mary land. For export purposes this pro duct can be shipped either from Seward all months of the year or from Anchorage for seven or eight months ot the year when Cook In let Is free from traffic -hindering ice, The advantage of shipping from Anchorage is that the haul is 11O miles shorter than to Seward with practically no adverse grades With certain harbOr improvements to fa- cilitate loading and unloading at all tides. colliers of any size can navi- gate Cook Inlet during the open season and approach bunkers erect ed to suit the size of the trade
 One hundred miles from Fair banks are the Nenana Ignite fields These lignites are low in ash con. tent and high in calorfic value While it is hardly possible that these coals will ever be exported from Alaska they are well adapted for domestic use After ten years of great mining activity around Fair banks the wood available for fuel has been destroyed within the eco homie limits of wagon and sled haul and the mining industry k appreCiably slaCkening The Nenana lignites will supply the fuel wants. and the lower grade auriferOus gray els will be made productive and profitable. Cordwood in the Fair banks mining district has now reached the enormous price of from SIC to $l6 cord according to To, cality. Lignite should be delivered to the consumer at d maximum price, including wagon haul, of FS a ton. With the fuel value of one ton of coal to two cords of wood a saving is effected which makes all the difference between a sub stantial profit and bad loss The average plant in frozen placer min ing burns ten cords per day. What a wonderful difference in operating a small low grade mine whether hp Inil |.
 Carpers and pesSimists see small profit to be gleaned from a govern ment-owned and operated railroad. but the histories of all railroads show that development al ways follows completed construC tion. There may be few lean years, but progress along line Of transportation is sure In the case of this railroad We have first an assured market for coal at both the northern and southern terminal On Kenai Peninsula and up the Su- sitna valley numerous mines. both lode and placer, await transporta- tion which will reduce the prohibit tive costs of crude conveyance Broad Pass b.ds lajr to bee .me a low grade lode district with heavy ship ments of concentrates. The Kan tishna district. once famous for plaCers, 75 miles west of the lower Nenana, has long held interest a. a lode possibility and is even now shipping out antimOny ore of high grade. Sixty miles north ot Nenana where the line crosses the Panama River, is a new placer camp in the Tolovana country, which may even equal the Fairbanks district; the olltpuj to b. ~lucrd in th. spring cleanup is variously esti- mated from $500.OOO to $1,000 900 At Nenana the railroad will dis tribute coal and supplies to the lower Tanana River and to thou sand miles of the Yukon. Far banks will be the terminus. The Fairbanks district contains about 5000 people and during the ten years of its life has produced up ward of $l00,O0O,000 in mineral wealth, and still the major part of it is undevelOped.
 Then there is agriculture In 1914 the agricultural products of the Tanana Valley were valued at $115 900, and agriculture has hardly start ed. Alaska. if put to it, can fur nish her population with all farm and garden products, and will event ually do it.
 It has been stated that ten per sons to the mile will pay the ope- rating expenses and maintenance Oi railroad. In the near future We will have more than this. and the railroad, which adversaries of the measure have termed "a govern mental atruistic experiment." will result in a commercial success.