El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1917-02-10

an immense inner basin. walled with
steep slate precipices, and vessels OF
| This was the port from which the en-
! gineers OF the Western Union Teie-
| graph company expected to stretch
| their cable across Bering strait TO
The scheme originated in 1858. when
| expeditions were sent to both Alaska
and Asia 10 lay out the route. George
KEENAN, was connected with the work
| the leader OF the party which did the
work in Alaska Kennicott and his
men assembled the Yukon and crossed
l the Seward peninsula Some of their
old stakes are still visible at Unala-
Xix on the eastern shore of Norton
sound. and near that place are the
ruins of one of the stations with few
poles and some wire
The wire was distributed here and
there along the route. and much Of il
vas taken by the EskimOs and Indians
going on rapidly when the Atlantic
cable was proved to be a-success. and
the old world and the new were Joined
together by that great wire rope across
the Atlantic. The cable removed the
necessity of any land line The men
were az once recalled and steamers
came TO Port Clarence and took them
away
Open Mineral and Agricultural Fmpire,
The kuskOkwim extension viii open
up an empire of mineral and agricul-
tural possibilities.
The main line Of this road will cross
the Susitna valley and 90 for some dis
tance along the Skwentna river. It
VIII wind its way up the Happy River
valley. and viii cross the mountains
over Houston pass. IN A great bend
then north. before starting toward the
northeast and Fort McCirath- Much OF
the region through which il goes is
covered with spruce, ranging from
eight inches to two feet in diameter.
and there will be no lack Of timber for
ties and piling-
There viii have to be bridges across
the Susitna ana other rivers. ana II
there is an extension beyond the Kus-
koEwim. that river Will need to be
crossed at Fort McGrath. where il is
from 1000 to 1900 feet wide. The Kus-
kokwim is nov navigable Tor steam
ers % Fort McGrath and the road could
be built from both ends The supplies
Tor the eastern end could come from
line, and those for the western end to
the mouth of the kuskok vim and up
tnat river 10 Fort McCirath.
The building OF the main line would
entail an expenditure not much larger
than the amount left from the $50
100000 fund after the Fairbanks road
IS completed The extension OF the
X uskokwim branch TO the Yukon via
the LnnokO gold fields and thence on
to Nome would cost many millions
more.
Mosquitoes Are Serious Menace.
There Is one feature Of the kusho-
kwin region that viii have 20 be taken
into account in building the railroad
This seems triflinS until one know
Just what II means. ] refer TO the mos
quitoeS.
a great part OF the Kuskokwim val
ley is covered with swamps. and these
insects breed by the millions They
begin to come in Msy. with the first
spring vegetation. and last until the /
frost of September. These mosquitoes /,
are the most bloOdthirsty and numer- (;
Gus of any in Alaska. and Alaska has
the worst mosquitoes in the world /
They have been known TO kill horses J
and to drive white men crazy.
The prospectors who 90 drought :
the region wear headnets and long
gloves, which they tie tightly about the
wrists The man who exposes his bare
eyes or face soon loses his natural ap-
'earance. His eyelids swell up and |
lose. and his face becomes a mass or |
jumps and fiery pimples. This infor-