The Alaska citizen., 1917-08-27

lN. J. oOIlultiS IAd tuI ts tIit U dAi from Fairbanks 10 Richardson, which is Mir Sommers' division, will be nothing short of boulevard by the time cold weather sets in And nothing but the worst kind of weath- ar can keep Nr Sommers' plans from being worked out. for it IS his intention to have every one of the seventy miles of trail completed. graded so that they can br gruveIed next year. if 1t Is at all possible
 \ representative Of The Citizen had the privilege of accompanying MT. Sommers on trip of inspec- ton ot the work being done at the two big road camps, on Sunday What he saw would fill many pages were it described in the detail which il justly deserves, even though all Is said when il is stated that all the work that is possible under pres ent conditions in the interior is now being done to make this end of the big trail boulevard of which Fair banksans can be justly proud
 There are two big road crews working. The one which is camped at the Piledriyer roadhouse. working under the direction of Abe McKin- non, consists of fortyfiye men. Leonard Gear has crew of twenty two men working about four miles beyond Birch Lake, or within about six miles of Richardson. Both crews are working on portions of the road which is in the most need ot repair.
 In some instances the old road is merely being repaired, while in others. in places where waShouts have made 1t practically impossible to grade the ground into any sem bIance of a road; also where it is necessary that short curves and turns in the old road be strengthened out and still others where the old road was constructed over swampy or bogey ground. complete new road is being built.
 one thing that impresses the sight seer on the trail is the enormous amount of dirt that is being moved by scrapers, blows, graders and men with shovels Twenty-two horses are being used at the McKinnon road camp, and four by the crew working under the direction of Gear. The bridge work that is being done is another feature. and the draining of the ground graded yet another.
 The rough places on the old trail are first being plowed, then graded with the big grader, men with scrap CTS following after to scrapc dirt from the sides of the road into the low places not reached by the grad CTS One difficulty encountered b! the men working, particularly in shady or heavily messed places, is frost. which is often found within foot or two of the surface. The work in such places is very material ly delayed for the reason that the ground does not have time to thaW by the time the crews are through with that part of their work in other particulars and must go elsewhere. And the cost of returning to such places would undoubtedly be very great; perhaps much greater than could be paid, at least at the pres ent time.
 The bridges and culverts are all Dt4uS SuDS ld uIldllS COHSlI uCltu. Mdut of saplings adzed on the top side they present d smooth flooring; al most as smooth, in fact, as would bridges constructed of lumber These saplings are securely held in their places by cross pieces pinned to the outside with wooden pins. All Of these bridges and culverts are work of art in that they represent 'ypical pioneer bridge building And there are many of them. as they are necessary for the amount of road draining that is being done, particularly in low places, where drains are established on the upper side of the road and allowcl 10 drain under them through the cul- yerts to the low side On the side hills, too, in places where water seeps through the moss from the side still higher up the hills, much draining needs 10 be done, and it is frequently in these places, more so than in the more swampy spots, thai the deepest bogs are found in