Iditarod pioneer., 1917-08-04
INNOK0 HIGHWAY
Alaska Road Commission Appro. priates $20,Ooo for Ophir-
 Tokotna Road

A piece of news which will be hailed as of the utmost importance to this section of Alaska, not only for the immediate bene fits to be derived by the mining and com merclal interests, but as indicating new departure by the Alaska road commission in aiding the development of new districts by means of the road funds placed at it's disposal, was received in the last mail. It is nothing more nor less than the announcement that S20,000 has been set aside by the commission for the con struction of the road between Ophir and Tokotna It is accompanied by the further announcement that S2,000 has been set aside by the territorial road commission of the Fourth division for the construction of a road from the Kuskokwim to Candle treek, the latter to be expended under the direction of Commissioner J. E. Riley.
 The Ophir- Tokotna road project is part of the system planned and announced by Colonel w. P. Richardson, chairman of the Alaska road commission, last year. It Is to be part of the system of highways which is planned to extend from the Yukon to the kuskokwim, and thence eventually to the coast at or near Anchorage, following the route of the present Seward lditarod trail
 Last year the commission expended a large amount of money on the Ruby Long Creek road, which is part of the project, and this year S3OO00 more will be spent tn completing that portion of the road,
 While these plans were made public some tune ago, not even the most optimistic be- feved that work was to be started this year, Ind SO the announcement that R. s. Gid .ings, foreman for the Alaska road commis- sion, had left Ruby on July l6, bound for Ophir. to commence work on the new road, came as a surprise. According to the Ruby Record Citizen, MT Giddings was accompa- nied by John Hixson Max Minard and Henry Geiger, and it is the intention first 10 investigate conditions and then organize crew for work during the remainder of the summer. The party had only three pack horses with them.
 Will Be Great Aid to Country
 The projected road from Ophir to To- kotna will run through one of the best undeveloped placer districts known in Alaska today. Ophir Canes Little Yankee and Candle creeks, Fl of which are producers, lie along the route of the proposed road, and Moore Donlin and other undeveloped districts in the Kuskokwim watershed will all be directly benefited On most of these streams, were transportation afforded, op- erations could be conducted on an extensive scale; but the high freight costs make only the richest ground available.
 Dredges are to be installed on at least two of these creeks, and it was with view to providing a road for the installation of a dredge on Candle creek that the S2,000 ap- propliation was made by the divisional road commission.
 Road from ditarod Essential With work on the projected Ophlr-To- kotna road probably now under way, as far as preliminaries are concerned, 1t behooVes the citizens of the Iditarod district to bestr themselves in behalf of highway from this city to connect with the new road. Unless there is a connecting link between Ophir and Iditarod there will be tendency to di- vert business from local merchants to other points and especially on the huskokwlm, where water transportation Is available. It should not be necessary to point out that a connecting road from the ldltarod IS essen tial, and that it should form part of the main trunk line projected from the Yukon and kuskokwm to the coast.
 The AIIotments
 The following allotments of road funds are announced by the Alaska road commis- sion for the work which commenced July 1. Major Davison, disbursing officer of the commission, announces that the amount set aside for each district will not be lowered in any case, and in several will be raised
 Ruby district, s3O,0OO; Fairbanks district, including Eagle and Rampant, S82 900 Seward, S33,000, which will later be in creased by a substantial amount; Nome, 10000; Juneau, $35,000 which does not include work near ePtersburg and on the Stlklne rver proJects; Hanna Bay project, $S,0OO, and the Ophir- Tokotna road S20,000
 Wages Are Raised
 Major Davison recently informed the Ju- neau Empire that wires had been sent to all superntendents in the territory instructing them that on account of the high cost of living the commission had decided to raise the wages of employees All employees hired by the day will receive half dollar day increase, while those working by the month will have $l5 added to their checks The superntendents and other permanent em- ployes of the commission will not receive op,, ;porooco of tb;C tine