The Nenana daily news. (Nenana, Alaska) 1918-1921, 1919-10-04


Conduct Of Surveys.
In order to best facilitate the
work, two main bases of supplies
were selected, one at Ship creek, in
Cook inlet, and one at Fairbanks,
in the Interior of Alaska, and at
the northern end of the route to
be surveyed.
Ship creek, or Knik Anchorage,
as it is sometimes called, is stu
ated on Knik arm of Cook inlet,
about twenty miles south of the
little settlement of Knik. 1t is at
the head of navigation for ocean
going steamships. At this point,
transfer of freight and passengers
is made to launches and barges,
and thence transported to Knik, on
Turnagain arm, or up the Susitna
river. 1t is within about four miles
of the main line of survey of the
Western route, and is therefore a
very favorable point for the distri-
button of supplies. At Ship creel.
was established the headquarters
camp.
As Fairbanks was the only town
of size in the Interior within rea-
sonable distance of the work, it was
selected as the distributing point
for that region. 1t was decided
that it was more expedient to pur-
chase most of the supplies required
by the parties working in the
Northern section, in Fairbanks 1t
would have resulted in delay and
additional expense if these supplies
had been purchased in Seattle and
shipped from that point via the
Skagway-Yukon route.
Work Authorised.
The work of surveying out the
various routes from the coast to
the Interior, assigned to the vari-
Gus parties in the field, was rushed
forward vigorously, and detailed
report was submitted to the Presi-
dent through the secretary Of the
interior.
On April 10, 1915, the President
issued an order outlining the Sc
lected route from the town of Sew
ard, on the westerly shore of Res
direction bay, to the Tanana river
at its confluence with the Nenana
river, a distance of 416 miles, more
or less. The order also authorized
the purchase Of the Alaska North
ern railroad and the construction
of a branch line to the Matanuska
coal fields, a distance of 3S miles
from a point on the main line Sc
lected by the Alaskan Engineering
Commission.
Work Commenced.
Actual preparatory work was
commenced almost simultaneously at
the coast and interior ends of the
railroad. In June. 1916, the clear
ing of right-of-way from Nenana
southwark and the clearing OF the
Nenana townsite was taken in hand.
The work was directed from the
head office established at Fairbanks.
A party was also sent to Happy
station, near Fairbanks, under a
resident engineer, and preparatory
work was undertaken for the build
ing of a railroad from Nenana to
connect with the Tanana Valley
railroad at this point. Clearing and
grading operations were also com
menceO on lne ali OdlhS lllS, 41oui
the Nenana end.
Settlers also began to arrive in
Nenana, and as townsite lots were
not available, nondescript buildings
of a temporary nature were hur-
riedly constructed. These consisted
mostly of tents, and thus Nenana
had its beginning.
With the transfer of the head Of
fee from Fairbanks TO Nenana and
the sale of townsite lots shortly
afterward, the present town of Ne
mana began to take shape The
contracts let for grading and clear
ing also had progressed consider
ably, and light narrow-gauge rail-
road soon hogan m craep o,,+ FROM,