The Cordova daily times., 1921-07-21
MAJOR JOHN (. COTWALS
 COMES OVER EAGLE TRAIL

Major John C. Gotwals. engineering officer for the Alaska road com | mission. arrived in Valdez last Wed nesday. coming over the old Eagle trail to Gulkana, thence over the Richardson highway to Valdez, com pleting one of the most remarkable trips ever made by a government en- gineer.
 Major Gotwals left Juneau June IS, going direct to Haines, where he in. vestigated some work being done in that district, leaving a day or so Pass & Yukon railway, arriving at Whitehorse on the 18th. From Whitehorse Major Gotwals took the Yukon river steamer General Jacobs, arriving at Eagle June 2lst, after three days voyage down the pie turesque Yukon.
 At Eagle the major found awaiting him that veteran horse wrangler and packer, Guy Birch, with four pack annals and three riding horses, all young and unbroken. On June 22d, Major Gotwals rode out to the Sev- enty-mile mining district, alone, leav- ing MT Birch to assemble his outfit and bring the pack animals into sub jection. Here he found considerable mining activity, the most active opel ators being Ott, Sheele X Co.,, who are working about 90 men.
 Returning to Eagle on the 2Gth of June, with all equipment complete, and with Guy Birch and R. [, Steel as packers, Major Gotwals rode out of the Yukon trading post on his long journey making Liberty cabin, 27 miles out the first day. The 27th was spent in following the old pack trail on the ridges, the party getting a wonderful view of the country for miles in every direction, hol iaS lht pdlNH ittNh'u 2NN'l creek roadhouse, a little home in the wilderness, managed by Mir. and Mrs. Kemp, who made the party as com fortable as it was possible to make them. The roadhouse is approached on the ridges the trail being about 800 feet above the peaceful little valley. MT. and Mrs. Kemp have about 30 acres in cultivation and are making an easy living off their lit- | tie ranch
 l A stop was made at Dome creek. where Lee Steele is at work with a hydraulic outfit. and having a very successful season. He Is working number of men.
 After leaving Steel creek, the next stop was at Jack Wade creek. where the propert yof A. A. McCandless. an old time operator. was visited While Major Gotwals party was here, MT l MCCandless arrived from Dawson by | bt haflhb NpNSItu lIlt Nllo ance of 60 miles in three days, over a trackless country. He brought with him in the vehicle a piece of Hume pipe needed in operating his hydraulic. This was the first wagon ever driven over the trail from Daw son to Jack Wade, and represented the hardihood of MT. McCandless more than it did the feasibility of the route. as he was forced to keep tc the ridges, driving through a virgir country without improy ements
 Next day Franklin was made. after crossing the south fork of Fortymiie and the journey continued to Chick en. About 20 men are at work or claims in this old district
 After a short rest, the party start ed at 10 o'clock the night of June 30 for Gulkana going by way oi Kechumstuk and the wonderful Mos quito Fork flats with their wide acreage of fine grass. Numerous herds of caribou and moose were startled out of their feeding grounds here. Continuing the journey with out halt from Kechemstuk, the party arrived at the Dick Mitchell cabin where they rested a short time Mitchell is an old timer in the dis, trict and graZes two fat horses on several thousand acres of fine grass lands. His chief worry is from the huge herds of caribou that insist on sharing the forage with his horses He has tower erected in the prairie where he warns the caribou away by shooting at them A unique cbarac. ] c.