The Alaska daily empire., 1921-03-21

Cdi, SOl. ColtlCo VT. CSSOoC' T AS'i dent of the Alaska Road Commis sion, has just sent communication to various tourist agencies ano transportation companies, directing their attention to the Splendid tour ist facilities that will be afforded tourists for summer travel through the Interior of Alaska" this summer Col. Steese's letter is confined main ly to the Richardson Highway and the country through which it passes
 The communication was sent to the Canadian Pacific Steamship Company, Vancouver, B. C.; the Raymond and Whitcomb Tourist Agency, New York; Messrs. Thos. Cook and Sons, New York; the White Pass Route, Chicago; the Alaska Steamship Company and the Pacific Steamship Company, Seattle.
 Route Rehabilitated
 Col. Steese described the road from Valdez as a main military highway. work on which was insti- tuted in 1905. By 1913 it had be- come passable for light automobiles, but owing to restricted appropria. tions, insufficient for proper mainte- nance during the war it was deter iorated to considerable extent. This condition no longer prevails, stated Col. Steese who, in his eff fort to divert tourist traffic over the road said: Tt has now been re- habilitated and during the summer of 1920 some 300 tourists made the trip from Fairbanks to Chitina, on the Copper River Railroad, 320 miles by automobile in three days with out any serious inconvenience or dis comfort. There are comfortable roadhouses at intervals along the route"
 Open Entire Route
 This summer, 1921, the Valdez end of the roal will be open and tourists may expect service through local operators from July 15, to September 15, between Fairbanks and either Valdez or Chitina. The trip may be made in either direc- tlOu Dul lo ilOSG dlti SOihS out from Fairbanks and this direc- tion also connects with a down-the- Yukon trip from Whtehor3e or Daw- son.
 Use Of Local Autos
 Tourists should be advised not to bring their automobiles, but to, use the facilities of the country which are especially adapted to conditions met here. Ths military highway is a graveled surface road, across two main mountain ranges at an elevation of about 5000 feet, and is not a concrete, boulevard"
 Col. Steese suggests an itinerary for complete Alaskan summer tour" covering about 30 days and placing the approximate necessary expense account per person at $500 from Seattle and return.
 Gives Routes Available
 In his suggestion of itinerary Col. Steese gives the following routes: Seattle or Vancouver by the way of the Inside Passage to Skagway, White Pass Railroad to Whitehorse, river steamer to Dawson. Fort Yu- kon within the Arctic Circle, Fort Gibbon and Nenana, Government rail road to end of steel in Healy Can yon. returning and continuing on railroad to Fairbanks; Military road by automobile, Fairbanks toI Chitna or Valdez, and then return ing to Seattle across the Gulf of Alaska and by the Inside Passage as before. Or go West, across Prince William Sound to Seward, Government Railroad to head of steel in Hurricane Gulch, returning on Government Railroad to Anchor age. thence to Seattle by ocean liner by way of Kodiak, Prince VII liam Sound and Inside Passage" back to Seattle.
 Describes Country
 A short description of the country along the Richardson Highway isl given by Col. Steese From Fair banks the route follows up the Tan ana and Big Delta Rivers. some llluSS dI luc lOOl Ol tuo put for large part of the route through the hills and over the cliffs, giving magnificent panorama of 100 mles of snowcapped mountains and gla- ciers in the Alaska range.
 "The route crosses the Alaskan Range over Isabelle Pass. at an ele- vation of 5000 feet. in the midst of the Cathedral Mountains. The road then follows down the Gulkana Valley with another string of snow capped mountains, with Mount Wran- gell and Mount Blackburn off to the left. At Gulkana the main Copper River Valley is entered and follow ed as far as Willow Creek. Here the route divides, the shorter branch continuing 40 miles to Chitina, on the Copper River and Northwestern Railroad, 40 miles from the port of Cordoya; the branch of the highwa to the right following up the Ton 1 sina, Teikhell and Tsaina river ---------------I