The Cordova daily times., 1921-05-20
STRINCDNC OF COPPER WIRES
 PROGRESSING

Major E. K. McFarland genial chief of the T. & T. department of the Alaskan engineering commission, ar rived in ....enana from the coast, having made the trip over the trail in connection with plans for the comple- tion of the copper circuit which is to connect Seward and Fairbanks, says the News. The major started on the return trip to the coast the next day, going from Nenana to Healy by gas car
 A small force of men under Fore man George Woods, who came over the trail with Major Mcfarland, are just beginning work at Healy, being engaged in preparing the line for the installation of pair of copper wires from that point to Fairbanks. Copper wires already come to Healy from the coast at Seward. These wires will reach Fairbanks about the first of November. when the telegraph and telephone plant of the Alaska engi- neering commission will be consid- cred complete, and it is probable that at that time closer, as we'll as a more economical and satisfactory ar engagement, both to the public and the government, will go into effect
 Major Mcfarland says that steps are being taken to link the Nenana and Seward signal corps offices, via commission lines, which will be to the advantage of interior Alaska in pro- viding more rapid reduction of rates in some instances
 The major says the trail across Broad pass is remarkably good; cool nights and considerable snow on the summit leave the trail in excel lent conditions, considering the sea son. There is much bare ground north of Mile 344 but wagons are prac. ticable between that point and Healy
 Steel for the big Hurricane gulch bridge is beginning to arrive at An chorage and the work of grading is being rushed with all possible speed, in spite of snow. The snow is being removed from the right of way, the frozen ground blasted and pre- paration for actual track-laying is go- ing forward satisfactorily. The end of steel had almost reached Hurricane gulch when the major passed that point, and he expects to find the work completed when he returnsa
 A lot of grading has been done north of Hurricane gulch but the major said that he had not been in formed if track-laying operations would continue in advance of the completion of the bridge. In order to do so, it would be necessary to move track-laying equipment and steel across the gulch by aerial tram It is expected that the bridge will be ready for traffic within 90 days after the work starts.
 The south pier Is now being put in place. Gravel for the work is ob- tained at point several miles north of the gulch and hauled to the bank by tractors, and, there loaded into the tram car for delivery at the place desired.
 Major Mcfarland says the work of repairing the damage done by the snowslide at Bartlett glacier was under way when he left the coast and 1t was expected that the road would be reopened { to traffic within short time. He talked with several persons who were at the scene of the slide when the great avalanche came down the mountain, hitting the, Bartlett glacier trestle a glancing blow that drove it against the side of the gulch in a mass of wreckage. The thing happened very quickly-so quickly, in fact, that no one on the train at the time could possibly have escaped had the caboose been little farther out on the trestle. One of the trainmen was within a few feet of the car door when the slide started. The rush of wind blew the door open and before the tarinman could get to the end of the car to close it, the avalanche had struck the trestle. The great structure was pushed aside with such suddenness that the en- zines and rotary snowplows dropped straight down. When the major vis- ited the scene later, all he could see of the rolling stock was the dome of one of the engines, at the bottom of the gulch. All of the passengers and members of the train crew escaped in- jury, with the exception of one of the trainmen, whose face was little scratched. The escape of those on L..