The Nenana news. (Nenana, Alaska) 1921-1923, 1921-05-03
be able to buy very cheaply.

| De aDle TO Duy very cHeapiy.
Now, what does it take to make
large supply point? 1t takes a
great deal of business, merchandise
of all kinds, machine shops, mills,
boat ways, sleigh and wagon shops
! and a large business concern that
can carry machinery, prospecting
boilers and other needed supplies OF
all kinds, ready for immediate de-
livery.
If you can get this class of people
to establish themselves and put the
necessary capital into business en-
terprises, you are then helping to
bring the Outside to the Inside, and
the people will be greatly benefited
thereby. But no businessman will
establish himself in a community
where the surrounding country will
not show signs of increased business
Nenana's future as commercial
point can be great help to all In
terror Alaska points. 1t all depends
upon who establish themselves and
how much money they put into their
respective enterprises. We have the
lowest freight rates and shortest
distances to all Interior points, and
we should sell at the lowest prices
All freight to the Interior will come
through Nenana first. And if a good
supply point is established here, you
have the first call on all Interior
business. There is no reason why
the small merchant in outlying dis
tricts could not get nearly as good
a deal here as he could by sending
direct to the States.
When it comes to the miner, if a
supply point such as | speak of is
established here, it will be very lit
tie he would ever have to send out
for, except possibly in the case of
big outfit such as the Guggenheims,
who have purchasing agent in the
States.
Navigation on the rivers of the
Interior can be said to last only
about three months, yet the boats,
during all the early boom days,
were able to land all the freight
needed for the entire year. So you
can easily figure from that, if the
Government trains run once in two
weeks from the coast, they can east
ly supply all the freight needed,
unless we get the gold bonus. Of
course, it is different now, during
the period of construction. l am
citing this point to show that any
wagon road built to the railroad,
which might have come to sup
ply point, is going to cause an end
less expense in loss of time and
money to the traveller and freighter.
Possibly in the spring of the year.
for month or so, the train might
run a little more often to get down.
river freight in. Later on again, it
may run only once month. That
is an assured fact. Neither Uncle
cars at an expense.
Now, in regard to the two pro-
posed routes to the Kantishna-the
Ignite and the Nenana Direct.
Which Is going to work out the bet
ter in the long run for all con-
cerned and which will develop the
country the most for the money
expended? Let's compare the two.
The Ignite route is 76 miles long.
The Nenana Direct is 95 miles. 70
Nenana there is natural down
grade, about l ~ per cent. In order
to put the Ignite route on any
kind of level grade, It would
lengthen it out about eight OF ten
miles, so that the real difference
would be only between ten and ~
miles between the two routes
Now then, what are the advan-
tages and disadvantages of the two
routes? There is only one point in
favor of the Ignite route-you
might get to the railroad a couple
of hours sooner and it may cost a
little less to build the road.
The Nenana-direct-to Kantishna
route has so many points in its
favor that they are too numerous
to mention. However, will mention
some of them.
First-On account of the down.
hill grade, much heavier tonnage
can be landed here, employing the
same amount of power. This saving
in power alone will much more than
pay for the extra distance hauled.
Second-When you have arrived
at Ignite, or anywhere else on
the railroad, you are about 400 miles
or more from the coast and from
5O to 100 miles away from either
supply point at Nenana or Fair
banks. This is the most important
point regarding the Kantishna routes
which every miner and merchant
will discover later, if they do not
see it now. Before finishing this
letter will write more fully On
this point.
Third-The Interior rivers and
waterways are as important as, if
not more important than the rail-
road. If it were not for them, no
white man would ever have invaded
the Interior. If the quartz and ores
of the Interior ever amount to any
thing, there will surely be a smelt-
er established here some day, as
this is the best location from all
points-Upper Tanana, Fairbanks,
Tolovana, Hot Springs, Broad Pass,
Kantishna, Koyukuk, Kuskokwjm.