The Alaska daily empire., 1922-06-15
SOUTHEASTERN ALASKA AND ROADS.

1t is safe to say thai Governmental activity
has contributed much to the growth and develop
.ment of Southeastern Alaska road building ant
none has contributed the pleasure of those
living here. The Government roads radating from
the centers of population have resulted in the build
ing of many little farms and the location of many
settlers. Scores of workingmen who might not have
remained in the Territory have built homes along the
roads that reach out from the towns and have thus
become fixtures in Alaska 1t has aided in the deve
opment of the agricultural and mine deve
cpment. The people in the cities have been given
opportunity to get out into the country and life
has been made agreeable In other words the roads
have helped to bring people into the Territory and
what Alaska needs than anything else is popula
ton. They have also contributed immeasureably to
attractions for tourists, and the tourist traffic, now
large is destined to be the foundation of of the
largest of industries.
The road leading north of Juneau has led to the
establishment of dairy and vegetable and chicken
farms that have added materially to the wealth OF
this section 1t gives road to the gold prospects
and canneres at AUX Bay and before the end of the
summer it will connect the cannery at Tee Harbor
with Juneau. 1t gives Juneau outlet Lynn
Canal that often makes it unnecessary for cannery
tenders and other vessels to come around Douglas
Island to enable people to reach the city In another
year it is proposed to continue the road to Eagle
River-Y where there many settlers homeseads
and some very promising gold prospects. In addition
to this it gives this city of the finest scenic
highways out of doors. 1t gives the people of the
largest center in Alaska opportunities get OF
town and the tourists sights that feature their Alas
kan trips. There is probably automobile traffic
on the roads that lead out of Juneau than any
other roads in the Territory.
The roads at Ketchikan are similar to those OF
Juneau. They connect the city with four five can
neries and other industrial plants. They dotted
uth In hnp,
raising vegetables and other products the peopl.
of the city. Like the roads at Juneau, they permit
the town to expand from the cribbed cabned ant
confined condition that existed before road budine
was begun.
Along the general lines are the roads bull
and proposed at Wrange Petersburg, Sitka, Skagway
and elsewhere
The Forestry Bureau and Alaska Road Commits
zion have also shown that they alive in meeting
the necessity for roads in connection with mine de
veloment At Hyder the road that has been bull
has enabled people to prospect and do development
work on properties that would have been impossible
IL the road had not been made. 1t is estimated tina
5000 tons of freight have been moved the Hyde
road since it constructed probably the creates
tonnage that has passed any road in Alaska IL
the same length of time. Likewise the road from
'Haines toward the Rainy Hollow and other mining
sections in the Chkat Valley has aided immensely II
mine prospecting and dev elopment work It, too Il
opening up an important agricultural section
The trail building Prince of Wales Island ha,
permitted the prospecting of the Harris River ant
other sections where there promising quartz ind
cations and 1t is meet to remark that when thu
Forestry Bureau builds trail it is a wagon roat
location SO the work performed may be utilized SHOULD
further development disclose the necessity of a wager
road. The Bureau is investigating the demand fol
trail or road building up the Unuk River to min
erazed section that biologists say is of the mos
rnpaio 4,
line between Alaska and British Columbia.
Road building in the vicinity of Cordova anC
Seward and elsewhere in the Third Division has beer
and is projected along similar lines in the First
those here.
Wherever these roads have been built they have
added TO the permanent population of the country
and more road building will continue to result In
additions of people
II is mistaken idea to assume that roads are
needed along the in the vicinity of the Tongass
and Chugach National Forests. They greatly
needed. They necessary for continued develop
ment The roads already built. said, have done
great deal for the country Those projected will do
a great The building should continue to
the end Every mile built the need for more
roads
Jack Dempsey thinks twelve children make an