The Cordova daily times., 1922-08-24
RAILWAY MAN
 SAYS TOURIST ROUTE IS FINE

pany and the Copper River & North western Railway, is in Cordova after having made a first trip into the in- terior This is, in fact, MT. Knicker- lockers first visit to Alaska, and. as both a traveller and railway execu- tive his impressions of the country are of special interest. MT. Knicker- booker was highly enthusiastic over xthe scenic beauties of the routes along { the trail to Fairbanks and over the Government Railway to Seward "In my opinion" said MT. Knickerbocker today, "the scenery along the trail be- tween Chitina and Fairbanks cannot be surpassed. It is one continuous panorama of mountains, glaciers, rush. ing rivers, beautiful meadows and rolling country. As tourist route it offers the greatest variety of impress sive and interesting scenes" Asked as to his impressions of the agricul- tural possibilities of the interior, MT. Knickerbocker said there is no ques- tion that anything can be raised in the vicinity of Fairbanks that cah be grown in any general agricultural sec tion. q understand" said MT. Knick- erbocker "that the farmers in the vii cinity of Fairbanks are not yet raising agricultural products enough to SUD- ply the local needs. But the time will come when Alaska will be able to produce in this direction all that she can consume. The lack of transpOrta- tion and market have been the only elements responsible for the delay in agricultural development. I was in- terested in noting at Fairbanks that the soil there is very similar to that in the Imperial Valley of California, which is a silt washed down for ages by the overflow of the Colorado River. Much the same condition prevails around Fairbanks What is true of all agricultural lands first being put to cultivation, however, is true here. It is necessary, after clearing off th native growth, to enrich the soil with nitrates. This is being done by n'a2t- ing alfalfa. which is then plowed under Crops raised on soil where this has been done have been very fine indeed"
 On the subject of encouraging tour ist travel to Alaska MT Knicker booker expressed his whole-hearted ap- eproval. "The development of tourist travel, however" he added, "is some thing more than matter of advertis- ing. The reputation of the country will only be the sufferer from large numbers of tourists brought here in the absence of adequate accommoda- tions The roadhouses along the are. as I understand they are else where. excellent in their service : But they are not equipped to take care Of any large number of travellers. \ tour ist party, for instance, of forty people would tax even the largest of them, and in a country like Alaska people must have available places to sleep. Encouragement of tourist visitors. in a word is matter for cooperation on rt oF oil cd \ railways and steamship lines will be only too ready to advertise the country and provide transportation facilities if the trails are finished and kept in good condition, and adequate accom- modations are provided. The Alaska Road Commission is doing excellent work on the Fairbanks trail. But much still is to be done, appropria- tions for which must be had from the should get behind the commission and by jealous cooperation do all in their power to further the development of roads. The round trip via Fairbanks between Cordova and Seward is one of the finest to be had anywhere in the world and it's development cer- tain1y deserves the live efforts of every town in the Territory. It is simply matter of cooperation on the part of all concerned"
 MT Knickerbocker leaves on the Northwestern tonight for Latouche.