The Cordova daily times., 1922-11-25

other streams along the highway safe
 and substantial bridges are provided. Twenty-one miles after crossing on
 the ferry at McCarty the road reaches
 Richardson where there Is seen the
 first convincing proof that interior
 Alaska is farming country. Two | fine farms are operated here and
 there little placer mining carried
 on.
 l From McCarty also the road affords
 and constant views of the Alaska
 Range, consisting of peak after peak of snow-capped mountains, with Mt. Hayes lordfng 1t over the others high Eabofe the clouds. From Richardson to the end of the highway at Fair banks is about seventy miles. This last stretch of road wanders little, as all good country roads should, in order that the traveller may not be- come dulled witH the sameness of the scenery. It starts out by climb ling along cliffs with wide views of the Panama River and valley; next it winds delicately around Birch Lake, sixty miles from Fairbanks, the play
 ground for the automobiIists of that city It slides away for miles through ! pleasant fields, thick with rich, reh grass. It takes cool passages through groves of slim, white birch trees. It darts across open spaces which would make fine moose pasture. It skirts what looks like. and probably is, a I grayling stream, leaping over 1t by
 way of a bridge now and then, only
 somehow to find that 1t must get back on the other side, after while.
 Finally, it begins to pick up houses, and almost before the tourist realizes, l he is rolling down the main street Of
 Fairbanks. Alaska has been success
 fully toured with an automobile. The
 frontier is still there. but 1t is viewed | in better way, with less hardship.
 and infinitely more convenience be-
 cause of the wonders of the machine
 and It's engine.
 I That the highway exists Is due to the fact that its founder, General Richardson, Colonel Dick" to every tt4one in Alaska. dreamed a dream. and has labored to make that dream a re- Iality, The Alaska Road Commission [ as at present constituted is composed 4 of men who are worthy successors to | t"Colonel Dick" It's present head, Colonel J. c. Steese. assisted by
 Chief Engineer Officer Major John c. P GQtwals, and Captain A. II. Bond,
 Chief Disbursing Officer is carrying
 on the work, and making remarkable
 progress. Given adequate appropria :! tionis by Congress the commission i, will iron out the rough spots in the | sfRichardson Highway and make it one : fof" the great scenic roads of the |, world It is that already, thanks tc
 the lavish generosity of nature 1T heaping up along it such wonders as glaciers, lakes, mountains and valleys
 For those whom this article may in f spire with a wish to take the Richard 9 son "on high" is offered the follow ing statement by Major Gotwals con . cerning the technical character and
 condition of the road: "The character s of the road is very difficult to de scribe briefly and in general terms F because of it's great length. It must v be remembered that two mountain f ranges are crossed and the valley oi the Panama is penetrated and tra 6I fety of climatic conditions are en.
 countered Throughout, however, the
 road may be classified as an excel lent country road. Of the 40 miles
 of road included, about 250 miles are
 graded and gravelled and excellent
 under any weather conditions. Twenty miles, although graded, still require
 gravelliDg before being classified as
 good road. The remainder of the
 road. while still requiring some gray
 cling, and occasional stretches of re-
 grading, is at present good and will become excellent road with the com
 pletion of the gravelling which is now
 going on. With the ample roadbuild- ing equipment now on hand vigoruos z efforts are being made to make the road excellent in all weather con
 ditions.
 For the past two seasons supplies
 for all the working crews on every
 section of the road have been deliv-
 cred by motor equipment during the
 summer months. In addition numer-
 ous private motor bus lines operate
 between Fairbanks on one end and 1I XI