The Cordova daily times., 1922-06-14


 ly with the construction of highway into the Kantishna mining district, as agreed upon between the Alaska Road Commission and the National Park Service, will be started this season, according to Col. James G. Steese, president of the Alaska Road Con- mission. The agreement of cooper ation was made during the past winter between Colonel Steese and Director Mather of the Park Service, at the time of the formers visit to Washing ton.
 As a result of over a thousand miles of reconnaissances in the kantishna and Mt. Mckinley Park districts by the Alaska Road Commission and the Department of the Interior, pro- gram has been drawn up and ap- proved by both departments for a loop road and rail route to give the Kan tishna mining district and Mt Mc- Kinley National Park access to the U. S, Government Railroad now com pleted. The loop will be approximate ly 175 miles long; about 12O miles by automobile, the balance on horseback. Ii will start from Mt. Mckinley sta tion, at Riley Creek, Mile BAY, Alaska Railroad cross Sable, Polychrome, Hishwav and Thorofare Passes to the foot of the Muldrow Glacier, then along Mckinley River and outside the park limits to Wonder Lake, then to Kan tishna post office at the mouth Of Eureka Creek. The return will be made via Glacier to point on the railroad near Lignite, Mile 363.
 PART FOR AUTOMOBILES
 The first 25 miles from Mt. Me Kinley Park station to Middle River will be improved to automobile stand ard; the route over the high passes will be improved for summer travel by pack train and winter travel by sled; from the foot of MuldoW Gla- cier to Wonder Lake, Kantishna P. O., and return to the railroad at Liz mite, a total distance of about 100 miles, travel will again be made by automobile. The commercial road for the relief of the Kantishna district will will be entirely outside the limits of the National Park.
 The Alaska Road Commission has for three years submitted estimates for the Lignite- -Kantishna road. Last year, about 54 miles of preliminary location were run out from Lignite to the Toklat River, at the mouth Of Crooked Creek, and caches estab- lished along the route. The National Park Service will submit estimates this fall for the construction within the park limits, beginning next year.
 PRELIMINARY WORK SOON
 Meanwhile, preliminary work will be done this summer by the Alaska Road Commission on the park trail so that construction may be energetical- ly pushed at the beginning of next season, when funds become available. After a conference with Woodbury Abbey of the Park Boundary Survey General Land Office, and Harry Kar- stens,, Park Superintendent, National Park Service, the following work was agreed upon, in carrying out the CO., operative agreements closed in Wash ington last winter between Colonel Steese and Director Mather of the National Park Service.
 CD Army tents and small stoves will be provided at the following points between Mt Mckinley Park Station and Kantishna post office; Savage River, Mile 12; Igloo Creek, Mile 26; East Fork, Mile 36; Toklat, Mile 46 Stony Creek, Mile 54; Muldrow Gla- cier, Mile 62; Mt. Mckinley, Mile 76; Kantishna post office, Mile S2.
 (2) Sign boards will be erected att each of the above tents and in add1- tion at the following points: Sanctu- ary River, Teklanika River and Sable Pass.
 (3) Stenciled mile-posts will be erected.
 (4) The entire trail will be brushed out and tripods erected at confusing points. PRESENT ROUTES INADEQUATE
 The present main developed route into the Kantishna is that from Roose- welt on the Kantishna River to Kan tishna post office near the head of Moose Creek This road is an excel lent winter road and is gradually being improved to summer standard. AL