The Bemidji daily pioneer. [volume] (Bemidji, Minn.) 1904-1971, 1922-01-25
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ALASKAN ROAD TO OPEN
| GREAT NORTHERN LAND
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between Fairbanks and Chatanika,
which cost 100000. II zz-ss:. r@7->
The main line Of the Alaskan rail-
road from Seward to Fairbanks, is
ACT miles long-the completed road
with all its branches comprise $50
miles and cost sS56,000,O0O. It was
built by United State government
army engineers. II, ..tr,@&.- ~.
+ A typical construction problem was
the spanning of the Susitna river,
which, like many others of the prof
;ect, demanded new departures in en-
cheering. " The bridge span is of
steel, 504 feet in length and together
with. its two approaches is 1922 feet
long, the largest Of its kind on the
railroad. 81 ~-.. 4-.. .
Ice reaches enormous heights in
the Susitna during the spring break
up, as was shown by the scared and
broken trees along its banks and the
Scared rocks Of its canyons; SO that
sustaining piers in midstream were
out of the Observation-Disclosures would
be crushed like straWs and concrete
fare little better under the .tremen-
dous pressure of the ice pack. A
long span was decided upon and it's
building is a story in itself. .:4
Supplies had to be freighted by
sleds on the ice until the river broke
and the jams had crushed their way
down stream then by boats down the
current of the swirling, treacherous
river, or by wagon On newly made
roads. Picks and shovel gangs sup
plemented machinery, while 8-inch
pumps operated conpit and the low
temperature of the work. A glacial
moraine Sc miles away furnished the
sand and gravel. ~.-a d..
Special measures were necessary in
placing concrete in the main piers of
the approaches, the porous boulder
and gravel formation allowing wa
ter to force itself through to the floor
OF the pit and the low temperature of
the water making it impossible to
place concrete mi by bucket OF pipe
methods. A large sheet of canvas
was prepared sufficient to cover the:
bottom arc, extending up the sides of
the enclosure where it was formed
in" by wooden supports to provide a
runway around the edges. Steam
pipes were placed around the sides of
the pit enclosure and then the entire
space was housed in and made warm.
The sand and gravel were heated by
being dumped on platforms holding
steam pipes and hot water was used
in mixing. The concrete was poured
at times when the thermometer regis
tered sc below zero. l.. -.
The old route from Seattle to Fair
banks for shipments of hay. grain and
potatoes was by steamer to st. Mich
ael, thence by river boats up the Yu-
kon and Tanana rivers, distance of
$500 miles and at cost Of $40 a
ton, or through Skagway and down
the Yukon and Tanana at cost of
$66. Over the new railroad these ar
ticles can be shipped, according to
government figures, at saving of
$40 a ton, 1900 miles in transporta-
ton, and three weeks in time. t..
As the new line drew nearer COM
! pletion, the government began hand
ling traffic to be transported over the
intervening stretch Of unfinished road
by various means. The reduction in
transportation cost has already been
reflected in prices at Fairbanks. Beef
has dropped rs cents d pound; oats
dropped from $14O to $40 a ton, and
wood, costing $3.50 a cord, was re-
placed by ignite coal delivered at
Fairbanks for Sc ton. Because of
this enormous saving, the buying pow
er Of Alaskans is being augmented.
The railroad will add agriculture to
the mining and fishing resources that
have made Alaska famous. The in
terror is already being titled and to-
day Fairbanks is grinding flour from
wheat grown there. The possibility
Of oil wells Coming in" is not re.
mote. i <.z,s ! /. -,
f. The government maintains an OK.
/ pertinent station in this region; tur,
nips, potatoes and root vegetables
thrive. In the Chilkat valley pro.
duccrs have former a company to. ear
their surplus berries and vegetables
Dairying has begun. -s. s;
i A neW era in Alaska's prosperity il
predicted with the completion Of TIL.
new line of communication; the 'slant
of the midnight SUM- viii emery,
fromssits desolation and its romano,
land adventure make way for til,
D ore prosaic pursuits Of commerce
| Mt. Mckinley, 10000 feet high, lof
test peak of the North American con
itinent, is but one Of the many Scent,
beauties made accessible, by the new
road. Alaskans predict that the al
miles separating it from the railwa.
will soon be traversed by moder,
lpaved highway, s.s!.&.-,
r. HIGH RUNS FOR WEEK
II TIKI, Poocoof;nn Ril}iard porInr an