Evening star., 1923-07-14
BEAUTY Of ALASKA
CHARMS PRESIDENT
Special Train Swinging Past
Succession of Lakes and
Glaciers.
By the Associated Press.


ABOARD PRESIDENT HARDING'S
SPECIAL TRAIN, ALASKA RAIL-
ROAD. July 1.-THE language of de-
scription was exhausted by Presi-
dent Harding. Mrs. Harding and MEM
bers of their party today as their
special train carried them over this
government-built railroad into the
nearI of Ala ska, which the President
has termed Americas wonderland"
The train of nine cars. since leav-
ing Seward yesterday afternoon. has
passed a succession of beautiful
mountain lakes, valley and glacier
scenes, with mountains raising their
lofty snow-capped peaks above the
clouds lakes set like emeralds among
tE6ae r1ourta!ns. valle.s green with
3ang1e-like vegetation and great blue
glaciers creeping down the slope.
New Vision of Country.
The trip on the train has given the
travellers a vision of Alaska not OBJ
tanned on their water voyage along
the coast of southeastern Alaska AT
the outset of the trip the party saw
the great Chugach National Forest,
which extends along the coast sixty
miles and inland many miles.
Passing two stations recalling previous
national administrations, Woodrow Will
son and Roosevelt the train proceeded
along beautiful Kenai lake several miles
before arriving at the summit OF tne
Chugach mountains. Here the party
saw an example of the engineering work
necessary to build the railroad. To
overcome grades the line passes through
a tunnel and around horseshoe curve,
where the track loops over itself.
Sun High mt 8 O'Clock.
Dinner was had at a station named
Tunnel, and with the sun still high In
the sky, although it was o'clock. the
party travelled for miles along Cook in
let to Anchorage, the third largest city
in Alaska
Here a two-hour stop was made. The
President greeted citizens and was
shown about the town. which was the
base of operations in construction OF the
railroad and has become the center OF
trade in coal from the Chickaloon and
Matanuska fields, to the east OF the
line. These fields the President saw be-
fore the train was parked for the night.
The whole trip overland is being
made by daylight, which lasts almost
twenty four hours day at this time
of year here.
VIII Stop mt st. Thomas.
The President let it be known that
he plans to stop at St Thomas, Virgin
Island, on his way from Panama to
New York, when he returns to Wash
ington from his tour.
After skirting the coast of south
eastern Alaska for hundred miles
President Harding, Mrs. Harding and
the members of their party landed at
Sewark yesterday to take the Alaska
railroad. built by the government. to
Fairbanks, the commercial center OF
interior Alaska.
The presidential travellers and their
companions came ashore from the
transport Henderson, on which they
left Skagway, Alaska. Wednesday.
and steamed across the Gulf of
Alaska.
Plans Are Uncertain.
Plans of the President after visit
ing Fairbanks. nearly 500 miles in
the interior. are uncertain. 1t was
believed that at least some members
of the party would go over the Rich
ardson highway in automobiles to
Chitina, the interior terminus of the
Copper River and Northwestern rail-
road-a trip planned for the Presi-
dent and then considered by some of
his advisers to be too severe.
A hearty reception was given Pres
ident Harding in Seward, regarded
by It's citizens to become the greatest
port in Alaska. The port is on Resur-
rection Bay and is the terminus of
the old Alaska Northern railroad
bought by former President Wilson
as the first link in the Alaska rail-
road.
AS the Henderson was entering
Resurrection Bay yesterday President
Harding. Gov. Bone of Alaska. and
other members of the presidential
party gathered on the super deck
forward for a ceremony which was
concluded by christening the passage
taken by the Henderson and the de-
stroyers Cory and Bull Harding
Gate Way to Resurrection Bay"
RECEPTION IN VANCOUVER.