The Kusko times., 1929-11-09
WICK ERSHAM BOOSTS PRO-
 POSED AUTO-PLANE ROUTE
 TO INTERIOR OF ALASKA
{Seattle Times.)


 neau, here on a brief visit, spoke en- of the benefits to ac- crue to both nations through com pletion of the visualized project.
 As Alaska's delegate to Congress for 12 years after serving the Ter 1itory as federal judge for seven years, Judge Wickersham is secretary of an organization with headquar- ters at Fairbanks which seeks finan- cial aid fro mthe United States and Canadian governments to make the highway project a reality
 "A combined airplane and automo- bile highway from Seattle through British Columbia and Yukon Terri tory to Alaska" said Judge Wicker sham, would be of far greater hen eht in securing the further settlement of these territories and the develop ment of their great natural resources than would the construction of a much more expensive railroad along the same route. It would bring pop uiation into the central parts of those. regions, give close personal contact and create feeling of friend ship and common interest which no other project coould do. It would es-- tablish towns along it's line and give. settlers and prospectors an oppor- tunity to develop the agricultural and mining resources of the regions opened, better than any other possi- hle plan.
 "1he extension of. the automobile highway idea to include combination with an airplane route ought to strengthen public support for both projectts and insure official recogni- tion and appropriations froom both the. United States and Canadian gov ernments. Such a. combined highway, the airplane route above the automo- bile road, both to folio wa. common course, with common supply bases, landing fields, roadhouses and hotels. will make travel bp airplanes and au- tamobiles safe and more interesting to-. travellers and. double the benefits to the regions traversed by the great highway.
 "The region to be traversed is an untracked wilderness, covered by dark forestts and mountains, while unabridged rivers add danger to air plane service. A plane forced down in such a country would be lost and it's occupants would rnu great risks of suffering or death before they could be rescued, even if they should land in safety. If, however, the ,right of way along such highway through the forested areas would be cut hundred feet wide, plane fol- lowing. it's general course would be enabled to land safely on the road way at any point along its thoousand miles ofs length. Even if it were forced tof Land off the roadway, it's nearness to the highway and fixed bases of supplies would enable avi- ators to secure assistance quickly and also to repair any damage to their plane and continue their jour ney with little delay or danger.
 Settlers will quickly erect homes along such a road, and every valley would be opened to agriculture and every mining region to prospecting. As an example of what always has followed and naturally will folloow road-building in the western wilder ness, the government of the United StSates has in the past three years constructed good graded highway from Juneau, the capital of Alaska, for 40 miles north of that town, and during the progress of the work more yan a hundred settlers have built somes along the line, and new homes are being built as the road progresses and reaches new good locations. This ., tContinped on. Page a0
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