Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-10-27
ALASKAN HIGHWAY
n WILL Be STUDIED
Congress Authorizes Investi-
cation of Road Linking With
Canadian System.
BY GRETCHEN SMITH.

Another rush to Alaska may be ex.
pected in the not too distant future
This will differ greatly. however. from
the one of 1898, in that it will be &C
complished in automobiles, over mod
ern highway. unsurpassed In perfection
Of engineering and beauty of scenery
A few weeks ago a bill was introduced
In both houses of Congress providing
for a study regarding the construction
of a highway to connect the North
western part of the United States with
British Columbia, Yukon Territory and
Alaska, in cooperation with the
Dominion of Canada" One of the
commissioners appointed for this study
is the president of the Board OF Road
Commissioners for Alaska, Maj. NAL
colin Elliot United States Army En-
gineer Corps.
Mai. Elliot who has been stationed
In Alaska for over two years. has made
an exhaustive study of roads and high
ways throughout the Alaskan Territory,
which offers rich opportunities in min
ing, agriculture and fur trading. Hun
dreds of miles of newly constructed
roads have opened up one of the most
beautiful and least known of the United
States possessions.
The latest project for the construc-
ton of the Pacific Yukon Highway, as
iLllS lnleTlldllOlldl DOuIShdIu Will NC
known. has met with enthusiastic CO.
operation from officials of the Interior
Department. which is the official guard
ian of Alaskan Territory.
Travelled BY Plane.
Accompanied by Maj. Elliot, Ernest
Walker Sawyer, executive assistant to
the Secretary Of the Interior, made an
extensive trip by ailplane last Summer
ay-ir Of ocly
and he has returned to Washington
heartily indorsing the plan for the con-
Struction of the highway, which will
make it possible for citizens of the
United States to travel without inter-
ruption from any section of this Coun-
try to the waters of the Yukon, travel
ing by easy stages, with night accom-
modations at the numerous road
houses" along the route.
The Pacific Yukon highway will extend
from Seattle to Vancouver, British Co
, pmbia, then on through the Yukon terri
tory TO White Horse. where it will swing
west to the head waters of the Tanana
River. 1t will follow down this river
to connect with the Richardson high
way which extends from the North
Pacific Ocean at Valdez through the
central part of Alaska to Fairbanks
and then to the upper Yukon River at
Circle.
From the road building standpoint,
Mai. Elliot states that no great diff
culties' present themselves in the con-
Struction of the highways. About a
thousand miles of the road from Seat
tie to Hazelton, British Columbia, have
already been built. North of Hazel
ton there is a gap as far as White
Horse, about $50 miles, over which no
road has yet been built, but it has been
ascertained that a trail leads through
this territory. over which cattle have
been driven in the past. ThisN route
will follow the old route intended for
q telegraph line by the Western Union
Co., to connect the United States with
Europe through Asia. This project was
under construction but suspended at
the time the Great Eastern laid the
Atlantic cable with success.
Territory Well Known.
In the Northwest country through
which the Pacific-Yukon highway will
pass, although no roads exist at. pres
ent, there are trails which are con-
Stantly travelled by foot and by dog
sled, and the road will therefore lead
through well known territory. Plans
for the highway have been so far
reaching as to provide for the construc-
ton of branch connecting with Daw-
son, about 100 miles from the main
route, and another with Juneau, the
capital of Alaska.
1t is expected that the country known
to this generation of Americans prin-
cipally through the history of the Klon-
dixie rush, the stories of Rex Beach
and the poems of Robert w. Service,
will prove one Of the most popular tours
offered to the great army Of Summer
automobilisits, which yearly increase
with amazing rapidity. The total dis
tance from Seattle to Fairbanks is
about 1000 miles, about $50 of which,
will extend through British Columbia.
The construction of the road leading
over that territory, will, of course, be
undertaken by that country.
Cooperation from highest officials Of
Canada and British Columbia has been
offered to American officials. An APP
pointment has been made for Maj.
Elliot to meet DR.. S. F. Tolmie, prime
minister of British Columbia, at Vic
toria on November ~ in a conference
on the subject of this highway. This
conference will occur during the visit
of the Right Hon. Mackenzie King,
premier of Canada, to Victoria.
In discussing the far-reaching pos
sibilities of the Pacific Yukon highway,
which it is expected will eventually lead
as far South as Panama Maj. Elliot
stated that he felt that credit for the
original idea of this stupendouS under
taking should be given to one Donal
Macdonald locating engineer for the
Alaskan Road Commission, who, so far
as is known, presented to the commits
sion, the first practical plans for the
project. ---.------.--------