The Wrangell sentinel., 1939-08-11
elsewhere

THE route comes into Dease Lake,
If not. then to the west of this sum
NIT sheet Of water. This means that
the head OF sea navigation. the Sti-
kline River. entrance can be used
at light rates for all commerce in
the future, which of course includes
construction, north and south from
the present government roadway to
Dease OF 100 miles northward and
about go miles to the south. Again
this route allows Of passing through
known highly mineralized belt,
and takes its course through an es-
tablished placer district. that of At
lin on Atlin Lake. Moreover, it
brings its top end in connection
with a railway shortcut to the coast
giving a two-way traffic option to
commerce and personal, for all
time to come.
And lastly. from the travellers
point of view Is passes through IN
excelled hunting and fishing dis
tricts. whilst the attractions of the
beautiful Atlin Lake district. The
Switzerland of the North are too
we'll known 10 need mentioning
again IN its disfavor little can be
found to say against this route. as
it lies in the middle lap of our huge
north and south trench.
Route No. This Route has been
termed The Western Route" and is
sponsored almost entirely By the
more western inhabitants of its pro
posed right of way. Starting from
a more westerly point on the same
Canadian National Railway. viz.
from Hazelton. B. c.. it at once has
the advantage of leaving the railway
at its most northern point. It then
proceeds via various waterways, and
many lakes to the north, following
up the head waters of the Mass Riv-
er, and eventually arrives at the
Nass-Stikine Divide. Crossing this an
easy grade is followed down one of
the many rivers that run into the
Stikine proper. Here it would run
down same towards the west until
the Tahltan River was reached and
after crossing the Stikine River the
Thaltan River would be taken to
its head and a route continued
along lakes and valleys until the
Nahlin Rivers headwaters were
reached when it would run almost
directly along the route of No. .
Route.
1T will be seen looking at the
map. that this route is of entirely
western character, and very close o
the western coastal range. The dis
advantages of climatic conditions
would be more liable to come about
than they would at a more easterly
point However, the advantages of
this route are many. Leaving Hazel
ton the route passes north on the
very edge of the well established
eastern mineral belt, and even pas
ses through the well proven coal
fields of the Grounding district.
"Mineralizations of the ground
through which this route is taken,
has been established up to and also
at the end of Atlin Lake itself. More
over, it is the shortest route north
and lends itself to connections with
the fast growing towns of the Pa
cific coast.
From the view point of a mill
tary road in case of necessity, this
route would be far above all others
as it would be tucked away within
the low hills, being therefore diff
cult to damage, and as a line Tor
supply bases, it would be unexcelled.
A better protection, and as a safe
guard for the inside water ways of
the Pacific coast up this stretch of
country, no better situation could
exist. Also from the tourist point of
view this route would equal and
perhaps excel all others. On this