The Wrangell sentinel. (Wrangell, Alaska) 1909-current, 1939-06-23

STEWART, B. c. June 16-The
initiative of Noel Trayersy Of Hyder
on Tuesday last, established an i'm
portant factor in the ultimate
transportation problems of this sec
ton of the continent, when. hiring
the Ketehikan Always plane, Pilot
Ray Renshaw, and taking Father
Anthony with him, he flew to
Ketchikan via Dolly Warden Greek
and Rudyard Bay, putting on record
a wide, low pass, free of all engi-I
neering problems that, with some
twenty miles of road. would connect
the Portland and Benin Canals and
ultimately, with a mile and half
ferry, connect AIaska's busiest city,
Ketehikan, with the highway sys-
tenn of the continent via this dis
trict, to the Skeena river.
The purpose of taking Father
Anthony through this pass was toI
secure a Photographic record prov-I
ing its existence, which was doneI
with 100 feet of colored film and
some ESQ feet of black and white
film, that it is the intention to show
later on in an effort to secure road
connection between this district and
Ketchikan.
Dolly Warden Creek empties in the
Portland Canal about sixteen miles
south of Hyder, and drains a wide
basined valley that rises to an al
titude of some 1900 feet in a wide
pass that presents no difficulties of
approach or negotiation. Flying upI
this creek, Mr.. TraYersy and party
passed over the summit and followed
down a river that empties into
Rudyard Bay on Benin Canal, dis
lance of less than ten miles. The
whole route through between the
two canals is not more than twenty
TO twenty-five miles, and is describ |
ed more as a big wide draw running
through between the Halleck and
ROsseau ranges of mountains. In
flying through, Pilot Renshaw kept |
to one side of the valley SO as to
enable Father Anthony to get a |
clear vision of the floor.
From Rudyard Bay they continu-
ed on across Benin Canal and Re-
Yillagigedo Island to Ketehikan.
Father Anthony called on the Parish |
Priest, while Mr.. Traversy attend |
ed to some matters pertaining to
the flight, and after a short stay the |
party returned to Hyder, making |
the round trip and stop over in four
hours.
This discovery, the elimination of
many years of search for a pass or
possible route through from thos
district to Ketchikan, is of the ut
most Importance and may easily be
factor worthy of consideration in |
any decision of a route for the pro-
posed Alaska Highway, in that it will
give Ketchikan, which is on an is
land, and is rated as Alaska's |
second and busiest city, direct com
munication with the continent, if
the western route for the Alaska
Highway is chosen, and this Port
land Cnaal district is connected |
Herewith, which would be a very
simple matter. To start with, some |
twenty to twenty-five miles of road |
would have to be constructed via |
this new found pass, and ferries
could be used from Ketchikan to |
Rudyard Bay, and from the mouth |
of Dolly Warden Creek to Hyder. AS
time proceeded the road, being built
out of Ketchikan and now at Loring
could be extended across the island |
to Benin Canal, requiring at that
end only a mile and a half ferry
across that water; at the same time
the road could be pushed down the
west shore of the Portland Canal to
Dolly Warden Creek, thus connect
ing. With the extension of the Bear
River road to connect with the con-
tinentl highway system either via
the Alaska Highway or a road from
here to the Skeena, which is now be-
ing worked for, a very important
link would be completed, that would
create much travel through B. C.
While this pass is new so far as
l.. ~