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M Portland Canal District A Scenic Wonderland H
Travelers who have visited every .
outstanding scenic section of (lie civ
ilized world concur in the view that
the Portland Canal district is unriv
aled for scenic beauty. From the en
trance of the magnificant Portland
Canal at Dixon's Entrance on the Pa
cific shores to tlie heads of Bear and
Salmon River and Texa3 Creek val
leys the scenery is of a most imposing
nature. Great mountains rear their
snow and glacier covered pinnacles
to heights of 6,000 feet or more in
every part of the district, many
rising sheer from the water’s edge.
Immense glaciers fill the upper val
leys and gorges, forming objects of
beauty and grandeur. Icy torrents
rush forth from their echoing blue
caverns and dash away toward the
sea. lashed to milky whiteness in
their passage.
The Portland Canal is itself one
of the most remarkable natural won
ders of the district. The great fiord
is some 00 miles in length, with an ;
average width of about 2 miles. The
channel waters are deep and reflect
in tlit-ir mirror-like surface the piet- 1
uresciue shores, rising Hke mammoth
battlements to a mile or more in
height at times.
The scenery in tlie immediate vie
inity of Hyuer and Stewart is bold
and impressive, the lofty wooded
slopes rising tier on tier above botti
towns. Overhanging glacier tips be
tween their lofty crests glow with
rich cerulean hues and further
beautify the striking scenery lying on
every side.
The Bitter Creek glacier, one of
the most impressive in British Col
umbia is a comparatively short drive
trom Stewart over an excellent road
and, like most of the major glaciers
of the district, is easily accessible.
An auto ride along the verdure clad
icaches of Bear River valley north of j
Stewart reveals many beautiful moult- 1
FAIRBANKS, ALASKA—THE ENDOF THE
GOLDEN TWILIGHT TRAIL
Fairbanks, situated on the Tanan i
River in the very heart of the grea
Territory of Alaska, would mark the
end of the Golden Twilight Trail.
Situated in charming surroundings
and with the great Tatiana River
winding sinuously along its borders,
this metropolis of the North is known
far and wide as “The Golden Heart
of Alaska.”
Fairbanks is situated in a splendid
agricultural country and the surround
ing district is dotted with farms. S<
gratifying have been the results o
the agricultural efforts so far at
tempted that there appears no reason
to doubt that farming will one daj
become one of the most importan.
industries, as well as a highly val
liable asset of the region.
Realizing the probability that
through its millions of acres of good
tarming land, Alaska may in tiin
not only feed its own population bu
also contribute materially to the pr<
duetion of several products for ih
United States, the Department c
Agriculture maintains here an agri
cultural experiment station and car
ries on an intensive campaign to den:
enstrate the possibilities of farniin
in Alaska.
Fairbanks during its earlier years
was the center of a large placer min
Alaska enjoys excellent radio and
cable communication with the Out
side world through the 32 cable and
radio stations maintained at most o.'
the important points by the U. S.
Army Signal Corps.
--—o
The seventeen territorial and na
tional banks in Alaska have resources
of approximately $15,000,000.
The Alaska Railroad, butlt by the
government in 1925, at a cost of $60,
000,000, runs from Seward to Fair
banks, 470 miles, and Is our farther
est north railroad.
ins industry winch yielded million;
of dollars. At the present time mod
ern methods of mining have largely
supplanted the old forms. Giant dredg
es driven by current from electric
power plants and large hydraulic
mining plants are now the principal
j sources of gold production and yield
i a rich golden harvest annually. Si>:
| large companies, employing lu dred
1 ges and hydraulic plants are opera!
1 ing in the district at present and v
number of promising quartz mine
are also being developed.
Fairbanks is the northern terniinu
of the government-built Alaska Kail
road.and also a terminus of the Steosi
Highway, extending 160 miles north
I from Fairbanks to the Yukon River
and the Richardson Highway, rnnnin.
south from Fairbanks 371 miles to th.
Pacific ocean at Valdez.
Although the winters are eold a'
Fairbanks, the city enjoys a delight
fill summer temperature, both tin
climate and vegetation of the distric
resembling to a remarkable degret
those of northern Minnesota, with
the exception that the precipitation
at Fairbanks is much less; only about
11 inches per annum.
During the summer season Fair
banks resembles a flower garden
with its weil kept lawns anil gardens
I lie city possesses several cuurcue*
anil modern schools, a first-class
theater equipped with the latest fac
ilities, a central heating plant sup
plying heat to the business district,
a splendid electric light plant, an ex
cellent water system for use in sum
mer and numerous other up to date
facilities. The stores are large, of
modern type, and carry well assorted
stocks of merchandise. Owing to the
long distance from the supply mar
kets, the local merchants find it nec
essary to carry large stocks of equip
meat and supplies of every character
with resultant investments far he
yond those usually carried by sim
ilar concerns in towns of the sanu
size in the United States. The larger
establishments also maintain exten
sive cold storage facilities for meat,
and other perishables.
The population of tiie city is ovei
2,000, exclusive of a large number
who reside outside the city limit
and on adjacent creeks. The city 1
also the center of an important air
transport industry, with two cotnpap
les operating a large fleet of planes
to points as far away as Nome. Ser
vice is maintained both summer and
winter and is tremedously beneficial
io travel in a laud of immense dist
ances such as Alaska.
# *
«*#**»*
THE TWIN CITIES OF THE NORTH
HYDER AND STEWART
BY ERNEST BLUE
« * * * * * '* * * &
Girt round by snow crowned mount
ains,
The temples of the God;
Just a little bit of Heaven,
Misnoniered “Land of Nod.”
Elysian valleys, calm, serene;
The brooks alive with trout,
A broad expanse of crystal sea,
The wealth of Ophir all about.
With civic soul not born of earth,
A fellowship that knows no edds,
Fraternity immune to dearth.
The playground of the Gods.
* *8e * * * * * $ * <•
* TRANSPLANTED BUFFALO
* DOING WELL IN ALASKA
**********
A herd of 23 buffalo transferred
in 192S from the Biological Survey’s
bison range In Montana to the vicin
ity of Fairbanks, Alaska, has main
tained a steady increase in number,
despite some fatal accidents to mem
bers of the herd.
During the interval since the buf
falo were brought to the Territory,
the original number has been in
creased to 211 in the present year.
This number includes 9 calves.
The animals roam at large, grazing
principally' on the lake-bed slough
grass of that region and are report
ed in excellent condition.
A novel experiment in the cross
breeding of Galloway cattle and the
Yak, a bovine type indigenous to the
Arctic regions, it also being conduct
ed by the government in the vicinity
of Fairbanks. The resultant progeny
ire known as Galloway-Yak. Both
Yak and Galloway-Yak appear to be
well adapted to the region.
Almost every important town in
Alaska has a woman’s Club, many of
which are affiiated with national
woman's organizations. The Kegoyah
Kozga (Woman’s Club") Nome, is
the most northerly woman's club in
the world.
-o
The average annual precipitation
in the interior of Alaska averages
only 12 to 15 inches, about one-third
I hat at Boston, and corresponds more
nearly with that of Nevada and
Arizona.
U. S. CANADA BOUNDARY MONUMENT
AT HYDER, ALASKA
The surveying and monumenting ol
; the international boundary line be
tween Alaska and Canada was in
many respects a momentous engin
eering achievement, owing to the
wide spaces traversed, the unusual
difficulties of travel, absence of all
but elementary transportation and the
added difficulties and dangers inci
dent to a large portion of the bound
ary being located on the very sum
mits of vast and lofty mountain
j peaks.
The survey and location of the
! boundary was authorized April 21,
1906 under a convention signed at
Washington, I). ('., by commissioners
appointed by the United States and
Great Britain. The work was started
in 1907 and continued until 1913
under the direction of Thomas Riggs,
,lr„ for the United States and J. I).
Craig for liis Majesty, King Edward
VII.
Over the greater part of its length,
between the Arctic shores and Mt.
St. Elias, the boundary line follows
t lie 141st meridian, then swings
sharply east for some 60 miles be
fore again assuming a southeasterly
trend for some 500 miles to the head
of Portland Canal at Hyder. Alaska.
From this point the line extends al
most directly west along the center
of Portland. Canal to the vicinity of
Dali Island in Dixon's Entrance on
the Pacific coast.
Throughout its entire length the
boundary line is marked by metal
monuments affixed at prominent
points such as mountain peaks and
river crossings. The monuments are
ot' two types, the larger of which is
shown in the illustration at the head
of this article. These are fashioned
of cast bronze, 5 feet high and bear
on opposite sides the words “United
States” and "Canada.” Only two of
these larger monuments were install
ed, each being used to mark the
terminals of the boundary line. One Is
located on the shores of the Arctic
Ocean about 9 miles east of Demarca
tion Point in Latitude 09“ 45" North,
the other is situated on Eagle Point,
on the edge of the Hyder townsite
in Latitude 55° 39" North.
The smaller monuments installed
at intermediate points are similar in
appearance but somewhat smaller, be
ing round and conical, 2Vfe feet in
height, and composed of the same
material.
Prom sea level on the Arctic shore,
the elevation of the long line of mon
uments rises gradually to a height
of nearly 9,000 feet in the vicinity
of Mt, St. Elias.
The task of placing these bronze
shafts in position along the 200-foot
wide boundary line was in itself a
monumental undertaking, and involv
ed labor of the most arduous type.
During the course of their work
the little band of engineers and their
assistants traveled for days over
Arctic wastes in which no human
habitation existed for hundreds of
miles around. Again 'their way led
over wide raging rivers where a slip
meant disaster, or through great areas
of wilderness untrodden by man. At
other times they traversed vast and
treacherous glaciers whose icy crev
asses yawned for the unwary step, or
wended careful way along the slopes
of mile high peaks whose crests were
shrouded in fog and swept by bitter
winds.
Tlie Alaska-Canadian boundary line
is also irrevocably fixed in its proper
plae; by means of triangulations
drawn between certain fixed stars.
This is so accurate that even were
every boundary monument swept
away by some mighty cataclysm
which leveled even the mountain
peaks on which they rest, surveyors
would have no difficulty in redeterm
ining the exact location of the line.
ALASKA FARMS AND FARM PRODUCTS
ain scenes, which are oftimes give)
aided attraction by the sight o
mountain goats or bear roaming 01
Ihe towering cliffs along the valle;
walls. The valley floor is dotted wit]
beautiful lakes and excellent trou
iishing is found in the numorou
streams, Ducks and geese are plent:
tul in spring and fall and grouse an
ptarmigan frequent the uplands.
Beautiful and impressive as is th
verdant, rockbound valley of the -Beni
it is not until one has journeyed ove
splendid automobile roads to the ill
per Salmon and Texas Creek valley
that one beholds the more spectac.ula
and inspiring sceuic features of tli
district. It is here that nature seem
to have concentrated her efforts i
tlie production of scenes of beaut
and majesty. The scenery is bold an
striking on every side, and is pa:
tieularly grand at the head of Texa
i Creek. Here as well as at the head
r of the Salmon valley, mighty gla
i tiers sweep down among the tower
' ing, snow, capped heights Into the
i valley depths and provide spectacles
t of wondrous beauty and titanic mag
< nifieenee.
! At the head of Texas Creek is to
M he witnessed one of the most in
spiring glacial panoramas in the
3 world, with three great ice streams
. converging through lofty mountain
r passes to form one yast river of ice
- neary 20 miles in length. Prom certain
? points in this valley six or eight
r huge glaciers may he seen at one
3 time sweeping downward from the
> upper heights to elevations as low
i as 1,000 feet. A unique feature of
r ' these glaciers is that most of them
1 cun be easily traveled over up to
- elevations of 3900 to 1200 feet, when
; crevasses and ice rapids make furth
er progress difficult or impossible. f C
Tlie Salmon glacier in which the >
turbulent Salmon River has its source. \
is the largest in the district and witli j:
its various tributaries is some -10 | |
miles in length. This magnificent ice t
river is distinguished by the presence s
at several points of beautiful ice cas- i
cades, which present a vision of t
beauty quite beyond description. 6
Practically all of the major glaciers t
are easily accessible and may be ,
reached by a few minutes walk from c
one's car. \
The Salmon and Texas Creek val- c
leys rise abruptly to heights of from s
2,000 to upwards of 5,000 feet, their )
massy sides in many places faced t
with precipices a thousand feet or j
more in height. ;
The valley floors, where the major
streams rush in tumbling torrents i
to the sea at the- head of Portland
:
anal, are thickly lined with dense
egetation, in which alder and cotton
rood, and salmon berry and blue
erry bushes predominate, the latter
jaded with their delectable fruit
liroughout most of the summer sea
nn. Wild flowers are everywhere; the
laming fireweed glows in masses in
lie sunny .open spaces; wild roses
pring among the rocky crevices;
lie sweet forget-me-not and delicate
rood lily bloom among the numer
us verities of fern in the sheltering
/oodiaiid deeps and a wide range
f lessor flora carpets the open
lopes. The lower slopes of the val
;*y' walls throughout the district are
lmost invariably clothed with dense
uasses of spruce and hemlock, in
ddition to heavy undergrowth.
The mountains in general are glac
ally rounded up to a height of 6,0Un
eet and sharp, serrated peaks are
^ ’
■**#TU.,- -*•
•<SSU-»w
'•'■•'V-Sj
PACK TRAIN ON PORTLAND CANAL GLACIER
found only above this altitude. Snow
or ice caps cover all large areas
above 6000 feet that are not too steep
and the still higher peaks hold In
their rocky sides vast ampitheaters
occupied by glaciers. Waterfalls are
numerous throughout the district and
present many spectacular sights, es
pecially in the Texas Creek valley.
Of especial Interest to the tourist
and sightseer is the fact that a
majority of the scenic wonders of
the district may be viewed without
physical exertion. Indeed It is In no
degree an exaggeration to say that
in a few hours of travel by automobile
over some fifty miles of smooth, gov
ernment-built highway one may view
at ease more varied and beautiful
scenes of the rugged type than In
days of travel in any other section
ol North America.
Journeying along the major val
leys one passes from sea level to
elevations ranging up to 3500 feet or
more, through an ever-changing series
of appealing vistas. Mile-high mount
ain peaks, their sky-piercing summits
crowned with eternal snow, lie on
every side as one moves along the
lieep-clefted, verdant valleys; silvery
lakes in beautiful surroundings re
lied in their glassy bosoms the pass
ing panorama of craggy heights and
massy, timber clothed slopes; rush
ing streams, tortured to foamy white
ness by their swift descent toward
the sea, fill the air with thunderous
cadences that are echoed and re
echoed along the valley walls.
So varied and wonderful are the
scenic attractions that all who have
seen them are unanimous in the be
lief that the Portland Canal district
I is destined to become one of the
great sightseeing centers of the con
tinent and a summer playground for
thousands when its spectacular wond
ers have become more widely known.