DO NOT WASTE YOUR TIME IN FIGURING WHY A BLACK HEN LAYS A WHITE EGG—BUT GET BUSY AND GET AFTER THE EGG.
VOL. I.
CHITINA, ALASKA, SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 12, 1910.
NO. 8
New Government Cut-Off Wagon Road From Chitina To Willow Creek
Shortens Distance From Coast To Interior Alaska—Travelers,
Mail And Freight Now Go Via Cordova And Chitina.
“WHERE THE TEAM MffTS THE STEAM”
* “Where the team meets the steam, via Chit
ina and Cordova.”
That’s the slogan now with the interior trav
eler, and those coming from the outside have
their baggage and freight marked “Cordova,
via Chitina.”
The new cut-off trail from Chitina to Willow
creek, connecting with the Yaldez-Fairbanks
trail, is now ready for winter traffic and there
isn’t a better trail or wagon road in Alaska.
The road was finished and ready for traffic
by November 1st, as was said would be done,
when the road commission took hold of the
work. From the beginning to the end the work
on this most important cut-off road to the in
terior has been the cause of considerable agi
tation by those opposed to the new route
through selfish motives, and, strange as it may
seem, even to this day, after the completion of
the road, and demonstrated beyond all possible
doubt that the route is the best and most
practical for traffic, by both teams and pedes
trians going over it, there are still a few nar
row-minded knockers who are mean enough to
tell the people from the inside, who are unfamil
iar with the real conditions that it is impossible
to get over the new trail, that the Tonsina river
can’t be crossed, etc., and the old trail to Val
dez is the only safe exit. These reports we
know to be true, for they come only this week
from reliable Fairbanks business men, who
were advised at a few of the different road
houses to forget the new “cut-off dream” and
go out by the old route. But like all good,kardv
Alaskans, they did not hesitate to take a chance,
and much to their surprise they found a wagon
road fit for a bob sled, automobile or any kind
of conveyance, instead of a torturous double
ender trail, as represented.
The Leader takes great pleasure in this is
sue in heralding the news broadcast all over
Alaska that the new wagon road from Chitina
to Willow creek on the Fairbanks trail is now
ready, and in face of all opposition, the travel
will be directed this way, as there isn’t a bet
ter road in the North. A special edition of 1,
000 copies have been printed, and go cut in the
next mail to every camp in Alaska, as well as
to Seattle and coast towns in the states, assur
ing the traveler that from now on he will find
the best accommodations and make the quick
est time over the new route.
A J_a.__ * m
au v autogcB ui new XVUUlc.
Travelers will decide to take the new cut-off
road this winter for a number of reasons. First,
Because a saving of two or three days can be
made, and time is one of the greatest items in
travel. Second, Because relaying from the big
sleds to the double-enders is unnecessary, and
the third of many reasons which could be
brought to bear, is comfort. The worst part of
the Valdez-Fairbanks trail is from Willow creek
to the coast, the Thompson Pass and Keystone
canyon terrors, having heretofore been the bug
aboos to get over. The outgoing passenger, now
taking the new cut-off road arrives in Chitina
and finds the coldest and most lonesome part of
his journey at an end. Here he finds the best
accommodations at the new Hotel Chitina, and
after a comfortable night can take a warm,
steam-heated passenger coach next morning, ar
riving at the coast terminus of Cordova the
same day. On his way from Chitina he can look
out the windows of the passenger train, view
the magnificent and unsurpassable scenery
along the Copper River & Northwestern rail
way, see the great Copper river way in all its
gorgeous array of winter clothing, and as the
bitterly cold winds go sweeping by, thank his
lucky stars he is not mushing over Thompson’s
Pass with a possible delay of two or three days
from the warring elements of glacier winds and
snow. Advantages—well, yes.
Roadhouse Accommodations.
There are four roadhouses so far along the
new road, including the Willow creek road
house. The traveler from Chitina to the in
terior strikes the first roadhouse at Poppel
lake, between nine and ten miles out, run by
Bull and Hiltz. The next is at or near the Ton
sina crossing, 16 miles from Chitina. This is
about one mile off the trail and was built at its
present location for the accommodation of pros
pectors going into the Copper river country.
Jacob Nefsted. owner, more familiarly known
as “Tonsina Jake,” sent a man early in the
summer to figure on building a roadhouse along
side the trail, but for some reason was discour
aged, and led to believe that the cut-off would
not be completed this year. This he now real
izes to be a mistake, and unless he will soon
erect a house at this place someone else will,
for it will be a stopping place for many the
first night out from Chitina. The next stop
is at the 26 mile post, where McDaniel has a
roadhouse, and 13 miles further on at the junc
tion of the trails on Willow creek, the traveler
finds mine host Bingham to put him away for
the night. Some of the houses are of course
new and haven’t as good accommodations as
others, but improvements are being added a
by the time the travel is in full swing these
oasis of the trail will be in readiness.
D. F. Coombs, the Fairbanks transfer man,
who arrived in Chitina Friday, having driven
over the new trail, stated that he found the ac
commodations as good as most anyone could
wish for, and gave the stops as he would try
and make it with freight on the way back to
Fairbanks. He would make his first all night
stop at Tonsina, lunch at McDaniels, and night
at Willow creek. Lunch at Copper Center and
night at Dry creek. Lunch at Poplar Grove
and night at Sourdough. Lunch at Meier’s and
night at Paxons. Lunch at Summit and night
at Milelr’s. Lunch at Rapids and night at Don
nelly’s. Lunch at Gordon’s and night at Sulli
van’s. Lunch at Martin’s and night at Mun
son’s. Lunch at Byler’s and Fairbanks can be
reached by night.
Mr. Coombs says the greatest advantage of
the new 'route is that the freighter can hook
up at Chitina and go clear through to Paxon’s
with the bob sleds, wagons or double team rigs
before taking to the double-enders over the sum
mit, a distance of 45 miles to Rapids.
Scenery and Topography.
Everyone, of course, who has ever been to
Alaska, realizes that no where on earth can our
scenery be excelled, and no where in this great
northern empire are the scenic conditions more
beautiful than along the new cut-off trail. The
first ten miles out from Chitina the trail winds
its way through natural passes with scarcely
a noticeable per cent of a grade until the highest
elevation is reached, which is 600 feet. Along
this first ten miles are foui; beautiful lakes, and
the traveler gazes with awe and admiration at
the great Copper river gorge and magnificent
mountains in the distance. Mount Wrangell
and Drum are seen to the best advantage from
this elevation. After the eleventh mile post is
passed, the Tonsina and surrounding country
can be seen several miles on ahead. A mile or
so beyond Tonsina a beautiful level stretch of
country is reached and the trail runs in a
straight line for miles.
Permanent and Thorough Work.
Contrary to expectations and the views of
many, the new trail has been built with a view to
permanency and substantiability. It will be a
summer as well as a winter trail. All the
bridges and culverts are put in to stay. A tem
porary bridge across the Tonsina marks the on
ly unfinished work, but those across Holland,
Falls and other small streams are solid, sub
stantial crossings. The Tonsina is easily cross
ed in winter without a bridge, but the main
channel has been bridged in case of overflow or
any emergency. The permanent bridge, which
is expected to be built this winter, will be about
300 feet long, and be a great convenience for
summer travel. The rock cuts and grades are
all sufficiently wide to permit of double teams
and those who have already been over the new
trail claim it is absolutely the best and most
substantial work done on any road in the North.
Money Expended and Labor.
At the present time an accurate estimate can
not be made of the money required to build the
new trail, as the officials have not yet checked
up all accounts, but on labor, supplies, etc., up
to November first subscriptions and taxes col
lected amounted to between $12,000 and $13,
000. The Copper River k Northestern railway,
Cordova and the Chitina Townsite company
subscribed between $5,000 and $G,000, $500 of
which from the Cordova fund was applied to
the Cordova-Katalla long distance telephone
line. Over $4,000 in cash was collected in the
Chitina precinct from taxes, and paid out for
labor and supplies. About one hundred men
were at work on both ends of the trail, in the
neighborhood of thirty from the Willow creek
end working this way, and seventy at the Chit
ina end.
me working party trom tue \\ lliow creek
end, while having the best end of the road, are,
nevertheless, entitled to their share of praise
for the good work done. We are unacquaint
ed with the foremen and men of their working
party, but know that Superintendent Jack In
gram, of the Valdez division, was interested
in the work on that end as well as the entire
road, having ridden to Chitina to meet Major
Bichardson, when the major made personal trips
of inspection over the trail. Foremen Kelley
and Johnson, under Mr. Holland, with the
working party on this end, are deserving of
praise for the interest they took in the work.
They are old-timers in Alaska and better men
for their part of the work could not have been
secured. The work on the first fifteen miles of
trail is where most of the money was expended,
as considerable powder for heavy rock work
had to be purchased and about 1,500 feet of
bridging put in.
Credit Due Officials.
Too much credit cannot be given the road
commission officials, from Major Bichardson to
the assistant tax collectors.
Major Bichardson gave his personal attention
by several trips and much of his time to the
new trail, for it was his sincere belief that the
new road would prove of great benefit to Alas
kan travelers and freighters. lie it was who
recommended the cut-off trail and appointed
Lars Holland, the locating engineer, to map out
the work and build the trail, and to Mr. Hol
land everyone must give credit for his untiring
efforts and efficient work. In locating the route
his duties kept him out until often past mid
night before he could make camp, so anxious
was he to get the men on the work, and his
personal supervision of the working party from
the Chitina end to Tonsina. the heaviest part
of the trail, is a guarantee of its thoroughness
in every respect. Wagers were made him dur
ing the summer and fall that he could not finish
the work, but with his good natured and non
committal grin, lie kept on grinding away, with
the result as shown and the road finished as he
prophesied it would be, by November 1st.
Other officials also come in for their share
of praise and commendation in their efforts to
finance this great undertaking. Judge Ferguson,
as commissioner of the Chitina precinct, ap
pointed competent and energetic officials to
collect poll taxes, and, while all fair-minded
people give them the credit due them, and real
ize that were it not for their efforts, from a
financial standpoint, the road could not have
been put through, they surely had their troubles,
and are to be commended for enforcing the law
and standing pat in face of the storm of op
position from those opposed to the “unjust
graft,” which they term the poll tax. Judge
Ferguson was sorely tried on numerous occa
sions, but stood manfully by his interpretation
of the law and instructions from federal offi
cials to see that the law was enforced. He ap
pointed H. H. McCutcheon as road overseer, or
head taxc-ollector, for the division, and those ac
quainted with his work say a better man could
not have been appointed in all Alaska. He had
as his chief assistant Lou Felsing, who was for
several years tax collector in California and
was an earnest, conscientious worker. Geo.
Wolfe, Capt. Geo. Weber, Ed. House, Tom
Williams, Geo. Wood and Bert Slavin were as
sistant collectors and all did their work and fol
iuw t*u msirucuons m a conscientious ana cap
able manner, though cursed and abused more
than any one on the job. Mr. McCutcheon used
the best judgment in collecting the poll taxes.
The greatest yell heard was from the class of
men who come to Alaska in the spring and take
out every dollar they earn, without contribut
ing a cent toard the improvement of this ter
ritory. Others who belong in Alaska, and real
ize that though the law may be an unjust one,
paid or worked out their taxes as they pleased.
Mr. McCutcheon and his assistants had a ter
ritory of nearly a hundred square miles to cov
er, and all fair-minded people will praise in
stead of abuse their efforts to secure the neces
sary money to prosecute and finish the work
on the new cut-off trail.
The generous contributions, immediate action,
co-operation of the railroad company in hand
ling supplies, the untiring efforts of the tax col
lectors and energy of the workmen and their
foremen are the factors which have given us the
best trail in Alaska, in so short a time.
The trail is finished and again we say there
is no better in Alaska. Soon will the travelers
to and from the great interior, mail and inter
ior freight go by the new cut-off wagon road
from Willow eree kto Chitina, “Where the team
meets the steam.”
* t.