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THE STORY OF ALASKA’S GREAT RAILWAY
The Copper River & Northwestern Road.
BY E. E. SWERGAL
This tremendous engineering pro
ject was undertaken to provide rail
way facilities, suitable for heavy
traffic between the tidewater termi
nus, in the sheltered harbor of Cor
dova Bay, Southwestern Alaska,
through the valley and canons of
the treacherous Copper and Chitina
Rivers to the vast copper and other
mineral districts of the interior of
Alaska. Also to serve the very prom
ising - old quartz camps in the Mc
Kinley Lake district, near the town
of Cordova, coast terminal of the
railway; about 1,300 miles by steam
er from Seattle. It also facilitates
the transportation of United States
mails, passengers and freights, from
the southern coast of Alaska to the
famous placer and quartz mining
camps of the Yukon, Tanana, Idit
arod and Seward Peninsula districts
of central and northern Alaska via
the new town of Chitina, affording a
rail trip of 135 miles, instead of
the long sled ride via the Valdez
trail, and, incidentally, eliminating
the hazardous crossing of the Chu
gash range at Thompson Pass.
This railway will also, undoubt
edly; prove to be a great national
blessing in the contingency of hos
tilities on the Pacific seaboard of
the United States, which may be
hazarded by any foreign nation, by
making easily accessible the vast coal
afeas of the Bering River region, as
well as to afford cheaper and quick
er transportation of coal for commer
cial and domestic use on the Pacific
slope.
The tidewater terminus is at a
point two miles south of the old Rus
sian-Indian fishing station, Orca, and
about a half a mile northerly from
the new town of Cordova, on the
easterly shore of Cordova Bay (an
Inlet of Prince William Sound),
where a commodious and land-locked
harbor is secured, which affords fa
cility for commerce at all times of
the year and at all stages of water.
It is logical to predict that our pos
terity will find this harbor the great
est American naval coaling station on
the Pacific ocean, and they will thank
the master minds and hardy pioneers
of the present day for the results
of their farsightedness and able work.
The road effects a sea level pass
age of one of the coast spurs of the
Chugach range at the junction of
Eyak Lake and Eyak River, some
six miles from Cordova, the only
point of easy penetration to the in
terior from the southern Alaska
coast. Alter leaving this mountain
pass the road is laid on a tangent
of thirteen miles, passes the old Rus
sian trading post at Alaganik, cross
es the rioting delta of the Copper
River by means of modern steel
bridges at what are known as Flag
Point, Round Island and Hot Cake
channels. Fifty miles from Cordova
occurred one of the greatest engi
neering feats of modern times; the
second crossing of the main channel
of the Copper by the erection of the
Miles Glacier cantilever bridge, em
battled on either side by the mighty
Childs and Miles Glaciers, both pre
senting a defiant wall of ice 300 feet
above and 100 feet below the river
and three to five miles in length.
Here, in summer, thousands of tons
of ice fall into the river in single
masses almost hourly, accompanied
by thundering roars. These masses
of ice throw monster waves across
the river, leaving the salmon high
on the banks to be gathered by
prowling bears and passing prospect
ors and Indians.
From the glaciers the line extends
in a general northeasterly direction
along the Copper, over the Baird
Glacier Moraine (a field of earth hid
den ice), and on through the pano
ramic Wood Canon, surpassing the
grandeur of the Alps, and on to
Chitina, the coming copper city of
the North. Leaving Chitina through
a solid rock tunnel, the railway
makes the third crossing of the main
channel of the Copper immediately
above the mouth of the Chitina Riv
er, and there climbs to the bench
lands skirting the Kotsina. One
hundred and forty-nine miles from
Cordova, the crossing of the Kus
kulana River is made by means of
a modern steel bridge 250 feet above
the ice bound floor of the gorge;
thence, on through the valley of the
Chitina to the famous Bonanza cop
per mine at Kennecott, 200 miles
from Cordova. This is in the heart
of one of the world’s greatest cop
per regions, and it also promises
great wealth in gold.
At the new town of Chitina the
railway connects with the Orr stage
line, which operates express stages
to Fairbanks via the new govern
ment trail. The mails and passen
gers are transferred to the stages
and hurried to the interior districts
by relays of fast and well kept horses,
changing at the several roadhouses
located at intervals of about thirty
miles. Traffic from the United
States proper via this railway and
stage line are delivered in Fairbanks
within twelve days after leaving Seat
tle. The distance is about 1,700
miles by water and land and this
route effects a great saving in time
as compared with the former all
trail route from Valdez to Fairbanks
via Thompson Pass.
r Some of the most expensive rock
work in railway building has been
encountered, ranging from nominal
amounts to over $200,000 per mile
Faces of mountains and canons were
literally torn away by tremendous
charges of dynamite and powder.
Practically along the entire line north
of Miles and Childs Glaciers the very
mountain summits echoed and re
echoed again and again the martial
like sound of explosions proclaiming
the indomitable will and physical
hardihood of the industrial soldiers
of peaceful progress blazing a way
for the enrichment and convenience
of generations to come. The cost
of construction of the railway from
Cordova to Kennecott is approximat
ed between $20,000,000 and $25,
000,000; one of the most daring
movements in the history of railway
building in a frontier country. The
wages for labor alone amounted to
approximately $8,500,000.
The steel in the four magnificent
bridges erected in the building of
this railway weighs 20,300,000
pounds at an approximate cost over
all of $2,500,000; the great Miles
Glacier bridge alone cost $1,500,000.
These bridges were practically en
tirely constructed during the haz
a’rds of winter, the last being swung
across the Kuskulana gorge and com
pleted Christmas day 1910. The con
struction of the Miles Glacier bridge
is a history in itself. The false work
supporting its erection was driven
through the frozen river and as the
warmer weather approached in the
spring erection was conducted amid
the continual onslaughts of grind
ing icebergs from the nearby glac
iers. Through the bitter cold, ter
rific delta winds and the dark grim
midwinter days the bridge men toiled
with Napoleonic effort in a race
against the destructive break-up of
the ice until finally their efforts were
rewarded with complete success. The
chief engineer has said it was the
most amazing exhibition of loyalty,
spirit and perseverance that he hsd
witnessed in many years of exper
ience.
The road is laid throughout with
seventy-pound steel rails and abun
dant deposits of glacial gravel was
within easy reach, which has result
ed in a railway unquestionably as
permanent and finely finished Jn ap
pearance as any of tne Western trans
continental roads.
All told, an army of 6,000 men
has been employed at times on the
various works of construction dur
ing the three years of progress and
millions of dollars have been spent
for foodstuffs and personal necessi
ties alone.
r One hundred and thirty-five mile:
has been under operation for sever
al months, over which the mails and
passengers have been regularly trans
ported during the present wintei
from Cordova to Chilina, returning
from the latter point to Cordova with
southbound traffic for Seattle and thf
states. No attention or physical ef
fort is spared in -order to assure their
safe and speedy transmission and a
valient organization of experienced
railway men has determined to prove
that the course of traffic is as cer
tain in the “Land of the Midnight
Sun” as is found on any of the trans
continental railways through the
mountains of the Pacific states. The
completion of the construction work
is being hastened and Kennecott will
be reached during the next two
months. This trunk line in time will
undoubtedly be the main body of
lines spreading through all the im
portant districts of Alaska.
The motive power is or the base
for purposes of operation and con
struction. It was built by the Amer
ican Locomotive Works and Includes
several consolidation engines of most
modern type, equipped with electric
headlights and used exclusively «n
the hauling. of the passenger and
mail trains. Two snow rotaries are
in constant readiness to give battle
to the snow and prevent blockades.
The rolling stock is of the latest ap
proved pattern, the freight cars
ranging from sixty to one hundred
thousand pounds capacity, with a
large complement of auxiliary cars
for construction and maintenance
purposes.
A table-d-hote dining ear service
has been recently inaugurated be
tween Cordova and Chitina, the ser
vice of which is unexcelled on the
standard railways in the states, in
suring appetizing meals in comfort
at all hours. This feature of railway
operation within 400 miles of the
Arctic circle is an achievement in
itself and attests to the up-to-date
ness of the organization of men
who are operating this far northern
railway.
In conclusion it may well be said
that the completion ot this, the new
est cf American pioneer railways,
will prove to be an epoch in the his
tory of the world’s great transporta
tion lines. It will serve as a great
auxiliary power in the defense of
our Pacific seaboard in the event
of an American-Asiatic war, and it
means the creation of a great Paci
fic coaling industry and precious min
eral development for the increased
commercial enrichment and domestic
comfort of the American people of
today and their posterity.
CORDOVA IS BEING ADVERTISED
THROUGHOUT THE UNITED STATES
The past week has seen very lit
tle change in the industrial situation
in Cordova. Inquiries for real estate
are active, with the near prospect of
several sales, reports the Northwest
ern Realty & Trust Company.
There has been a small movement
In mining stocks. The most sales
have been made in Seeley-Davis and
Williams-Gentzler stock, from the
Valdez stocks, listed in this city.
There has been considerable doing
in selling claims and grouping them
in the McKinley Lake district, in or
der to get them in shape for interest
ing large investors. With the in
stallation of a stamp mill on the
Lucky Strike group mining in that
section is bound to enjoy a still fur
ther bopm. 1
There is no let up in the develop
ment work of the McKinley Lake
properties, and it will not be very
long until still better results are
shown up.
Cordova and its mineral and other
resources are being well advertised
through several channels. The local
Chamber of Commerce is active in
the matter, and the Copper River &
Northwestern Railway, through its
local officials, and through Kenneth
Kerr, its industrial agent at Seattle,
are advertising the country through
out the United States. Every tourist
and railroad agency in the world is
being supplied with data about the
scenic advantages of a trip to Cor
dova and over the railroad.
The Chamber of Commerce book
let is now in the hands of the print
ers and will be issued shortly, and
will prove a good advertisement for
this section of the country. It will
be well illustrated and made to fold
so that it can be kept in hotels and
other centers where it will attract
the public eye.
There are big plans under way for
Cordova, which, if made public in
detail, would undoubtedly cause an
instant boom.
Local merchants expect an increase
of trade this month, and from now
on conditions will improve rapidly^
There are two Elks lodges in Alas,
ka—Juneau and Skagway. Both
lodgeB have fine lodgeroom buildings,
the one at Juneau costing $50,0P0
furnished.
BADLY FROZEN WHILE
STAMPEDING TO IDITAKOI)
Tom McCroskey, from the Indian
River country, in the Koyukuk dis
trict, tells of the narrow escape from
death by freezing of Emil Hultgren,
who took in the recent stampede.
Hultgren encountered a blizzard
%
on a summit between the Koyukuk
and Indian Rivers and for several
hours he battled against the wind
with little hope of reaching McCros
key’s camp on the Indian River.
When he finally did reach safety, he
was badly frozen about the head and
hands, and may lost a part of one
ear as a result of his experience.
Seattle, Feb. 3.—The steamer Vic
toria, which sailed from here Wed
nesday for Coraova, went aground
at Cape Smudge at-^six o’clock this
morning. She was floated at high tide
and proceeded on her way unin
jured.
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Job work at the lieaden office.
MINING STOCK
Name— Asked Bid
Cliff.$4.00 $
Seeley-Davis .60 .50
Willliams-Gentzler .. . .35
Landlock Bay C. M.
Co.20
Knights Island C. M.
Co., H and D.10
Fidalgo-Alaska.20
Knights Island (Tib
bits) .. .. .10
Miners River.01
Gold Creek Hyd. M.
& G. Co.25
Chugach.25
Black Diamond.25
Royal Development. . .05 1-2
Alaska Water, Light
& Tel. Co.,.. 50.00
Ellis Imperial.88 1-2
Gold Bullion G. M.
Co., Cook Inlet.50
Alaska-Kotsina Cop
per Co.05
Twentieth Century
Mining Co.10
Gulconda Hyd. Co... .25
Slumps Bay M. Co... .09
King Midas.; .30
Ibex Mining Co.20
Lucky Strike, Cor
!i
I. J. ST. CLAIR T. W. CLONINGER,
Proprietors
i
THE WORKINGMAN S RESORT
!
LOG CABIN BAR
WINES, LIQUORS,
AND CIGARS
Solo, Pool and Billiard Tables. Comfortable Chairs
and Reading Room up stairs.
Restaurant and Assay Office in Connection
»H"I 1.t.il.t.il ..
:: Cordova s big store
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l S. BLUM & CO.’S
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~ WE SOLICIT YOUR ORDERS
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<► We Carry the most complete stock of
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:: GROCERIES, HARDWARE, SHOES, CLOTHING,
y FURNISHING GOODS,. AND FURNITURE. ; : : ; :
4 -
y WRITE US FOR PRICES
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Prompt Attention to Mail Orders
:: We Will Save You Money Cordova, Alaska.
. ■ ....
dova.50
Lone Star.15
Bear Creek, Cordova .25
Mohawk, Jack’s Bay .50
Mirror Slough Coil Co. .25
Handy Min. Co.10
Bluff Mining Co.10
The court officials will arrive on
the return trip of the Victoria from
the westward.
Washington, Feb. 3.—On the
American gunboat Marietta, sailing
from Puerto Cortes to Key West, nine
of the marines are ill and it is fear
ed that they are suffering from yel
low fever.
Pete’s Lodging
House
AND
SECOND HAND STORRE
CHxxINA HEIGHTS
Bunks 25c; Beds 50c.
PETER CORDES. Prop.
\ OSBORNE I
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•' PRACTICAL '< '<
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Jeweler
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< > CORDOVA, - ALASKA - '
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• > Watches and Jewelry at ! !
;; Outside Prices;;
• 'Leave Your Work at the Leader. .
■ • Office ' ■
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Id CROSS DRU6 CD
MRS. C.|M. KING
Drugs, Stationery, Fruit
Tobaccos, etc.
Mile 133
I 111 1 1 I I 1 I I
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SAVOY
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RESTAURANT j
; Opposite Chitina Trading Co. «
I The Only First-Class Cafe in I
Chitina \
| American and European Plan 1
« Dinner 75c up :
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A la Carte all day |
t
Cater to sj»ecial dinner parties. «
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