Show I A TRANS-ALASKAN TRANS RAILWAY Under Under the the auspices of Mr Teller of Colorado In the Senate and Mr Sibley of Pennsylvania in the House of Rep- Rep r a bill has been introduced introduced introduced intro intro- In Congress providing for a aland aland aland land grant in aid of a railway to be built across western Alaska to Behring's Behring's Beh- Beh rings ring's Strait It is proposed to convey to the constructing company every al- al section of land for ten sections In width along the right of way One of the two corporations desiring to build the railway namely the Trans-Alaskan Trans company backed by Colorado capitalists and with a capital of supports the proposition for Government aid in land by the rather surprising assertion that Alaska Is rich in agricultural agricultural possibilities and that the proposed line of railway will vili open up a a. vast area to cultivation Hitherto the popular Idea has been that Alaska Included little or hardly any arable arabIc land Nevertheless the Trans Trans- Alaskan company presents strong testimony testimony testimony tes tes- tes- tes to the contrary Including Interesting interesting inter inter- esting statements and data from re reports reports reports re- re ports of Governor Brady of the Territory Territory Terri Tern tory tory and declares the the belief bellef of its offic officers of of- fic rs and directors that agriculture eventually will prove Alaska's greatest source of wealth Should the railway be built and there Is no insuperable obstacle In the way of Its construction that we I are re aware of a ferry across Behring's Strait would bring It Into connection with the Russian Trans Siberian railway railway railway rail rail- way system A route route has been chosen already and it is said has the approval approval approval ap ap- ap- ap of the Government surveyors It Is known as the Cook Kusko Inlet-Kusko- route A railway built along this line would shorten the distance from Seattle to Nome and Behring's Strait by one thousand miles or more That fact alone ought to gain for the project project project pro pro- favorable consideration at the hands of the Government In a report of surveyors in its employ the proposed proposed proposed pro pro- posed route is described d as follows This route leaves the western shore of Cook Inlet just north of Ka ish k bay and a little northwest of of Augustine Island In approximately 59 degrees 30 minutes north latitude It leads westward westward west west- ward from lake past and northwestward across lake to on the and northwestward to Holy Cross Mission and Anvik on the Yukon up Anvik river and over Anvik portage to the head o of ot Norton sound thence to Nome as before By Br this this route the distance from the coast at Cook Inlet to St. St Michael and the head of Norton So Sound nd Is approximately approximately miles with the he country for forthe forthe forthe the the most most part of of easy gentle slope and no barriers al about miles south of where the route would leave the coast Is open to vessels all winter The same so so far tar as known is true of the Kamis- Kamis hak Bay region If this Is correct for smoothness of country shortness di directness di- di and di dispatch patch as an overland route the Cook Inlet and rout route be ec equaled In n a a statement prepared prepared for th the In Info Information Information In- In fo formation mation of Con Congress ress Mr J. J J. J Frey president of the Trans-Alaskan Trans company company com corn pany pany represents that the acres of land in Alaska cost the Government Government Government Gov Gov- less than two cents an acre and that the railway will open up a source of bf vast w wealth alth to the United States In th the report of Governor Brady to the Secretary Se of the Interior last October October October Oc Oc- Oc- Oc tober that offic officer r among ot other er things said It is is' is beginning to dawn dawn upon many many that Alaska is susceptible of very great agricultural possibilities S Many of the citizens of Skagway Skagway Skagway Skag- Skag way were cultivating gardens successfully successfully successfully success success- fully and and they are justly proud when they entertain a a. skeptical friend and and regale him with a boiled dinner in ins Ing him that the flowers which adorn the table and room and the potatoes beets carrots parsnips turnips and cabbage which fill the dishes ready to tobe tobe tobe be served were all grown grown in their own garden It goes without saying that the project project project pro pro- is a bold and brilliant one but the people who are promoting it are satisfied satisfied satis satis- fled fie of Its feasibility Except as a a. re result re- re re suIt sult of some such movement the chances for Alaskan development outside outside outside out out- side of of mining must be considered extremely extremely ex ox- remote and If the proposition Is square and straight It is not easy easy to see why the Federal Government might not well grant the aid solicited |