| Show rough and ready J MIS K U 11 1 4 X j typical engineer working for uncle sam bum in the yukon territories the first of these was the pro cedore of initiating construction at various points along tho the route at the same time by transporting crews and equipment to strategic locations in march before the spring break up of ico and snow made trails and rivers impassable the second was the employment of aerial surveys followed by stereoscopic analysis of aerial photographs and the time tested and tra dit ional engineer method of ground deconna reconnaissance assance on foot with packhorse and dog train the third was the use of bulldozers tractors and other types of heavy equipment without which the record for speed and semi perma nent construction could not liot have been ed the primary road was actually established by the powerful bulldozers which plow plowed ed through the forests of native spruce jack jackmine pIne and aspen as if through cornfields uprooting and pushing trees literally off d foot cut timbers for the construction of bridges trestles and other structures were werd felled by the troops and processed by sawmills on the site ferries for crossing the many turbulent creeks and streams were improvised pro of rafts and pontoons pon at one major crossing a largo large scow was built from forest lumber capable of transporting equipment weighing 40 tons extremes of heat and col cold during march the troops battled bitter winds windi and temperatures as low as 35 degrees below zero when it bras was impossible to drive a tent peg into the frozen ground during july and august they sweltered sheltered ered under a heat of more than 90 degrees and were forced to wear gloves and net helmets to protect themselves from the swarms of mos mosquitoes qui toes tiles flies and insect pests in wet weather they slogged clogged through bottomless mud in dry weather seather portions of the road were shrouded in clouds of alluvial dust so fine that no mesh could exclude it through it all however according to off official iclal reports from the field the morale of the men remained high and the job has gone forward at a rate which will bring the road to completion well in advance of the th most optimistic estimate the engineers report that the threats of muskeg proved wholly unfounded muskeg a bog moss studded with sedge has proved to be a minor problem most of it has been successfully cess fully skirted and that which was unavoidable has been overcome with corduroy roads in one particular section of 60 miles in leng length th reported to consist principally of muskeg only four miles of it were a encountered |
