TRAIL : :0 FAIR IANKS via VALDEZ.
The Great American Route to the Great American Camp. 517 Miles shorter than any other Route from the
Ocean to the Great Camp at Fairbanks. Valdez the Gateway to the Interior.
It n**e<lf no argun. -nt to mote
that \ aid'x is the i;n ural galowav
to Fairbanks, and ir. fact, to all of
"Central Alaska. "11 government,
after many survey- and experi
ments. ha chosen (In Valdez route
for the regular \vinn mail service
to Nome, and tm v ii ter and sum
mer mail service . Fairbanks,
Tatiana, Logie and ail interior
points.
There tire at ih present time
sixteen n tils a in >n£i going over
this route to and fro i Tatiana and
Yukon river pours. These mails
are going through on time. One
trip from \ aidez to airhunks was
■made this mom h in lirrit en days.
\ ia Valdez there .> no Canadian
territory to cr.tss. t is the all
American route, tin - avoiding the
intricate customs rei> lations of the
Canadian authorities.
The ocean cable is extended to
Valdez, and the military telegraph
lines to all points in Alaska now
terminate there, so that the traveler
can keep in touch with the states
all along the trail.
Every day people are arriving
from -Fairbanks, and they are all
enthusiastic over the advantages
of this route. The mail carriers
keep the trail beaten down and
travelers can make the trip easily
in from sixteen to twenty-three
days.
Outfit at Valdez.
Persons going to Fairbanks who
ontfitat Valdez have many advan
tnfics'over those who purchase their
gnnds:in the states and carry the
shipping risk. The merchants
make it a point to keep in stock
the tilings most needed by the
jprospcctor and miner. A few of
the stores earrv a special line of
goods, hut the general store pre
dominates. The prospector out
; fitting here selects from a stock
which has Wen carefully purchased
I in the season when prices were
lowest, and the prospector hoys
these goods for a very little more
than wholesale prices with freight
added, and saves himself all t e
trouble of shipping hills, wharfage,
etc. If he buys his outfit here he
puts it on the sled at the store,and
can sec that everything is all right.
If he buys in the states it fre
quently occurs that things get lost
or are damaged in shipping. It is
to the advantage of every prospec
tor and miner to outfit with a good
quality of goods as near as possible
to the place he intends to operate.
Valdez bv its location is the out
__I
fitting city for central Alaska. Its
merchants are outfitters of neces
sity, and prospectors and miners
should outfit here for their own
convenience and profit.
The senators who visited Alaska
last year were well aware of the
advantages of this trail to Tanana
Yukon river points, as is evidenced
l'V the following verbatim extracts
from the report of the sub-commit
tee on territories:
Finest Harbor on the Coast.
Valdez is the most northerly
liarhor in the Pacific ocean. It is
in all essential particulars the fin
est harbor on the coast, being open
and free from iee throughout tin*
year, and is the natural gateway
to the interior. It is the key to
the Copper Kiver Country, the
Upper Tanana and the Forty-Mile
■
district and their future develop
ment. The all-American route via
Valdez is shorter than either the
Skagway, or the White Pass or the
Dvea, or Chilkoot roads. It un
doubtedly makes the shortest
easiest and most direct connection
between the Yukon district and th>
Alaskan const.
Valdez Route to the Interior.
Valdez harbor and the route via
Keystone canyon to the divide fur
nishes the most praetieal and eco
nomical route for the development
of central Alaska, and i ids fair to
more than hold its own for the
freight business of 1 >aw-on and
vicinity. With a fine harbor open
the year around and a railroad
route comparatively free from
blockades, built on lighter grades
and curvatures than tiie other
route, Valdez may well lay claim
to being tlie main gateway fox
Alaska commerce.
The mnp on ihis page was made
from data secured from mail car
riers who have traveled over the
■\ aldez-Fairbanks trail, and can be
'i. li -d npon n being correct in al!
'details. Toe map docs not show
the roadhouse* now in course of
construction ujnng the mail trail
from Copper river to Tnnnun. but
the accompanying table gives the
loearitoi '• i these stations, all of
which w’M be in operation on o:
befere Fibruarv 1st.
Mayor itarnette. of Fairbanks,
says that the time made by tlir
V..ldez-Fairi»anks mail proves H is
to be the banner route from Ih*;
coast to Tanann.
IM'K ATi iY' now inil MhMnta a* Mag the
okjwvr |WI!:hi ■!; at milnh.-r Ilf |r >|.|e before
tlieoj lie in' navi.-. Inn next s umti. || ,v> to
rcai'li mere I- the uuturi.1 I ulry of tn ,,,■ intending to
make tb. tr p. he e.m.that via VALHE7. |« the only
pravtlealile .rule for Him r travel. It |» if;
slittrt t tlm. an. > i.er r.. o fr on tlie oeean terinlnu*.
The trip em- be t.i. d* via " 1..* more ex|a?dltfou*ly and
at leu* expe i*. than vi au> .-titer route, «« will la> shown
by table of .■ mparii-nn.
Kouille.it..' el. r- " .... reel! Yah!"/ all.) Summit. 7,»
cent* |.er meal. It. ><• .It nimmlt, tl.no |>< r iie-a!
The trail - -li euiil|, d null r-uidhnuaes through
out the ent.-e db.ai.ee. I e traveler follow the I’, s.
Military te -giaj.n 11; e. e.n. ing him to k. <-p in eon-taut
eoraiuunic. lion v ith tin- - tea. should ho an .1...I re.
Comparative I rat. nutation Expenses.
VIA ILDCZ.
*8te:tiii*hip Fare (cal.in) J . le to Valdez_ 9 pt {Vtj
Steamship a:.- <• .* ... > Seattle i., Valdez j. .mi
Stage Line. Valdez t« !’*.i inks. l.'»>.«m»
vf\ \*. way.
Steam-hip Far * (. . n. ) >. 1, to skagway ... * :k» t**
,,r * ■' 1,1 •' >>«*••» tl-* .o .sX.I'.VHX 2 1
Kal i, id I • t« hi? dior.-e. 20.(1)
Stage Liu*. While.) msi- to . aw>ou . .. l
After the traveler rr: he* Dawson In* is still fifty
milks Ft'K.ii.:h ftoM Fair*- :ik« than the ihstasck from
Valdez to JY.ts'Luuks.
\s m jv Ih* —i« ir-.ni ie above figure* this route is
much the (*1;i*m|h *■» i-*r n. • e wishing to travel without
4inv effort of their own, an* t Ik the ouly winter route tor
the in'oer and prospector ho desire* to make the trip
with hi* ci vn dog or hop*c am* at a minimum expense.
The tiMau.v from ; lez to Fairbanks 1* ;un miles,
following lie military teh ;rapli lines and 1*. mail
route, ov which lo mat.- are carried monthly under
present c* utraci*.
It If i os ible to trails; »rt three ton* of supplies over
this trail with on horse b* relaying over the mountain
oil* f*orii« :is of I ue road. This is made possible by the
fuel that ti;.* trail is kept »>, n and well packed by the l\
8. mail carriers and their . mis, and also by the U. 8. gov
ernment .-Iden i- now engaged iu freighting loo tons of
nupplicM :rom Valdez to fl.e interior telegraph stations,
over tue A iierer in.hie mill iry trail, w hieli was completed
in Pjuo, at a cost of $iuO,G» *• i.
Val -. z is the mozl i rtherly harbor on the Pacific
<a*ean. A glau**** ut any : apol Alaska will show that
Wliiteho -e. HO miles in hi .1 from Skagway. is So miles
i further ►•mb than Velde*. It i* in all essential tairtie
tilars the i nest it arbor on t e eoaat. being opeu and tree
fffnn ice irmighotl :iie y ir, ami is the natural gateway
to Fairb al . • p; . Liver country, Niziua, Slate (reek
and Shu itn«t mining re* . »us. *
It: *sc ri...:i»4-.*! he Yukon military telegraph,
and also tin 2 »v r tsner cable to Puget Sound.
Th •* as • a !. .mi* large out tit ting stares, where
the exp* .11 *1 . ve . e. in dealing with l«M*al condi
tions an illiug i .vul <l. 11 iid* ha* resulted in the carry
ing of w* ll-as. .»r,e<l *t«ad ; all useless and unnecessary
articles ••elng eli.iilna. «i. These merchant* carry am
P* e sloe. • of s„ d» classes o. merchandise |<eeuliariy adapt
ed to Al scan trade and table lor eondit ions prevailing
here, tl eir prices belli), easonablc and only a sligut
advanc* over Seattle price .
Oi lit* bought in t ti State* nearly always contain
•articles .. hich arc found t>> lie poorly adapted to certain
localities iu Abi-ka. Th • traveler to Fairbanks will iiud
ft to lib 1 1 vantage to pr. ure ni* outfit at Valdez, and
aill pay no m*». • » »r it ta ing into consideration cost of
tran*p4 ration.
It 1- also well e«)iii) . ed with first-class hotels, rcs
taurun s. two bank*, and . 11 luereaniilc line* arc credita
bly represent *d.
T.. • iehedul-** t l l' e Valdez Transportation t’oiu
|«ny (to commence later i the winter) cover the distance
from Valdez 1 * air .auks .u i n days, and they hope to
reduce this to ei^iit da. * dual running time. I'he trail
rom Valdez t hair >«mk- * well timbered, and an ample
gtkUnpb of wood for iuei can be had al ail slopping place*
Table of Distances .'ll Government Mall Route.
MILE*
VALDLZ to . 0
Camp ouii«*rt UoadhotiM*. Id
iteyfei* . l«b*grapu btni -u . 13
WortsuaiC* K. uln >u>o ati t Telegraph bUtion . . 20
White “ Koa>lhoii> •. 21
Itatrm.gau i*r«»p koadtiou%e. 31
Haina !• .egraph Stu ion . . 31
fkavt K(*4idhtmf4* . . 41
Teikti U !:«tail:iouae . 18
Toikfc ;1 TelDgri}»i Si alio i. . 53
£ruet lue lto«diiiiD>' . .38
Tou-i i Tflegru,*!: S .in a. *.»
Tooain •- 1*. u. a**d Hole! - 81
Chipper Center T *I*;*rapii Station . . 103
Cepp t eater 1*. O. and lotul .U)3
Tarliru K >a-1 to •** .. . ..110
8i*ko * it< ad ho*; «• .. 132
Chip) wa K«auii»u»e. 137
Ko#fr clt R«adhu »**e.1*4
Ca*e> * Uor tho ■'*.•. . . 197
Cfttegrove 227
Bridi 7'> KoadboUM*. 251
ih^OJ^'ts iCo.tdh >ii'e. uioiith of l>elta ... . 232
foe i.- try'* Hotdh — r.i
Sc lei u T.-legrun • S' tiion . 296
Cttei-.t Kl .ugn Hoadhous . :«>t
iMahbii fit.at.ho u»v 334
abrrav’i* Roadhouse.312
UkbANKB . 3*1
No Customs. No Duties.
No Fort gn T erritory.
The Great American Route
To the Great American Camp
Full information ’» be obtained from Chamber of
*<Vm»i..«vee, Valdei, A'* ka; Alaska Pacific Navigation
‘*o.. Hrat Avenue, Str Ule, Haul).; Alaska Commercial
v9%,% bmub, WnbO