Valdez Daily Prospector
PUBLISHED BY THE
Prospector Publishing Co.
» ' ---— ;
TERMS.
Dally Prospector.
By carrier, per month....$
By mail, per annum. 10.UU
The Weekly Miner.
By carrier, per month.
By mail, per annum.$3.00
The Daily Prospector and Weekly
Miner, by carrier, to one address
per month.$1.25
The Daily Prospector and Weekly
Miner by mail to one address
only per year..
Business OlViee and Editorial
Rooms, Phone 152.
Advertising Rates on Application.
___i
W'Kl >\KSl >.\ Y. MARCH 1J. I‘.Mil. I
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VALDEZ-FAIRBANKS ROUTE.
(Hep.n l nf Alaska ltailwax Cum-|
mission.. |
The lew'll nf'A’aldcy. lies at I he j
head of Valdez Arm. a branch of >
Prince William Sound, and is |
built oil (In* delta ol the \ aide/. |
Glacier. I he glacier bring about .
live miles lo the uorlheasl.
It has a population ot 1,500. j
including Ihosc on I he military
reservation adjacent In Ihe town,
and is weft laid out. It has sub
stantial buildings, is provided
with hotels, stores, a hank a tel
ephone system, two daily news
papers, and is connected by cable
with outside points and by tele
graph with the interior. It _ is
well provided with municipal im
provements for a town ol i*. * size,
and is the headquarters ol I he
Alaska road commission.
As located, Valdez is subject, lo
occasional disastrous Hoods by
the change in the channels of
the glacial delta. It is located
herd by reason of the laet that
the trail to the interior m 1898
led over the Valdez Glacier, and
ju the earliest rush of prospect
ors the camp was at this place.
Later, when the Fairbanks dis
trict became known, the present
road, then a trail, was establish
ed, with this as its coast term
inus. Expansion on this gravel
flat will give increasing difficulty
as the town grows. The shores of j
the bay are precipitous and very j
high and offer few places for de- i
velopment for commercial pur
poses. In addition (o the pres- i
ent town and the space immedi
ately adjacent, a town site, call- i
ed Port Valdez, lias been laid out i
at the mouth of Mineral creek, |
about four miles below A aide/. on j
the north shore of the harbor, j
This town site has been patented, j
except a small area, and offers a ;
favorable location for oommer
eial development and town silej
purposes.
Several railroad proieets lo the !
interior were based on A aide/, as
the coast terminal. The Hopper
River & Northwestern Railway j
Gq. projected a road beginning at j
fhe. town site called Port Naldez.i
Practicallv a third of the grad- |
mg was completed between Pori j
ATaldez. and Valdez, hut no other j
work was done from A aldez ,
north until reaching Keystone j
canyon. Through Keystone can- i
yon, about -'5 per rent of the j
necessary grading was eomplet- ;
ed, including' too feet of tunnel j
work, but no work was immiop- ;
taken beyond this canyon.
The A'aldez-Yukon Railroad had
its terminal about one mile west
of A’aldez, and for a distance of
several miles up Lowe river grad
ing was completed, hut nothing
was done beyond the mouth ol
Keystone canyon. The present
military road generally follows
I,ho grade of this line.
A I hinl rail mail, I'aui'ii un
Alaska Home Railroad, did some
grading at various places as far
as Keystone canyon. In addition
to these, two other companies
made firings but they did no work.
There are two practical routes
by which a railroad can he con
structed into the inteVior from
Valdez: One via Marshall Pass,
and the other via Thompson Pass.
These routes are identical for a
distance of about 27 miles, ex
tending up I tie Lowe River val
ley as far as Hidden Canyon.
From here one mule leads on
through Marshall Pass, and down
the Tasnuna River to its junc
tion with the Copper River, con
necting with the Copper River
Railway about 5 4 miles from val
dez and 87 miles on that, line from
Cordova.
The other route crosses
Thompson Pass, and a minor
summit at Ernestine Pass reach
jnp- iin» Copper River Galley 100
miles from Valdez.
The1 projected route from \al
ilez crosses the della plain above
the town, which is covered with
(lie usual gravel overwash. This
crossing would require some
1 n-slle work which would be high
enough to prevent the gravel de
posits from reaching the track
level The route follows the val
ley of the Lowe River through
Kevsfone Canyon: no construc
tion difficulties present them
sdlves. and I be grade is about 1
per cent. A location has been
suggested at a higher elevation
along the mountain sides in or
der to avoid the construction
through the canyon. It is believ
ed however, that this would he
impracticable, as the crossings of
the numerous deep ravines would
present greater difficulties.
In Keystone canyon two short
funnels and a bridge of 200-foot
span would be required. From
here to the summit of Marshall
I
Pass a location is practicable with
a ruling grade of 3 per cent.
The commission did not tra
verse the route over Marshall
Pass, hut obtained a good view
from a high prominence; the
pass seems to present no diffi
culties of construction. The com
mission had with them Mr. Henry
i)evo, the engineer who original
ly 'located this line; he gives the
elevation of the pass 1,750 feet,
and states that, the line is prac
ticable, presenting no difficulties
except two extensive trestles and
■one bridge. In the pass the enli
st curl ion pf about I .Odd teel ut
tunnel might be desirable In ef
fect n saving of about a half mile
of heavy work with sharp curva
ture, The descent to Topper Riv
er could In1 effected with a rul
ing grade of 2.5 per cent.
The estimated eosl of the con
struction from Valdez In junction
with Hie Hopper River Railroad
via Marshall Pass is m3.121.000.!
The Thompson Pass route
leaves the Marshall Pass loca
11 imi aboiil 3 miles west ol t he
]al ler pass, turning westward with
a loop 0 miles long and a rul
ing grade of 3 per cent to de
! velop I be ele\ at ion on wli irb I o
cross Ibis divide, wlibdi has an1
elevation of about 2.750 leel. i
In crossing lliis pass two tim
in'! projects were considered, one
•isn i'eej long, saving 150 feel in
elevation, and Hie oilier i,0d(l feel
long, saving 050 feel in eleva
tion. II is oossilde that a tunnel
al a lower ejevalion would re
duce flie approach grades. The
rock is graywacke inlerhedded
with some slate.
The topography .. Thomp
son Pass lo Beaver Mam is rug— ■
ged in character. The local ion]
conlemplales sidehill support ]
... the headwaters of Ihe Saina
Hiver following the right hank of
the river to a point about the
middle of the Saina canyon, therej
crossing to Ihe left bank on 250
foot steel bridge.
This river is a typical glacial
fed si ream with wide gravel bol
Imn and changing channels. Ihe
vallev walls rise very abruptly
and al Ibis point converge in a
tortuous canyon 2 miles in length,
with vertical walls 100 feet high.
From this canyon to Beaver Mam
there is good support for a rail
road, although the hills are sleep.
About, 5 miles beyond Beaver
Mam the location crosses Slew
art Creek, requiring heavy work
in the canyon, and from this point
starts a rising grade, 1.6 per cent,
to a low pass at Ernestine. \V here
Stewart Cretek joins the Tiekhell
that river turns abruptly to the
eastward, and suggests a possible
rourt* to the Copper River through
the Teikhell valley. This valley
has never been surveyed, but in
formation indicates that Ihe en
tire valley is extremely rugged.
This was confirmed by a view the ;
Commission obtained later of the j
valley from Ihe Copper River, I
where it emerges from a steep ,
walled canyon.
In the ascent lo Ernestine Pass ^
the route follows the left bank of j
the river with a ruling grade of.
1.6 per cent. From Ernestine on !
the topography is very rugged,]
and the location follows Mosquito)
Creek with a ruling grade of I ;
percent.
From Troul Creek to Ihe Cop
per River Ihe route follows ( in;
general the location of the ftov- :
eViiment wagon road, and from
Copper Center Ihe same route to
Fairbanks is followed that is]
elsewhere described in Ibis re
port .
The maximum grade norm- (
hound and southbound is 3 per,
rent.
Estimate of cost, togel her with
governing characteristics of the
road, are as follows: j
Length of entire line, Valdez-I
Fairbanks, 380 miles.
Cost of construction of entire
line. $18,5'.5,000.
Average cost of construcl ion
per mile of track, $'.8,000.
Maximum grade (norlhboun.il
per cent, 3.
Maximum grade (southbound
per cent, 3.
Maximum curvature, 10 de
grees.
Resources.
MINERAL—The mineral re
sources of the Valdez-Fairhanks
line include the* gold and copper
deposits of the region close to
tidewater which would be little
affected by railroad construction,
some undeveloped auriferous de
posits lying between Valdez and
the Copper River, the copper de
posits of the Copper River Basin,
and the gold deposits of the Chis
lochina district., as well as the
gold deposits of the Tanana Ba
sin. The copper and gold hear
ing lodes of the Nahesna region
and the gold placers of the Val
dez Greek district could also be
made tributary by branch lines.
The Valdez mining district em
braces an ill-defined area tribu
tary to Port Valdez, and includes
both gold and copper lode depos
its. Much work lias been done*
on a number of the claims in this
district, and one mine lias been
mi a productive basis for sever
al years. Most of this district
lies north of Port \aldez did it
would no! be affected by railroad
construction. These resources,
however, are important inasmuch
as they would aifeel I lie prosper
ity of the proposed coastal term
inal at Valdez.
There is some evidence that
llic auriferous zone in which tin1
Valdez mines are located si retch
os toward Inc Copper Hiver. If
this proves to lie tin1 ease, there
is strong probability that with
I tic development incidental Lo i
railway construction over either ]
Marshall or Thompson Pass, that j
mining would be undertaken.
(iold lode prospect s arc report - j
oil from I lie following localities:
In the upper part of lli“ Tasnuna
vallev which would be traversed
Ii\ the Marshall Pass route, and I
near the Heaver Dam roadhouse. I
and in the Tiekllell region both
on the Thompson Pass route.
Minie of these prospects hale
lii'cn sufficiently developed to
prove I heir commercial import
ance. There lias also been a lit
tle placer mining on streams Jrih
11lary |o Hie upper part of the
Tonsina River.
So far as known I lie anove-oe
scribed mineral deposits are the
only ones lying on the Valdez
Fairbanks route between tide wa
ter and Copper River. File min
eral deposits of the Copper River
region are described in Hie ac
count of (tic Cordova-1*airbanks i
routes and of the Tanana valley 1
in the accoounl of the Haines
Kairhanks route.
WATER POWERS—There are
many undeveloped water powers
on liie coastal side of the moun
tains along those proposed rail
wav routes. The abundant rain
fall and topography is favorable
to power development. The same
nia'' he said of the Copper River
side of the divide, though here
‘the precipitation is less. There
■are no power developments in
this region except a few small
ones in the vicinity of Valdez.
TIMBER.—There is some fair
ly good timber in the I.owe River
flat, but this probably is only of
value for local use. The timber
line in the I.owe River valley and
around Port Valdez is from 1,500
to 2,000 feet above tidewater.
The limber between Keystone
canyon and Marshall and Thomp
son Passes for the most, pari is
a scrub spruce with some cotton
wood. There is practically no
timber in this region above the
altitude of 2,000 feet. Th“ Tas
nuna valley is fairly well timber
ed up to an altitude of 1,500 feet,
and in favored localities trees
reach a diameter of 18 inches.
The timber between Thompson
Pass and Copper RiveV is scant,
and trees exceeding 12 inches in
diameter are found in only in a
few favored localities. I.ocallv,
however, there are small tracts
having a fairly good stand of
'limber, with trees from 10 to 18
inches in diameter.
A (TRICE ETC RE.--The region
tributary to Port Valdez seems
to. possess lmt little agricultural
value. There are, however, some
good gardens in the vicinity of
Valdez. The Lowe River valley
floor between Keystone canyon
and the flats where timber has
been burned off is covered with a
good growth of grass. The ag
gregate of agricultural lands in
this region is'small, and the cli
matic conditions are unfavorable
to farming. The same general
conditions hold in the region ly
ing between the Keystone canyon
and Copper River, both via the
Marshall and Thompson Pass
routes. Then is, however, some
good grass land, and I he regions
covered wilh heavy limber, such
as that near Tiekhell, could un
doubtedly be used for farming.
The agricultural regions of the
Copper River region are describ
ed in the account of the Cordova
Kairbanks route, and of the Tan
ana valley in I he description of
Hie Haines-Fairbanks route.
Bring your job work to the
Prospector office.
Independent Laundry Co.
Satisfaction Guaranteed I I Foot Keystone Ave
Telephone 66 I I Rough Dry 10c lb.
VALDEZ DOCK CO.
JOBBER IN
COAL, HAY AND GRAIN
PHONE NO. 1.
Agent for
ALASKA STEAMSHIP CO. ALASKA COAST COMPANY.
Give Us the Opportunity
STHN-BLOCHI
SMART CLOTHES '
to dress you better for the same or less
money with
Stein-Bloch, H. M. S. Soneborn
or Hamberger Clothes
These well known clothes cost no more
than ordinary clothes, and
We Guarantee a Perfect Fit
Daily Prospector and Weekly
Miner $1.25 the me. deliiered
I
Economical
Ironing
To iron economically
you must not waste
heat.
Ironingwith ordinary
flat irons is very waste
ful of heat; most of the
heat goes up the kitchen
chimney; a lot of it is
wasted in charring the
ironing pad and in
scorching the clothes.
Ironing with a
G-E Electric
Flat Iron
is quite different-—all the
heat is in the iron, ready to
go into the pieces ironed in
stead of going into the worn
or up the kitchen chimney.
None of it is wasted.
To use only the amount of
heat actually needed for
ironing, be it either heavy
damp pieces or laces,
embroidery or other light
goods is real economy.
That’s why G-E Irons are
used in thousands of homes
throughout the country.
We keep allstyles and sizes
—Let us send you one on trial.
Alaska Water, Light
& TelephoneJCo.
Hat
We do a
general
Banking
Business
Bank in
rear of
mercantile
department
We Pay 4 Per Cent Interest an Time Certificates at Deposit.
Steam Heat Electric Ligfats
THE COPPER BLOCK
Finely Furnished Rooms All Modern Conveniences
Good Tiir niirrrT G ° °d
Goods I nt DUrmi Goods
Copper River Lumber Co., Inc.
ALL KINDS OF
(Native and I ¥ TR4DCD and Building
Puget Sound LiUlVIDIliIX Material
CONSTANTLY ON HAND
Prices Right W. M. FINICAL, Mgr. Phone 18
Patronize a Home Industry
VALDEZ DRUG CO.
Drugs and Druggist Sundries
PRESCRIPTION SPECIALISTS
Telephone Orders Solicited Free Delivery
Arguments May Be Disputed, But
“Facts Are bads. ”
It i a fact that Valdez beer is a food and not a tonic.
Ask any doctor you know. Valdez beer aids digestion. Use
it a few times with your meals and you’ll find we're right.
If you drink beer you should use Valdez beer in preference to
others. First, because of its unquestionable high quality.
Second, because it is a home pr duct; brewed in your home
town and all who are interested in the growth and prosper
ity of Valdez should patroniz home products.
VALDEZ BREWING AND BOTTLING CO.