TRAIL TO FAIR" ANKS via VALDEZ.
The Great American Route to the Great American Camp. 517 Miles shorter than znj other Route from the
Ocean to the Great Camp at Fairbanks. Valdez the Gateway to the Interior.
It needs no argument ‘to prove
that Valdez is the natural gateway
to Fairbanks, and in fact, to all of
Central Alaska. The government,
after many surveys and ex|«eri
ments. ha* chosen the Valdez route
for the regular winter mail service
to Nome, and the wint* r and sum
mer mail service to Fairbanks,
Tatiana, ^Eagli; and all interior
points.
There.are at the present time
sixteen mails a month going over
this route to and from Tatiana and
^ ttkon river points. These mails
are going through on time. One
trip from Valdez to Fairhanks'was
made this month in thirteen days.
Via Valdez there is no Canadian
territory to cross. It is the all
American route, thus avoiding the
intricate customs regulations 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 tin? states
all along the trail.
Everv day people are arriving
from Fairbanks, and they are all
enthusiastic over the advantages
of this route. The mail carriers
keep the trail Waten down and
travelers can make the Irip easily
in front sixteen to twenty-three
days.
Outfit at Valdez.
Persons going to Fairbanks who
outfit at Valdez have many advan
tages over those who purchase their
goods in the states and carry the
shipping risk. The merchants
make it a point to keep in stock
lhe things most needed by the
prospector and minor. A few of
the stores carry a special line of
goods, hut the genera! store pre
dominates. The prospector out
fitting here selects from a stock
which has Wen carefully purchased
in the season when prices were
lowest, and the prospector buys
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 see that everything is ail right.
If he buys in the states it fre
quently occurs that things get Inst
nr am damaged in shipping. It is
to the advantage of every prospec
tor anti miner to outfit with a gotv*
quality of goods as near ns possible
to the place he intends to operate.
Valdez by its location is the out
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 y«ar were well aware of the
advantages of this trail to Tanana
Yukon river points, as is evidenced
by the following verbatim extracts
from the report of the sub-commit -
tee on territories:
Finest Harbor on the Coast.
Valdez is the most northerly
harbor in the Pacific ocean. It is
in all essential particulars the fin
est harbor on the coast, being open
and free from ice throughout the
year, and is the natural gateway
to the interior. It is the key to
the Copper River 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
Skagwny, or the White I' .-s or the
liven, or Chilkoot roads. It re
doubted ly makes the sho' -t
easiest and nn»st direct con nr on
between the Yukon district an die
Alaskan const.
•Valdes Route to the Interior.
Valdez harlior and the route tin
Keystone canyon to the divide fur
nishes the most practical and eco
nomical route for the ilexeieoioeii
of central Alaska, and hid- ;air to
more than hold its own 1.>r the
freight business of Datv-on and
vicinity. With a fine harlior open
the tear around and a railroad
route comparatively free from
him •kades. built on lighter trades
and curvatures than the other
route, Valdez may well lay claim
to bf*ing the main gateway for
Alaska commerce.
--
The map on this page was trade
from data secured front mail car*
rier- who have traveled over the
\ a idea-Fairbanks trail, and can be
r< Bed njion as being correct in all
details. 1 in- map does not show
the roadhouses now in course of
con.-tru in,, along the mail trail
from ('• [>pcr river to Tanana. but
the accompanying table gives the
location of these stations, all of
which will be in operation on or
before February 1st.
vnr Barnette, <>f Fairbanks,
says that (lie time made by the
Vnldez-Fnirhanks mail proves this
to be 'be banner route from the
coast to Tanana.
INI It'ATI NS now p dnt to Fairbanks as la*iiig the
object lie j> dot of n gt a! number of |e *ple before
the opening of navigation next season. How to
reach there Is the natural i. , iry of th< -e intending to
make the trip. W> can say that \ r. V.vLhEZ U the only
practicable route for winter travel. It I- .'*17 MILES
HIIOUTEK than any other route from the m ean term Inn*
The tripeau i*e made via Valdez more expeditiously and
at l- — expense than via an> other route, a- will be shown
l*y table of comparison.
Itoadhotiso eharg« s between Vald- z and Fairbanks
arc fr«.n» #1 .to fl..vt { r meals and $1 for M*.
The ’rail is well equipped with roadhouses through,
out the entire distance. The traveler follow-the l\ S.
Military telegraph line, enabling him to keep in constant
communication with toe state-, s i utld he-o desire.
Comparative Transportation Expenses.
VIA VAl.DEZ.
Fteamship Fare (cabin) S attle to Valdez . # 4n.u1>
St am-hip Fa*e 1 sec«Old class) Seattle to Valdez . 2o no
Stage Lille, Valdez to Fairbanks l.si.UU
VIA KKAOUAV.
Steumsiiip Fare (cabin) >< attb- to -»k:*gway .. | .b o>)
St»*ai t-hip Fare (second ela—) s • 1111 • skagway 2 » on
Uaii: ad Fare. • k ‘gw. y to Whil«-lior-4 jn 00
Ft age Line, Whitehorse to haw-on . I.VmjO
After the traveler rraciie* l>aw*on he is still fifty
mii.es fi rtheh front Fairbanks than the distance iroin
Valdes to Fait bank*.
A * may b • s en from the above figure* th * route l*
much tlie eh :ipe-t for those wishing to travel without
any eft t of tucir own. j. lit * the only winter rout, for
the miner an i prospector who d* -ires to make the trip
with h:- own dt»g or horn* teams at a minimum expense
The distance from Vald z to Kairhaiix- i ;ui M U.K.
following thi- military telegraph line- and I*, s. mail
route, over which 16 MAILS are carried monthly under
present contracts.
It i« possible to transport three t -ns of supplies over
this trail with one horse by reluylug over the mountaiu*
ot»s portions of the road. This i- made p* •ssibie t.y ti e
fu.-t that the trail i> kept open and well packed by the I*.
8. mail carriers and their teams, and also by the L\ 8. gov- j
eminent which is now* engaged in freighting 1 •» t. ?i* ofl
supplies from Valdez to the interior telegraph stations.}
m r the Abercrombie military trail, which wa* completed
in luu0, at a cost of floO.UUu.OO.
VALDEZ THE GATEWAY.
Valdez is t!ie most northerly harbor on the Pacific
ocean. gh.nce ul any map of Ata-I.a w ill -how tiiat
Whitehorse, I in mile- inland Irorn Skagway. is :i rules
fiwfJaer froutli than Valdez. It is in all essential t artie
uU-’s tlwi tinest harbor on the coast, h dng open am! free
from ice throughout t.i • yenr, and j- the uaturul gateway
to Fairbanks, ti ^.j-er River country, Nizina, 8late <'reek
■Shu-hit’ia. ttiilknna and D l amirr.i; gi >ns.
iili* abr terminus of the V ikon military telegraph,
and also of the government cam * to l ug -t Sound,
OUTFITTING T VaLOEZ.
There are a number of large outfitting -lores, where
ibc experience of live year- In decline with l««cul .*ondi
tiuu- and tilling local deinuiid- iia- re-iilt-d in the curry
ing of well-assorted stin ks; all ns--! — and uiiucces-ary
Articles being eliminated. Th »se merchants carry am
ple st«H*«i*• of such cia-sc* of men haudis- j**culiur.\ adapt
<ed to Alaskan trade and suitable i r « *:.diti‘*n- prevailing
here, their prices b-ing reasonable and only a slight
advance over Seattle prices.
Out tits bought In the Stale* nearly always contain
articles which are found to be poorly j dapted to certain
localities in Alaska. Tic* traveler to Kuirhauk.- will find
It to bU advantage to procure hi- outfit at Valdez, and
will pay no iiwro for it tukiug into consideration cost of
transpot cation.
It i also well c<juip|*»d with first-class hotels, res
taurant*. two banks, and all uici .*an ile lines are credita
bly represented.
ST G Z LINES TO FAIRBANKS.
The schedule* of the Valdez Transportation Corn
pans Miid other stage lilies*, cover the dUtaiue from
Valdez to Fairbanks in TEN DAYS and they hope to
reduce tui* t- eight duy* actual traveling time.
Table of Distances via Government Mail Route.
MILE*
VALDEZ to . 0
Camp Comfort Road house. .. 10
Key.-*ton • Telegraph Station 13
Wort man’s Road house anil Telegraph Station.. . Bn
White’* lioadii'-use. 21
Ptarmigan Dr<>|» K'’ad >ousc. .81
Saiua T degrann Station . 34
B -aver Dam Roadhouse . ... 41
TeiktuII ihmdho •. 1*
'IVlkhell Tele/rap * station... 5;;
Ernesti:c* Roadi»*»u*e.. .'ai
Ton i .a T degraph Station. . >y»
Toi>*dua 1*. O. .’ id Hotel . . *1
Copper Center Telegraph Station.. . lu3
Copp -r enter I*. ' *. and Hotel.RM
Taztiua K ad house . . llu
Gukoua Roadhouse ... . ... .132
Chipp- u a Roadhouse.157
I.. Ro.t lhon**e. . . 1*4
Casey’s R«»adh*»i>«*. \\q
Colegrove Roadhouse . 227
lirioit •>•’*» Road’i .UM? 2.*1
Bennett*!* R«**diioi.*e. mouth of 1'elta . 2-V2
Jh-elleitryVRoadiu-r.se 212
Be!<d,u Telegraph Station. •_**>
t'hena si uigh doe . 10u* • :n»t
Dolan’s Roadl.on* . 334
Murray’?* Roadhouse. 342
FAIRBANKS. 350
No Customs. No Duties.
No Foreign Territory.
The Great American Route
To the Great Americ?n Camp
Fu inform*lion >*a;i Ik* ilued from Chamber of
Commerce, a! ie/, Alaska; Alaska Pa.’fie Nav ga ioo
fio., f W First Avenue, Sends, Wasir.; Alaska Commercial
Co^Se.iith , A’avh.