Excerpt from Harper’s Weekly, Vol. 27: July 4, 1903
Pending the decision of the Alaskan Boundary Commission. The capitalists of this country have decided to go ahead and build the first Alaskan railway. The new hyperborean line. With the commonplace title of the Alaskan Central. Will run something over four hundred miles. From the southern coast at Resurrection Bay northward through the Cook Inlet country and up the Soutins Valley to the Tatiana River, a hundred and fifty miles above its junction with the Yukon. The harbor at Resurrection Bay is. Like Port Arthur and Dslny. An ice-free port. Open all the year round. And the route of the railroad. Which was surveyed during the summer months of last year, is through a heavily wooded valley and a coun try rich in coal, gold. And copper. As far as gold goes. The projectors of the new line declare that it will he the means of increasing the gold yield of Alaska fivefold. From forty millions a year. As at present. To something like two hundred millions of gold annually. The railroad will reach the new Tansna gold-fields. Which will. In time, become as famous as the Klondike. The railroad will save three weeks of the ions-m from the Pacific ports of the United States to the interior of Alaska, and there in no sulficient reason why a considerable body of emigration should not find its way to southern and antral Alaska. Which has a climate not much aeverer than that of Scotland. And where. Lousnling to the view of the Agricultural Department. Based on careful ex periment, practically anything can be grown that will grow in our litrthcrn States. It is probable that apples may soon become as important an industry in Alaska as they are in Vermont. And if it is found that flax and wheat do as well as is expected, the regions newly opened up have abundant sources of prosperity, even learing the precious metals out of the account. The company which will build the Alaskan Central Railroad is formed of Ohio. Michigan. And Illinois capitalists. And matters have gone so far that the olden for the rails and rolling-stock have already been placed, and work will be begun on the new line almost immediately.
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