THE SEMMVEEKLY TRIBUNE. NORTH PLATTE, NEBRASKA.
r
R
n MajGirr
PAPAL SECRETARY OF STATE
mcle
ALASKA
ROAD
LITTLE less than n ycnr ago tho
United States government sent to
Alaska a commission to direct the
survey for a government railroad
reaching Inland and generally
north from Resurrection bay to
Fairbanks, a dlstanco of some
thing over 490 mllos. Ono of the
men choson for thlH momontouB
task was Thomas Illggs, Jr., of
tllO TJllltflri fltntna onnnf nml in.
odotic survoy. Mr. Rlggs was selected because
of his familiarity with the region nnd on nccount
of the- part ho took in running the Alaskan-Canadian
boundary lino, finished but two years ago.
Associated with Mr. Illggs In tho railroad sur
vey woro Lieut. Frederick Moars of tho United
States army and William C. Edos. As a rosult
of tho work dono last summer and data previous
ly gatherod In tho samo territory by othor ex
peditions of tho coast and geodetic survoy, tho
routo now to bo followed is to run In part nlong
tho Susltnn and tho Cantwcll rlvors and through
tho foothills of towering Mount McKlnley. Tho
exports predict great prosperity for tho whole
lnritory and docIaro tl'it tho ultimate cost of
1-0,800,000 for tho eystora complete will bo am
ply compensated for by reason of tho resulting
benonts,
Whatever may bo tho ultimate economic slg
nlllcanco of this govornmont-owned railroad In
AlaBkn, thoro should bo no question about our
proscnt lntorcst In tho work dono in running
tho preliminary survoy and that which will later
follow as the stool rails arc led farther and forth
er northward In that rugged region.
From past experience, It has boon amply Cs
tabllshcd that survoylng In Alaska Is apt to ha
full of thrills. First, tho open season Is a short
ono and a great deal of action has to bo crowdod
Into a brief period by tho survoyor. His Is not
the task merely of tho explorer who pushos
ahead by tho shortest routo to his objectivo but
instead la that of chooBlng tho easiest 'gradients
lor tho intruslvo locomotive spanning tho short
est valleys and bridging tho rivers or torrential
streams whoro tho foundations or tho approaches
can bo built for tho least amount of money com
patible with present strength and durability.
Some of tho moat towering peaks In North
America aro In southern Alaska, and from
their snow-clad shoulders In tho spring and sum
mer tho waters flow seaward in great volumo and
with much violonco. Then tho stricken timber
la washed down into tho flooded channels, and
this wealth of logs rushes onwnrd llko a veritable
nvalancho when the way la clear, or, what Is
oven nioro monaclng, thoso millions of mighty
atlcks Jam In somo narrow pass, ponning up tho
waters and thomBOlvca until ruptured by tho
titanic forces thoy have halted for tho whilo.
Thon as tho Jam Is broken onward toara the
roaring Btream and tho whirling timber until tho
broad reach of somo wldo channolB robs tho tor
rent of its turbulent fury.
Tho surveyors havo not only to avoid thoso
dangorB In planning tho right of way and tho
points for bridging, but their work will demand
that thoy actually cross somo of theso streams
whon blazing tho way for tho lino. The waters
nre Icy and tho currents Bwlft, whilo means ot
rescuo aro apt to bo woofully scant.
Mr. Rlggs has given ub some spectacular in
ntnncoB of tho hazards confronting tho civil ongl
neor In that part of tho world, and what has boon
pxporlcncod in tho past up thoro Is a protty good
index ot tho dtfllcultloB to be faced In running tho
lino Inland from tho rail hoad ot tho existing
road, 71 mllos long, which will form tho nucleus
or this great government undertaking.
nut torrential rivers loaded with millions of
logs aro not tho only forms of titanic .masses
with which tho railroad builder in Alaska has to
count. Thoro aro tho slow marching but Irre
sistibly advancing mountains ot lco, tho glaciers,
and some ot these havo tukon possession ot tho
very valloys through which tho railroad engineer
would profcrably choose to lead his lino. Indood,
tho Copper River and Northwestern railroad In
Alaska gives a protty good notion ot somo of tho
dllllrultles to bo faced by thn surveyors nnd pro
vldod for by tho government whon It comes to
actual construction. Thnt road is 195 miles long
nnd yet in that dlstanco thoro aro nearly 275
trestlea, bridges, tunnels and tills. Indeed, thoro
nro sections wlioro a mile ot construction has
cost aH much as $200,000,
There Is a steel bridge flanked by two glaciers
t'-at cost a million and a hulf dollars to build,
nd beforo a bit of that structuro was roared
tho engineers spoilt thrco ycarB In studying tho
peculiarities of those moving mountains ot lco.
Ono of the most serious phases of Alankan sur
vey work Is tho problem ot transportation. As
Mr. Rlggs says, "Thoro Is food to bo cntrlod for
tho party, which Is n big item, and onti for tho
Iiorsou. At some time during tho lift? of tho
Alaskan boundary Burvoy evory known form of
transportation In tho North was used. In sum
mer wo havo been known to adopt tho Indian
practice and pack dogs, Ono year, at tho oloso of
tho season, practically all our horses had dlod,
and wo Joumoyod down tho Whlto rlvor for u
distance of 190 mllos on ratio.
"Early ono May u start was made from White-
if
m
:rv.i
horso, first over a so-called wagon road -vhero
tho slx-horso wagons woro frequently bogfied or
upsot, and then after oven that Bcmblanca of a
road had disappeared tho 60 horses constituting
our pack train woro loadod with tho camp outfit
and Buppllos. Rlvors and lakes woro crossed
at groat risk on the rotten ico. Soventcon days
out from Whltehorso tho party crossod tbs last
remaining Ico bridgo on tho Whlto river, and this
was hardly accomplished ero tho gorgo broko
through with a report llko that of a hundrod can
non and went swirling away In tho swollrn wa
ters of that Btream."
In running survey linos In that far-away re
gion, Mr. Rlggs says: "Rivers filled with danger
ous quicksands have to bo crossed, mountains
Bcalcd nt tho risk of Ufo and limb, nnd then
comoB drudgory of crossing the bottt-mloss
Bwamps of tho low lying lands. Horsos mire
down ono after another and lie thoro with tholr
heavy packs mutely gazing nt tho worn-out
packer, who after exhausting ovory known means
to get tho poor beast to Its foot sivos vent to IiIb
harrowed feelings in ornato blasphemy."
Tho question of provisions is n vital oro, be-causo-thoy
go astray at times or a cacho may be
rlflod by Indians or wild animals. The civil en
gineers nnd tholr parties are seldom able to llvo
upon tho land. Thoy havo to depend upon their
regular supplies, and more than once a surveyor
has been roducod to starvation rations and forced
to mako a hurried trip back to tho nearest, base.
Indeed, an Instance of this sort occurred dur
ing tho boundary survey, and two mon wero dla
patched back In a canoe by way of an unox
plorod rlvor. Thoy wont off with a little bread
nnd ji small allowance of baconhardly enough
to Jnst for two days. On they went, hoping to
pick up tho trail of a following rollof party that
had somehow boon delayed. Fortunately, thin
was effected Just boforo ths canoo turned an
abrupt bond In tho rlvor. Around that bond tho
stronm dipped Into n pocket which probably
would havo meant certnln death.
Truo, In tho lowlands of Alaska tho summer is
hot nnd tho days long, but up In tho mountains
tho arctic chill la felt, and tho surveyors havo
to go provided with garments to moot theso ex
tremes, and above all must thoy have tho sturdi
est of boots In which to battlu ovor that rug
ged country. Tho Burvoyor must check his linos
by suttablo trlnngulntlons, nnd to do this It will
bo necossary for him frequently to stand or
climb whore peril surrounds him well nigh on
overy sldo. Indood, ho will havo to hold on by
his oyollds or be something akin to a human
fly, and besides gottlng himself thero ho must
drag along his Instruments.
Iiut the sun Is not ovorklndly xln Alaska, and
thero nro heavy and well nigh continual rains,
ospoclally along tho coast. Tho surveyor Golzea
upon overy clear moment to tako panoramic pic
tures from definite points, and from theso, later
In tho Bhelter ot his camp or tho warmth of his
winter oftlco back In civilization, ho works out
tho topography of his lino and pinna tho way -for
tho engineers. In lieu of this, ho must toll along
ns boat ho can under tho climatic handicaps, and
by means of tho flashing heliograph ho sends h'
signals afar Into tho haze-and tulks with his dis
tant follows.
Thero is bosldos tho menace ot dlseuso. This
was iuatancod In tho case of the boundary survey
when an epidemic of smallpox broko out among
tho Indinns at Rampart House. "Wo gathered
In all th( Indians," said Mr. Rlggs, "forced vacci
nation on thorn, Isolatod tho diseased and issuod
supplies 'ro the whole tribe or .about two hundred.
Nlnety-tv-o of tho natives developed the fever. It
was an npxious time,
"We put all of tho infected Indians on an
Island In tho Porcupine and took away tholr
boats go they could not got nway. A dally In
spection was mado. I used to carry a sack ot
cheap candy tor bribo the kids to bo Inspected,
After a whilo thoy thought It great fun. Re
turning from among tho Infected Indians wei
would get into an airtight tent, stick our heads
out of an opening, whilo the whole Interior was
filled with the fumes of formaldehyde."
During that expedition, sent out by the United
States government under tho auiiplcoa of the
United States coast and geodetic survoy, ono of
tho best surveyors was stricken' with pneumonia.
Tho country was well nigh barren, and tho onJy
natural Juol, and that scanty, was In the form
of scrub willows. Tho Blck mac was virtually
bound hp In his sleoplng bag, anil for three weeks
was una'ilo, by himself, to get out of his extem
porized Bed. According to Mr. RIpgB, "Wo gave
him everything wo had in tho vay of medicine,
and Btlll he recovered."
Hcrolfm nnd tho tragic are opt to go hand in
hand in thus survey work, and yet the public
knows flcxt to nothing about tho dangers facetf
by its servants In that far-away rfglon. Let 'Ji
clto a single ln'sl'anco that occurred to ono of Mr
Rlggs' details.
It scorns n small party ot his us violates landed
on an Island In tho Alaska rlvor ar.i bad the mln
fortune to havo tholr canoo swop, away by
suddon rise of water. Binding a Tow stloka trf
driftwood together to form n makeshift raft om
of tho mon mnnagod to work his way through th6
Icy torrent to tho neighboring mainland. After
threo days of wandering over precipitous moun
tains nnd slippery glaciers he flnaly managed tu
crawl to ono of tho triangular stafVins orSnarl'.w.
Uo hnd Just strength enough to pvsh the signal
out of plumb and thon falntod nVay.
Happily tho chief of the local pnny, somo dls
tanco awny, whilo pausing for the douds to pass,
by clv,mco turnod his telescope .tfwnrd tho do
ranged signal, and finding It out of lino dls
patched somo of his pooplo In n crftoc to restore
It. In this manner tho exhausted man was dls
covered and n rescuo party hastrhod away to
tho aid of his fellows on tho lain id. For thut
heroism In tho lino of duty tho man that breasted
that frigid stream becamo a physlcnl and mental
wreck.
Tho government's railway will oaen up a very
rich country. According to oxporti thowealth
that has alroady beon shlppod out -if tho region
Is but tho vorlost scratchlngs fron tho surfaco
of this vast treasure houso of nnt'ire. Dut tho
road In Its building will havo to ofbrcomo many
dlfllcultlos. Tho courago, grit and p"Vd rod blood
that has beon drawn upon In runOIng tho sur
vey nro amplo ovldonco of tho chuactor of tho
obstacles that must be bnttlo'l with In laying tho
ties running tho rails and springes brldgos as
tho lino ndVancea,
Rvenso, wo shall havo tho rcuf.i in time, and
tho uchlovoment will add ono nwVo record to
tho abounding capacity of our ptnpro.
Italy's participation In tho Euro
pean war necessarily Involves to n
certain extent tho Holy See and tho
pope, and makes moro Important thau
usual tho papal secretary of state.
Cardinal Pletro Oasparri, who holds
that high ofllco, la a man of undoubted
ability and long experience in church
nnd diplomatic affairs.
Ho was born at Capovallazza dl
Usslta, In contral Italy, on May C,
1852. In his younger days ho taught
theology In tho Pontifical Roman
seminary, and cauoiilc law at Propa
ganda Fide; and ho was barely twenty-eight
when ho wns appointed pro
fessor of law In tho Institut Catho
llque of Paris, where ho spent in schol
arly pursuits nearly twenty years.
In 1898 ho went back to Romo to
receive his appointment ns apostolic
delegate to Poru, Bolivia and Ecuador;
nlong with tho tltlo of archbishop ol
Cacsarea "in partibus infldellum." His
and was crowned with satisfactory results in overy way. Ho was thon made
secretary to tho congregation for extraordinary ecclesiastic affairs, one ol
tho most important positions in tho curia, since this is tho ofllco of corre
spondence with foreign governments, nnd after that president of tho com
mission to codify tho canonic law.
Aftor two years' hard work, having found it advisable to allow himself
somo relaxation, ho toqk aiftacatlon, traveling to the Holy Land in 'company
with Monsignoro, afterwards Cardinal Delal, and returned quietly to his
work soon nfter. Tho purple cloth came to him one year later, with tho
consistory of December 16, 1907, not as tho perfunctory conclusion of a
bureaucratic career, but as an early and well-deserved recognition of very
particular and brilliant merit.
BANKER-DOCTOR AT THE FRONT
Berkeley Sherwood-Dunn of Now
York has gone to Europo as tho head
of a French hospital unit on tho fir
ing line, and If anything should hap-,
pen to this banker and doctor tho
United' States would mourn the loss
of a man who has been for years
active in public-movements. It is
not surprising that ho is giving his
services to Franco, for In that coun
try he was educated, first practiced
medicino and became a leader In
public welfare matters.
Doctor Sherwood-Dunn was born
in Rushford, N. Y., and after studying
In the Now York university took his
degrees at tho University of France,
began practicing In Paris and was
married thero to an American girl.
Ho was n member of a committee that
revised the laws governing tho ad
mission of foreign students to the uni
versity, nnd prevented tho threatened
exclusion of Americans. Later he
was ono of the founders and
directors of the Society for the Prevention of Cruolty to Animals in Paris.
Some tlmo after he returned to this country a group of bankers Invited
him to Join with them in organizing the Century Trust company, and he
becamo its secretary. As a result ho becamo generally Interested in the
banking business, and In 190T-8 he was the president of the European-American
bank. He sold his interest In it in 1908 and removed to South Carolina,
where ho was largely interested in tho banking business.
Ho Is a member of tho American Civic alliance, and during his residence
in South Carolina he was the state chairman of tho Progressive party thero.
WILD BEASTS HER CHUMS
Lady Mackenzie, who recently re
turned from Africa to tako up her
residence, for the present at least, on
her ranch in Montana, is an interest
ing person in moro ways than oho.
For Borao years she has been known
as ono of tho most fearless and
skilled of big gnmo hunters, and her
trips to Africa especially havo re
sulted in extraordinary "bags" of ele
phants, llonot And othor largo and
fierce animals.
Always when sho travels Lady
Mackenzlo carries with her somo pet
wild beasts, and callers at her apart
monts aro sure to bo met by somo o
these startling drums. She enter
tained sixty guests recently at Del
monico's In New York, and tho diners
woro amused by the antics of Hon
cubs, wildcats and othor lively ani
mals, somo of which woro so strenu
ous that more than one dinner Jacket
waB torn badly.
Tho menu was an elaborate ono.
Thoro were stuffed eagles' eggs, roast black bear, rhinoceros tongues, Egyp
tlon quail, salad served in cocoanuts and other edibles.
GIVE A NICKEL TO SUFFRAGE
Occupying a prominent place in
the Washington headquarters ot tho
Congressional Union for Woman Suf
frage and pointed to as a "horrlblo
example" Is a nickel donated at a
suffrago street meeting by Congress
man Thomas Hoflin of Alabama,
whom tho women stylo tho "arch eno
my of suffrage In congress." An In
teresting Btory la told in connection
with tho Hcllin five-cent piece. Ono
day Miss Elslo Hill, ono of the lead
ing speakers for "the cause," was
conducting a meeting nt a Pennsyl
vania avenue corner, nnd a large
crowd had collected to listen to her
oloquent pleas. Among her hearers
wero many who bollaved In tho causo
sufficiently to contribute hborolly
whon she called for financial as
sistance for tho organization. Just
as thoy woro handing over their cash
along camo Congressman Heflln with
somo friends, and, seoing what was
going on, tho Alabama statesman
flipped a nickel to ono of the collectors, saying: "Tako that for luck."
Tho coin wns mounted on n bjt of cardboard, properly labeled and
placed in tho headquarters, whero It takoa rank with tho nntlsuffrago speech
of former Congressman Bowdlo of Ohio, also mounted and Iabelod.