12 FORTVMILE, BIRCH CREEK, AND FAIRBANKS PLACERS, [bull. 25 ij 
river and Fairbanks is about 9 miles above, on a slough, while the 
gulches where work is being done are about 12 miles to the north. 
Fairbanks, which is about 200 miles due west of Eagle and 150 miles 
southwest of Circle, is accessible by trails from both places. That 
from Circle is the shorter and better. Stores are located at both 
places, and both are supply points for the camps. Only the smaller 
river boats, like the Koyulcuk (a most useful type of boat, 120 feet 
long by 24 feet wide, with an average draft of 22 inches), are used on 
the Chena Slough. Chena. however, is accessible by the larger rivei 
boats. There are trails from both settlements to the creeks, but that 
from Chena is somewhat longer, and, following lower ground, is noj 
so good a one to travel during the summer season. Where the trails 
pass through the timber they have been well cleared; along the creek 
bottoms they are often soft. Pack trains make regular trips anc 
carry supplies at about the same rates as in the other regions. Variou 
business interests are represented in the two towns, and three sawmill 
were in operation at Fairbanks in 1903, with a daily capacity of abou 
50,000 feet. The Government telegraph line along the Tanana hai 
brought the region into close communication with the outside world 
The population of the two places, with that of the creeks, was abou 
800 in 1903, and over -1,000 in 1901. 
CLIMATE AND VEGETATION. 
Although the winters are intensely cold, the summers are muc 
warmer than is generally supposed, and the great number of houri 
during which the sun is above the horizon compensates for the shoril 
ness of the summer; the weather is often hot; frosts are general lj 
uncommon, and the conditions are favorable for the development oi 
an abundant vegetation. 
The most common trees are the spruce, aspen, and birch, whilcl 
alder and willow grow thickly along the stream courses, and a scat I 
tering growth of tamarack is found in the valleys of the Yukon anc 
Tanana rivers. Spruce grows abundantly in the valleys of the largei* 
streams and attains considerable size; throughout the area it is foundi 
along the steep slopes of the deep gulches as high as the climatic 
conditions will permit, and even covers with a light growth the lowei 
ridges in the vicinity of the main drainage lines. The higher slope 
and ridges are often covered with dwarf birch and alder, whicl 
finally give place to the moss-covered surface of the divides. The 
aspen is found abundantly along the stream bottoms, and birch is 
common near the large rivers. 
Vi^d for stock is found in the headwater valleys of the streal 
throughout most of the region and is generally abundant along 
Larger streams. At Eagle, and also near Central House, in the Bird 
