12 
ALASKAN MINERAL RESOURCES IN 1905. 
Creek and Rampart regions could be easily reached by railways. A logical continuation of 
the Pyramid Harbor-Fairbanks railway would be to extend it across the Yukon and thence 
westward to Seward Peninsula, a distance of about 600 miles. A trunk line about 1,500 
miles in length, with feeders aggregating possibly 500 miles, would give access to a large 
part of central Alaska. The following table presents approximate distances and altitudes 
along this route: 
Elevations and distances, railway route from Pyramid Harbor to Fairbanks by way of the bead 
of White River. 
Point. 
Pyramid Harbor 
Klehini River 
Pass 
Dalton Post 
Alsek River 
Upper end of Lake Kluane 
Lower end of Lake Kluane 
Donjek River 
White River Canyon 
Chisana River 
Month of Nabesna River. . 
Tanana crossing 
Goodpaster River 
Salcha River 
Fairbanks 
Elevation. 
Distance 
between 
points. 
Fnt. 
Mile.s. 



CO 
.3, 250 
40 
2, 520 
30 
2,000 
60 
2,400 
60 
2,400 
60 
2,500 
50 
2,400 
60 
2,200 
70 
2,000 
45 
1,900 
55 
7(X) 
105 
550 
55 
490 
50 
Distance 
from 
Pyramid 
Harbor. 
Miles 

60 
100 
130 
190 
250 
310 
360 
420 
490 
535 
590 
695 
7.50 
Pyramid Harbor, which affords shelter for vessels and opportunities for wharf construc- 
tion, can be reached by a 1,000-mile journey from Puget Sound, entirely within sheltered 
waterways. The Chilkat basin is well timbered (chiefly spruce and hemlock) and contains 
some auriferous gravels, though the producing district lies somewhat off the proposed rail- 
way route. The copper deposits of Rainy Hollow, which are undeveloped, lie about 20 
miles off tlic main route. In the inland region there are no developed mineral resources 
until Lake Kluane is reached, where there is a small placer district. It is to be borne in 
mind, however, that what little is known of this region indicates that there may be here a 
continuation of the mineralized belt of southeastern Alaska, which makes it possible that 
workable ore deposits may yet be found. The copper belt of the upper White and Tanana 
basins, also on this route, is entirely undeveloped, but the outlook for finding values is en- 
couraging. The placer districts of the Yukon-Tanana region have already been referred 
to. The Tanana and Alsek basins are timbered with spruce and contain also consider- 
able grazing and agricultural land. 
There can be no doubt that this is the natural route into the interior, and it was long used 
by the natives in their intertribal intercourse. It has one grave disadvantage, namely, 
that for about 300 miles it traverses Canadian territory and would therefore not afford an 
all-Alaskan route. Moreover, it would not help to develop the resources of the Copper 
River and Sushitna River basins. 
YAKUTAT BAY-ALSEK ROUTE. 
The lower Alsek River Valley is transverse to the St. Elias Range, and has been proposed 
as a route into the interior. (PI. II.) The line would run southeastward from Yakutaf 
Bay for about 50 miles to the mouth of the Alsek. A narrow-gage railway has already been 
built for about 10 miles of this distance for the purpose of bringing fish to the salmon can- 
