RAILWAY TO YUKON.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LI, Issue 15500, 6 January 1914, Page 5

RAILWAY TO YUKON.

I LINK WITH ALASKA. I ! LONGITUDINAL LINE IN B.C. PROPOSED. 1 For some years past the White Pass and 1 Yukon Railway, which connects the Alas- . kan port of Skagway with White Horse, lon the Yukon River, in Canadian territory, has been complaining that it lias been unfairly treated by the United States steamship companies which handle i much of the Alaska Yukon territory trade J between Skagway and Seattle. It is now '■ stated that negotiations are in progress ' between the White Pass and Yukon Railj way and the Chicago, Milwaukee, and St. i Paul Railway for the establishment of a I new line of steamers between Vancouver and Skagway as part of the direct service to Fairbanks, Alaska. It is understood that the steamship service will be established early in the spring. Chartered vessels will be used until boats can be built in the Old Country. These will co«t £200,000 each, and will be of 1 the most modern design.

It is intended eventually to replace the steamer service by an all-rail route. The proposal is to extend the Chicago, Milwaukee, and St. Paul line from Seattle to Vancouver, where it would connect with the Pacific Great Eastern Railway, which is now under construction between Vancouver and Fort George on the Grand Trunk Pacific main line. By means of an extension of the Pacific Great Eastern through Northern British Columbia, direct connection between the White Pass line and the railway network of North America would be secured. Sir Richard Mcßride, the Premier of British Columbia, is known to be heartily in favour of the building of this north and south line through British Columbia, and the scheme will doubtless secure influential support. Mr. 0. B. Dickeson, general manager of the White Pass line, stated the other day in Vancouver that the company's extension of business this v«?ar from Dawson to Fairbanks had been very satisfactory. It was intended to spend several millions in the north extending the railway next year, but this would be useless unleaj, i satisfactory connection with Vancouver was secured. Alberta-Yukon Line Planned.

According to information, regarded as quite trustworthy, which has been received in Vancouver, capital has been raised in New York for the completion of a railway in the extreme north of British Columbia, known as the Portland Canal and Eastern Railway, which forms part of a largo undertaking planned by the Mackenzie and Mann interests. This railway was started nearly three years ago as a private enterprise of Sir Donald Mann. Several bundled thousand dollars were invested in wharves and a dock at the head of the Portland Canal just in front of the town site adjoining Stewart, which Sir Donald aad his associates purchased. The railway was constructed on the standard gauge for about fourteen miles to the confluence of the Bear River and Bitter Creek. It was said during the early stages of construction that it was part of a scheme to give the Canadian Northern Railway a northern outlet and feeder, and it was to be continued through the Peace River country and connect v ; th tho Canadian Northern at Edmonton. It is now stated that further construction has been financed by Sir Donald through the Morgar, Banking Corporation of New York, and work is to he continued for about 100 miles to tap the anthracite coalfields of the Ground-Hog mountain, which several expert geologists have pronounced as anthracite areas of larger extent and of as good a character from the surface- indications as the Pennsylvania field* A Rich Country. When this line is pushed through to the Peace Rive country as far as Edmonton it will not only "pen up a section rich in resources, agriculture, coal, minerals, and considerable timber, but it will enable the Canadian Northern to reach salt water wit! a shorter land haul than any transcontinental line. The Port land Ca ml is an ar n of the ocean that extends inland for nearly 150 rr. les, forming the boundary between C'uis.i'a and the south-eastern strip of A. ah. There are no dangerous reefs or shoals for the entire distance, and the water is of efficient depth to accommodate oceangoing craft. It has also been proposed to extend the line westerly so far as to form a connection with the White Pass and Yukon Railway. There is now heing connected up from (lalveston, Texas, to Calgary, with a proposed extension' to Fdmonto/i, a railway system which, v) ■ completed, could bo" linked with >ir Donald Mann's line and the White Pass, .md Yrk-.ii. Railway. The corporuudw!ixii it, l.a • ■•■; the international schc.-, has already connected up much of .he propoed line.