Legacy of the Chief, Chapter 18, Pt 1: "Birch Private Train #73-1924" |
How many times had Stephen Birch made this trip on this, the premier symbol of his power and influence in Alaska, the Copper River and Northwestern Railway? This railroad was undeniable proof that it was possible to overcome the harshest of obstacles in the wilderness which was Alaska, given enough persistence and money. Kennecott the mine system is where Stephen began his rise to chairman of the board of Kennecott the corporation. It started as the Bonanza Mine--the personal project of Stephen in the days when he was just a mining engineer. It was a rapid rise from geologist to company president.
 View of the Chitina trestle looking west toward Chitina from Kotsina Hill Birch watched through the rear observation window as the consist cleared Kotsina hill. It passed the small line shack to the south and the long siding to the north as it began picking up speed at the top of the ridge on the relatively flat stretch with long, straight runs that would enable the train to push toward seventy miles per hour as it approached Strelna. He saw the deep Chitina River valley disappear from view behind the train. The whistle ahead began blowing to alert anyone along the tracks of the high-speed private train roaring through the area.
Birch had not made a visit to Alaska since 1916. That was the interior mine’s greatest production year. It was also the year in which Stephen and Mary were wed. In those early days Kennecott was considered the centerpiece of the corporation which carried the same name. Birch wanted to show off the magnificence of the territory to his new bride. He planned the honeymoon trip in great and lavish detail. But Mary was thoroughly unimpressed. It mattered not that he had two special private railroad cars made up for the trip. Nor did it impress her that Alaska Steamship, which was owned by Kennecott, made one vast ornate stateroom out of five standard ones just for the special couple on the S.S. Mariposa. The next year the Mariposa wrecked. This final disaster seemed to Birch to be a fitting conclusion to an apparently jinxed trip. Stephen Birch had been particularly proud of the honeymoon cottage he told E.T. Stannard to build for Mary and him at Kennecott. This four-bedroom two-story house with its library-office and combination living and dining room also had a well equipped modern kitchen attached. Not that the guests would ever have to use it. The company provided one of its senior cooks to prepare and serve the meals in that special kitchen. The most distinguishing feature of this special residence was its unique fireplace which was built of stunning copper ore. Then there was that wide veranda which overlooked the Kennicott Glacier as well as all of Kennecott’s staff row.
E.T. Stannard saw to it that the place was fully furnished with posh furniture right down to the player piano. He stocked the residence with expensive alcoholic beverages and cigars for the special guests, though alcohol was not allowed elsewhere on the site, except at the superintendent’s residence. Stephen was not the only visitor to use this comfortable residence with the commanding castle-like view. To justify the high cost of constructing it, the place was designated for use by any distinguished company official or special guest of Kennecott. It became known as the Stephen Birch guest cottage.
Stephen sighed at the thought. After that 1916 honeymoon fiasco, he lost his enthusiasm for Alaska.
About that time the train whistle indicated that Strelna was approaching. This had been Stephen’s favorite place to start out on a nice week of mountain sheep hunting. Dwyer’s was still a rich man’s game hunting lodge.
The whistle blasted in a continuous loud series as the private train roared past Strelna on its nonstop run to McCarthy.
Several railroad workers at Strelna looked up at the private train in surprise. The train was an unannounced special. It was not stopping. It was not even slowing down. All the trains stopped at Strelna, but not this one. It was a very large engine pulling a combine and a business car. The Strelna crew shrugged and went back to their jobs.
Stephen saw part of the crew picking up rails as his car whizzed by. They were all Indians.
Dwyer’s Inn and the water tower grew small as the train rushed toward Kuskulana Gorge. To the south Stephen spotted an Indian graveyard.
Birch leaned back in his seat. His eyes were closed as he contemplated the implications of his trip. He chuckled to himself.
Daniel Jackling entered from his private room near the front of private car 100, now joining Stephen Birch . Jackling served as the head of the operating committee for the corporation. He had come on board the corporation as the genius behind the development of the enormous low-grade ore Utah Copper mine. Jackling once had a financial interest in a mining concern in Juneau. He contributed the design layout for an almost revolutionary mill for the now defunct Gastineau Mine. As he was fond of saying, “You can’t pick a winner every time.” Birch was delighted to have this great engineer along to assist in the very last high level on-site evaluation of the mine. Jackling was one of the Kennecott directors. He was unequaled in his understanding of the copper industry, excluding Stephen Birch himself. Dan was not in the same rush as Stephen to close out the Alaskan operations. In the end, it would be his view which would prevail. For many years there would be considerable disagreement on the board as to the best time to close the operation. Birch would finally escape the matter when he retired from the presidency in favor of E.T. Stannard, who harbored no special sentimental feeling for Alaska and would have no problem ordering a final and abrupt closure when that time came.
The Kennecott was no longer the opulent private car it had once been when it was specially fitted for that 1916 honeymoon trip. The observation and dining car was now fitted for general public use. Those who wanted to dine and enjoy the relative luxury of riding this car for a price could now do so. During the July 4th Special Run, it was always one of four or five cars on the annual passenger consist which hauled a large part of the valley up to McCarthy and back for the annual softball playoff and the other special events. Several of the more lavish features had been eliminated, yet it was still quite the extravagant ride for those who were so lucky as to travel on her. When Warren G. Harding came through Cordova in late July of 1923, just before his untimely demise in San Francisco, his Presidential party used this car. There was no further reason to keep what had once been Stephen’s business car for exclusive private use. Superintendent Hanson preferred running his own specially fitted Studebaker over the rails for his personal inspection trips rather than use the large business car. This would be the last time the Kennecott would ever again be pulled off the line for visiting high-ranking officials. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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