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Alaska Central Railway photograph album
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Collection Overview
Title:
Alaska Central Railway photograph albumCreator/Contributor:
Swanitz, A. W., creatorCreator/Contributor:
McPherson, William A.Creator/Contributor:
Wiles, J. J.Abstract:
Album of snapshots and professional-quality photographs chiefly depicting construction of the Alaska Central Railway. Locations
include Seward (founded as the terminal for the railway) and Valdez. Views of dog sleds, sawmills, railroad cuts, and lines
of track are present. Album includes many snapshots of engineer A.W. Swanitz and his family, friends, colleagues, and residence
interiors. Also includes a photograph of Copper River Indians (Alaska), one of two African American railroad workers in camp,
and several of Chinese in Chinatown, and a snapshot in a Chinese theater in San Francisco, Calif. Several snapshots of the
Hetch Hetchy Valley are also present.
Date:
1902-1906 (issued)Subject:
n-us-ak -- n-us-caRailroads -- Alaska -- Design and construction -- Photographs
Indians of North America -- Alaska -- Photographs
Engineers -- Alaska -- Photographs
Chinese -- California -- San Francisco -- Photographs
Chemins de fer -- Alaska -- Conception et construction -- Photographies
Peuples autochtones -- Alaska -- Photographies
Ingénieurs -- Alaska -- Photographies
Chinois -- Californie -- San Francisco -- Photographies
Chinese
Engineers
Indians of North America
Railroads -- Design and construction
Seward (Alaska) -- Photographs
Valdez (Alaska) -- Photographs
Alaska
Alaska -- Seward
Alaska -- Valdez
California -- San Francisco
Alaska Central Railway Company -- Photographs
Swanitz, A. W -- Photographs
Note:
Compiled by A.W. Swanitz. Photographs by Swanitz, William A. McPherson, J.J. Wiles and others.
Title supplied by cataloger.
Many photographs captioned and/or dated.
Includes cyanotypes and silver gelatin printout out paper prints, among other black and white processes.
The Alaska Central Railway Company was established in 1902 with the intent of developing a 412-mile trans-Alaskan railroad
system from Seward into the Matanuska coal fields. Despite noteworthy engineering accomplishments the Railway went bankrupt
in 1908, after only 54 miles of construction. The project was reorganized in 1910 as the Alaska Northern Railway Company.
A.W. Swanitz worked as a consulting engineer for the Alaska Central Railway and later was chief engineer for the Alaska Northern
Railway.
Type:
graphicPhotographs.
Physical Description:
photoprint
1 album (132 photographic prints): b&w ; album 19 x 30 cm., prints 12 x 17 cm. or smaller.
Language:
English