EX-WEST COASTER

Grey River Argus, 8 June 1943, Page 2

EX-WEST COASTER

ENGINEER IN ALASKA.

GETS HONOURS ON JOB.

ANCHORAGE (Alaska), April 26. The “Anchorage Times’’ states:— Credit for carrying a vital role in the construction of the nation’s fourth longest railroad tunnel, was handed to Anton Anderson, civil engineer ot Anchorage, when a Holing Through ceremony was held at Whittier. Mr Anderson, an oldtime Alaskan, and active civic worker in Anchorage, was in charge of the engineering that bi ought the two bores together with remarkable precision deep in the solid rock of the rugged mountains. Mr Anderson and his assistants were introduced at the Holing Through Ceremony after various speakers had .commented on the difficulties under which the engineering work was conducted and the accuracv of their computations. Mr Anderson has resided in the Whittier camp since before the project started and his work took him over the tops of the jagged mountains in all kinds of weather. Major Burgoyne, resident engineer, pointed out that Mr Anderson and his survey crews found it impossible to “chain" over the mountain peaks because of a snow field three-quarters of a mile wide.

“The only method possible for making the surveys was by triangulation,” the major said. “The two bores came together with such perfect results —we couldn’t ask for more.” The two bores varied in elevation bv only one-half inch and were oul of line only one and one-eighth inches. The distance computed for tn« length was off only one foot. During the year of tunnelling,.Mr Anderson carried the responsibility of steering the tunnel crews so that thev would meet. His work was the subject of constant speculation and many bets among the men. [Note. —Mr Anderson is a brother of Miss M. Anderson and Mr Jim Anderson, and Mrs C. Mason, of Greymouth. He left the West Coast over 20 years ago for Alaska.]