The epic story of three men caught up in the early twentieth century battle for control of Alaska's land and resources.George Cheever Hazelet, Stephen Birch and David Henry Jarvis were prime movers in the most ambitious early Alaska development initiative - the Morgan-Guggenheim Alaska Syndicate. These three men convinced New York investors to provide capital to build the Kennecott copper mines and the Copper river and Northwestern Railway, but opposition from political opportunists, Eastern conservationists and muckraking journalists stifled further industrial development on the last frontier.
George Cheever Hazelet (1864 - 1926) came north to Alaska in 1898, and fell in love with the land. Haze let dragged sleds over Valdez Glacier and discovered gold on the copper river. Although his mining venture failed, Hazelet's vision for Alaska spurred him on to plan railroads and build cities where families could live better lives. Both Cordova and Valdez can claim Hazelet as a founder.
Stephen Birch (1872 - 1940) crossed Valdez Glacier in 1898 with the Abercrombie expedition. He made his fortune in copper rather than gold. with unflagging persistence and the help of wealthy friends, he succeeded in building the highly productive Kennecott Copper Mines. When political antagonists blocked plans for further industrial development, he used the profits from the Alaska mines to found a powerful international corporation.
Captain David Henry Jarvis (1862 - 1911) gained an understanding of Alaska's potential while serving in the United States Revenue Marine. His bravery and executive ability earned him nationwide acclaim and the respect of President Theodore Roosevelt, but made him the target for vicious muckraking and drove him to commit suicide.Through exhaustive research Elizabeth Tower has succeeded in weaving the lives of Hazelet, Birch and Jarvis into an epic story of ambition and betrayal that ranges from the mountains of Alaska to the halls of Congress.
Icebound Empire contains exciting accounts of conflict with James Wickersham, Gifford Pinchot and Henry Durr Reynolds, including episodes such as the Keystone Canyon shoot-out and the Pinchot-Ballinger congressional hearings.
