|
Thomas W. Riggs, Jr. (October 17, 1873 – January 16, 1945) was an American engineer who worked extensively in Alaska Territory, first as a leader of the team which surveyed the Alaska-Canadian border and later as a Commissioner oversee construction of the Alaska Railroad. He was appointed Governor of Alaska Territory and served from 1918 till 1921. During his later life, Riggs served as United States Commissioner to the International Boundary Commission. ==Background== Riggs was born to Thomas and Catherine Winter (Gilbert) Riggs on October 17, 1873 in Ilchester, Maryland. He was educated at the Emerson Institute and a variety of other private schools located in both the United States and Germany. He studied civil engineering at Princeton University, graduating in 1894.〔 Following graduation he moved with his family to Washington State and took a job as a newspaper reporter in Tacoma. In 1896 he joined his family's lumber business in Bucoda before joining the Klondike Gold Rush the next year. From 1897 to 1901, Riggs prospected for gold near both Dawson City and Nome, Alaska with little success. From 1901 to 1903 he worked as a mining engineer in Idaho, Montana, and Utah.〔 In 1903, Riggs joined the United States and Canada Boundary Survey. From 1906 to 1913 he worked on the team assigned to survey the Alaskan-Canadian border and advanced from the position of surveyor to become the United States Engineer-in-Charge.〔 During this effort, the team surveyed the boundary from the Pacific to Arctic Oceans, placed boundary markers, and cleared wooded areas to provide a clear line of sight between markers. Riggs married Renée Marie Coudert on April 30, 1913 in New York City. The marriage produced two children: Elizabeth C. and Thomas III.〔 Following his work surveying the Alaskan-Canadian border, on May 4, 1914, Riggs was appointed by President Woodrow Wilson to the Alaskan Railroad Commission. Along with the other two commissioners he oversaw the construction of the Alaska Railroad, Riggs being responsible for the Fairbanks division.〔 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Thomas Riggs, Jr.」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
|