The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1892-07-02
THE ALASKA TRADE
A Powerful Rival for the Com.
mercial Company.
STEAMBOAT FOR THE YUKON.
rfAas TOR Developing Mines In e.
Easia " the Mighty River
Of the North.

re Alaska Commercial Company ana thu
NeSsa American Commercial Company, which
have BAD almost q monopoly OF tho Alssre
stsseN are tn have q rival In tic North American
Transportation and Trading Company Thfa
SSst>asstsaa has entered the field for the tr.da
- sAe ssesi Yukon basin: and since Seattle win
~ re basis Of supply, the operations Of the nev
esSsnsay viii undoubtedly DO an tmportant
ssesez ia sea;tle's commerce
FSs North American Commercial Com.
fSksy,- which previous to 1890 had Leased
fSSa tho government tho exclusive aeel.
s~s privileges on the Pribilof islands. ana
ne Alaska Commercial Company vhfch
s,sse that time has held the lease, have vir.
ssxsly controlled the trade of the vast ana -
vel endeveioped territory OF Alaska Those
sss.ssisr with the situation declare that fhn
eesarSaiss have kept back the development 81
Alaska for were the territory mon
completely settled, the maintenance 81
10 monopoly would DO impossible. m
u within about q year Alaska has
lad M law by which land could DO acousrea
s-eCa the government, and even now the Ala.
ksas bitterly complain that the law IL 90 d.
sssssve that commercial activity 10 much ham
r~red Whether or not tho companies have used
tsesr Influence to retard the progress of the ter
rsse-y. certain IL is that they have made larsa
rrezis out of their monopolistic enterprises.
TIE plan of the new company is perhaps TO ..
cure part OF the present business. and cer.
tss.ly 10 open fresh fields.
The active manager OF the undertaking II J. j
EsAly, who has spent the last six or seven yea,r
trading in Alaska. Lately he has been occu.
Ped chiefly at Chilkoot and Chilkat. He haa
saeessded in enlisting the interest aud support
a. 4. Il. Weare, a wealthy and enterpriafns
Caicsso commission merchant; J. Cudahy. the
vsli-Snown packer, and other men OF means
and influence.
For several months they have been ouietlv
working at Seattle, and tomorrow they win
<spt " sail fNR AynoI
steamboat. to be called the r. d.
weAre, for the navigation of the
Nnkcn river. Her frame was laid ana her
sricers fitted at Ballard, while the Washington
Iron Works made her boilers and engine The
various parts OF this vessel are now loaded on
the Alice Blanchard, which lies at the schwa-
hxeher wharf The blanchard has in addition
cargo of general merchandise. supplies OF food
and clothing, mining tools. mining pumps
saw mill and two billiard tables.
In two weeks the blanchard win be at 81
Mfchaels, at the mouth OF the Yukon Thora
the p. B. weare will be fitted together and mazda
rcsdy for her work-a process which will prob
ably occupy month or five weeks. She will b
astern wheel steamboat 17j feet Ion z and OF %
feet beam inside. 1t is estimated that she viii
be capable OF carrying at least go tons Of
freight
When she is complete tho merchandise on thu
Blanchard will be transferred, and she will
start on her cruisc up the Yukon. This river
AmeplC8--tB
miles wide in some places. and can DO navigated
without difficulty for 1000 miles. In latter
August she will sail from St. Michael's, and
will dispose OF her goods at the various camps
where there may be demand for It When sho
hiss reached the head of navigation, or a. near
90 10 as it may BIO profitable for her to 90, she
viii be lifted out OF the water by machinery
carried specially for the purpose, and the winter
will be spent on the Upper Yukon.
In the spring, as soon as tho river opens, she
will return to st. Michaers and will probably
make three trips up and down the river durine
next summer. The Upper Yukon opens In May,
but the ice gorges that form In the lower part Of
the river do not clear until June. So there are
practically but three months of navigation ON
the river-July, August and September
The present purpose OF the company isto have
second steamer run from Puget sound to con-
meet with the +. b. Weare at st. Michaeiss
Thus supplies OF all kinds can bo taken from
here to the head waters OF the Yukon Ia q
month during the summer.
There seems every reason to believe that with
such facilities Tor trade and transportation the
mines of the Yukon basin will become ex-
tremely productive. At present these mines are
difficult of access. Miners start in the
spring over the Chilkoot pass through the Cost
range, and have their supplies and tools car
fled by Indians, who are untrustworthy mt hart,
and who charge SIS a hundred for the portage
After the mountains are crossed, the miners
reach the lakes and take their STUFF down tho
Yukon by raft and boat. To reach tho mines BY
this route occupies much time, and II man
wants to get In and out again the Same
season, he has but n few weeks left for
actual work Some go into the Yukon In the fall
ana winter there, so as to be on hand AZ soon o.
spring opens. Supplies arc difficult to obtain,
ana to get heavy machinery In is almost out Of
the question, for whatever is taken into tho dig.
gings has to be carried by mon across the
mountains or In boats up the Yukon. Three
small vessels are now on the stream. but a. they
are boats OF from ten TO twenty five tons, these
are OF but little use In opening tho mines.
The Wearc however, viii be able to bring 90
the head OF navigation, even beyond Forty Milo
creek, all the machinery needed for working tho
mines. she will by regular mails give the region
communication with tho outer world; and
she can take up supplies steadily and
cheaply that the miners can cross Chilkoot pass
or take passage on her with comparatively little
baggage and can buy all the stuff they need
when they have reached their destination.
In short, the plan of the North American Trans-
portnton and Trading Company is to lengthsn
Che season on tho Yukon and furnish every
sacility for working the mines
Under the most unfayorabc conditions and
With but lew miners at work $4,000 were taken
Sut OF the Yukon diggings las, season. The
Hlacers there are said to be rich as any In the
world; and thore seems to be- no reason Why
with easy transportion and abundant supplies
for the workers the output should not b In.
creased ten or even an hundred fold.
The profit OF this vast business ought 20 come
60 Seattle
The blanchard will take with her to o.
Michacps L. II. Weafe. the president OF the CON-
pany aud his son. William Weara They Will
go up the fukoa and come back in the fall BY
the Chilkoot pass. for MIR Weare wishes to ex-
anime the country thoroughly and asccrtatn Its
possibilities. J, j. Healy will also go up tho
Yukon aud his young and pretty vito will &c
company him. She will enjoy tho distinction
OF being the first white woman to make
The cruise into the heart of Alaska. ]. c. Barr,
OF 81 raul, All old naval officer and afterward
q steamhoatnan ON the Mississippi. will be
captain OF the T. Il. Weare: Charles H. Hauil-
tou. OF Chicago, is 20 bc bookkeeper, and WALL
lam Coates engineer, ". f. Cornell, who has
spent his life thus far in the mines and the
newspaper Offices OF the Coast, goes with the
expedition as assayer, mctallurglst aud pros
pector. Twenty-Five men. mechanics aud crew.
VIII be taken to pat the Wea.e together at 81
Miehaers and run her on the Yukon.
UNION PACIFIC EXTENSION.