The daily morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1883-1899, 1895-12-20
A Correspondent Has Some
Views About the Yukon.
PORTAGE is THE REAL THING
He Claims That There Is Better
Method Than Improving the
Mouth Of the River.

To the Editor:--
Sir; notice in both your editorial and
local columns of last Wednesday, lengthy
reference to the subject Of government
aid for improving the mouth Of the Yu-
kon river While the disposition II Mr..
M. ]. Kinney and the Astoria Chamber
Of Commerce with regard to this matter
Is no doubt excellent, would like o say
that from personal knowledge and expe-
rience in the vicinity Of the mouth OF the
Yukon river, such improvements would
be utterly impossible. For ten years the
miners and prospectors In the Yucon re-
gion have met with unparalleled dsfIlcul-
ties and hardships, owing to the long. cir
cuitous and dangerous route whereby this
immense basin has been supplied with the
necessaries of life. On account Of the In
accessible channels through the delta OF
the Yukon, there has been sno tage
every winter, causing serious drawback
to the miners, as that season Of the year
is the best time to sleigh their supplies to
outlying creeks wher tne.r claims are
located. 1t is dans ri Is uyd rnish IS
depend on or attempt to remedy what Is
known as st. Mlcnatl's route, means
oI getting Into tile couiitry woich Is only
accessible two months and ia,. each
year. and in which the enormous lie foes
are a constant menaca b naviga,ionl
When was In the district live years ago,
at the approach Of winner. TOO men at
Forty Mile Creek were anxiouslv await
ing the supply steamer long overdue.
Flour could not be obtain for It's weigbt
In gold, and bacon and beans were lux
uries of bygone days. A crisis was fsst
approachinr when indian runners arrived
with the startling intelllfense sth,ss ANA
steamer was wreexo,l n.,t s,r nom ,,,e
mouth OF the river ana no rrttn roitid
come 10 them that winter 1xsrr1- atornbd
then and there and an exodus beean Ia the
coast al once n was srav ana .ssrVe
or reach the wrecKed steamer and ;,ve.
After n tourney of no ,o,,es involvins
incalcuIabIe SUFFERING Nulslukahvet a
trading most Of the Tanah Indians was
reached. It was found that The steamer
had been patched nm and had arrived ~
that place hut the sunnlies ware IN q
terrible condition The Tour which had
been soaked IN the water was hard and
had 10 be beaten with clubs md MT
through a sieve. while the bacon rese.n-
bled blubber.
About ninety of our marty .ool, noasea-
sion ~ tbe steamer Neu Raclrat IvIrg
NJ Nultlu<abvat and startad sor a.
NiohoIs Al Nulate the ICE cut th,ougn
the steamer rendering her uaalasa ao tho
remainder ~ the trIn had ~ he cco,,,- .,,1
nIIshed hv land thro,,vh snou, ana sl,,",,
until Norton's sound was reanhsd aho,,t
seventy miles north ~ a. M,cbea,~ ~
will be seen from This how necessary a
"a that people should haveother wavs ~
Ingress and evraas a. Nf,chanIs a. /. h.-
ren island ubera tbaro 10 rottts,. ,,,,'.',,
nor water ana when high u,Irds ha.,,,, !,
bIov vessels hava n get undar 10 I, a,,S
stand out "a sea
starting hv river ataaroar tha travotar
nroceads about aavantv-f,,,a ,.I,ss - ~.
mouth NJ the ymcon tftv r,iios ~ ,hts
heing very danyero,,s trayaI1,ng as az
u,hoia iocal,tv is onan 10 tha 81, .,,e.,,
~ Marion Sound 1852
Tron Tho mouth ~ tha vroor t,,a s,s.
tance n Forty Ntue c,rsa,, ts ,soo ,,,,,ns
and ohstacIas so,oh as sa,a"tar~ s.as-,
ara ica does 90 mi, az AZ 49,, ,.'"e
has,a ioro haa,, a., aa,,aat - 'ss. /.
Lnnun as tha nortaes ro,,te ys ~ .s,,,as
hatter o,,,ei,s. ana sne,,staIs, sasar a,,S N1 a.
Il tb,s rn,,.o 20 49,, Az, az Asse.,e
~,,,.tss 80 ea.A s '~ s ~ ~ .'so. ss.'' :"
'.sa.n,aI had,o ~ ~, ea,u o.iie. sv1,- -
aS,.caata ..o.,a III. ~
go .,..a, ..'.,, s, ~ ss'e pvts
rs, .esssi - w,n pass ',ruusn .nS .nno'
enl'ii,sio ~. " vaneou'er tslanu anu 49,
9lss ,ne mas sn,lcen. ws.ers ol NV,.ns.h ,,a.
,,,,- DIillsh Soiuii,pia Ihu oou.hern A,asNs'
ws.eIs hase neen 20 ,asp VIZ oAp'v.su, s.''..