The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1896-03-09
WAGON ROAD TO THE YUKON.
To BE Built as soon as the Most Peas
Tile Route IL kno%n.

As soon as the most feasible and pracu-
cable route to the Yukon becomes known
the construction OF a wagon road INTO thAt
section viii BE- commenced BY Juneau par
ties. vbo already have the necessary capi-
tai In hand The Takou pass. says the
Alaska News. has numerous adVccate@-
IL has a gradual ascent and IL said 10 oe
lower than the chlhoot. bat 1t has also
many Disadvantages only on rare occa-
sions can a steamer ascend Takon Inlet.
and az the mouth Of the river flowing into
the inlet there Is no harbor where vessel
could lie in safety. The distance II eighty
miles. and there are extensive s~amps.
which would require corduroy WoTk IN
order to extend a road across them Each
OF the several passes adjacent 20 the " hite
pass presents almost lnsurmountaDle OBJ
stacles. one OF which is the distance, about
sixty-three miles.
The chilkoot pass, the one in general
uss. has a great advantage over all other
routes IN the comparatively close proXin-
ity Of fresh water 10 the salt. II being but
twenty-thrse and one-auarter miles from
Dyea across the summit to the head of
Lake Linderman. In making the ascent
from the Dyea side, easy travelling Is ex-
perisnced for eight miles, Until Sheep
camp is reached. from which point 10 the
foot Of the summit hill. five miles farther.
II becomes a little more difficult bntil
this point is reached road builders and
trail makers say the construction of a road
trail would be OF comparatively small
cost. considering the mountainous coun-
try. From the foot Of the summit hill TO
the top Of the divide. less than mile in
extent the ground is covered with huge
granite bouIders. thrown around and pro-
irudinE from the side Of the mountain in
a most iBdiscriminate manner. and so
large that nothing but the heaviest blast
- ~.
hll Is mass Of frozen snow and ice,
which does not leave In the spring until
July. The steepness OF this last mile may
be better comprehended when IL is known
that Indian packers In making the ascent
have to chop holes In the Ice ia which to
insert their feet and also al times have to
use their hands in helping themselves
along The descent from the summit 10
Lake 1.inderman. nine miles. is made over
immense granite blocks similar TO those
on the opposite Of the range. though the
abrupiness OF the hill IS not nearly so
great. nor would the difiC ulties in aiding
a road be so treme ndouS
OF the Chilkat pass bat little is known
beyond the summit There is already a
tran in existence from the chilkat Indian
village 10 the summit which was put in
az the expense OF John Dalton a short time
ago. Mr. Dalton has a trading post at the
head Of the Alscck river. and with a pack
train Of sixteen animals he packs all of his
goods 10 his store. each horse carrying 20
pounds without any trouble From the
summit OF the range to the headwaters OF
the Tanana but little is known. except
that the country Is not so rocky and pre-
cipitous as al the other passes mentioned.
This pass is undoubtedly the best SO far
discovered through which 90 build a wagon
road. Fewer engineering difficulties would
he encountered. but the distance necessary
to travel would BE- four times as great
From the head Of Chikat inlet TO the In
dian village IL fifteen miles and from this
point 20 the summit. via the Kleheenah
tributary OF the Chilkat river which
flows into tho latter stream short distance
above the village. is thirty miles From
the summit 20 the navigahIe waters OF the
Tanana may safely be estimated at twenty
or thirty miles.
II IS thus easily 20 be seen that in poini
Of distance the Chilkoot pass Is very much
shorter than either Of the others and
were II not for the granite hoshack which
seems To stand on end. the cost Of building
n road across to the lake would be trivial
The News does not doubt thar before the
snow flies next tall such a road will he in
existence and firmly believes that II VIII
be over the ChiikOoi pass.