The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-07-20
THE RUSH FOR GOLD
JOURNEY FROM JUNEAU ALONE
TAKES TwENTY-sIx DAYS.
%
Valuable Information Concerning the
Great Northwest Fields OBJ
tanned at Washington.
ALASKA GOVERNORS REPORT
COMPLETE VERIFICATION OF WON
DERFUL PLACER MINES.
steamer Loaded Down with Supplies
Sailed Last Night for Alaska
from Port Townsend.


WASHINGTON, July 19.-The dominant
fact remains that gold in large quantities
has been discovered on the Yukon. And
with that established. no warning of diff
Guilty or cost or danger will avail The
three months work permitted by the eli
mate will not discourage; distance will not
dismay. 1t is certain that the little town
of Juneau from this time on will be a
scene of embarkation and equipment which
will rival in activity the famous mining
points OF the West. The man who has once
prospected for gold is inoculated with
fever that burns out only when death over
takes. The reports from klondyke will start
northward an army of bronzed and deter
mined men, some to return with burdens
of yellow treasure; more to find resting
place beside the eternal glaciers of the
Arctic circle. A prominent officer of the In
terror Department has handed the CORE
spondent letter from a friend who now
is in the Yukon gold fields. The letter de-
scribes his trip last summer, lasting twen-
ty-sX days, from Juneau to the mining
camps 1t describes the route accurately
and is an interesting story of the Journey.
The writer is an officer of the Catholic
Church, and visiting mission in the
gold fields He says:
Our party consisted of nine. Taking the
mail, which was put into three knapsack
pouches, we went on board the small
steamer Rustler and left Juneau the even
ing of June II. The boat was built to carry
twenty-five persons, but had on board
eighty and there was hardly room to move
about> The way from Juneau is up the
Lynn. canal amidst scenery Of great
beauty. The run should take about twelve
hours but one of the storms for which the
Lynn canal is famous burst and we had
to anchor. The following day we reached
Taiya. The fare was $40 each. June IA We
set out for Sheep camp, twelve miles dis
tant. All our provisions were packed in oil
skin bags, and the march into the interior
began As travelling was warm we left Sheep
camp at night. There were twenty Indians,
carrying packs. Some of the men carried
as much 175 pounds. Even the squaws
assisted in the labor. one walking beside
me with a cooking stove on iher shoulders
Soon after midnight we reached the last
and hardest climb of the pass, and at a.
a. the summit was reached We rested
awhile and began the descent to Lake Lin
derman which we reached soon after noon
Here our boats were ~ade. The next day
we set sail on the LAKE about six miles in
length. 1t connects with Lake Bennett.
There is a dangerous place near the lower
edge of the lake, and we made a portage
and carried our provisions about fifty yards
along the bank. We cafnped on the shore
of Lake Bennett, and here our mosquito af-
Fiction began and no respite was had from
it until cold weather.
The next day we started down Lake
Bennett which is twenty-four miles in
length. Sometimes the wind rushed with
fur
tains that the boat could not be moved.
The gusts of wind delayed our. trip on this
small lake nearly four days, compelling us
to camp on the shore to avoid being
Swamped.
THROUGH THE RAPIDS.
June rs the wind ceased, after blowing
a tornado, and at a. m. we resumed the
journey to the end of Lake Bennett. This
point is Cariboo Crossing a shallow stream
two miles long. After breakfast we again
set out, being anxious to get past part Of
Tagish lake, known Windy Arm the
most difficult and dangerous spot in the
lake portion of the journey. Navigation in
these waters, which are so remote, and I'M
known on the maps, is very difficult We
roWed steadily for nineteen hours to
traverse the length of Tagish lake. nineteen
miles. We camped near the huts known as
the TagtSh Houses the only human hab-
tatlons IN this desolate lake country. Our
scribed.
THE next morning we started down Lake
Marsh, rowing. Swarms of mosquitoes fol-
lowed. This lake also is nineteen miles
long. and very shallow. We rowed all day
reaching the outlet at O'clock Here the
current was swift, and we were able to
ship our oars and fight mosquitoes as we
drifted down stream. We camped at 10
o'clock.
The next morning we continued our trip.
through steep banks. About noon we ap-
preached the Grand canyon, being warned
of 1t by an increase in the current About
o'clock we came to a bend where some
one had erected a sign marked Danger
This was the stopping place and we went
ashore. One of our boats narrowly escaped
being washed into the rapids at this point
On shore we made preparations for running
the boats through. At this point other
parties joined Us and there were now five
boats in the group. We unloaded and car
RED RED their contents s., to to quiet eddy below
with the aid Of ropes, was then Sent through
the rapids. 1t shot into the canyon with
the speed of an express train. and one after
another the other boats followed in the
same manner.
Below the canyon is two-mile stretch
of bad travel The landing here must be
made in an eddy on the left bank, just
above the great bend. White Horse rapids
are nall mile IN length and greatly
dreaded by the guides Every year a num-
Der of men are drowned al this point. Dur
ing the last two seasons more than twenty
unfortunate men on their way to the gold
fields have lost their lives in these wild
waters and their graves dot the desolate
shores. Within three miles there is a fall
of thirty-two feet from which the currents
force can be judged.
THE next morning we began CARRYING
all our goods over the portage a labor
doubly arduous from the misery caused bv
the mosquitoes. and the empty boats were
guided down as before. Having reloaded
our boats we again set out. From White
Official facsimile of Modal Ausrdad