The Yakima herald. [volume] (North Yakima, W.T. [Wash.]) 1889-1914, 1897-07-29
THE FROZEN NORTHLAND
PeriIS and HardShips Experienced BY
PrOSpectOrs In the ClOndyke.
MANY LONG COLD MONTHS OF WINTER
Followed by short Summers when
Life Is Made Miserable by MOS.
quitoes-Wages from $40 TO SIS
per Day but Living Is also High.

A letter received by gentleman in
Spokane from friend in Alaska, gives
the following very interesting account Of
the country and the trip there. The let
ter is dated Circle City, and says
at is eighty miles from Juneau to
Dyea at the head of Lyu canal and 81
miles over the coast range to Lake Lin
derman, the head of navigation for RATS
and small boats bound down the Yukon.
Here huge scow was built capable OF
holding two tons, and IN it our party
consisting of three men and two women
started on our trip to Fort Cudahy, dis
lance OF $50 miles, at which place we
arrived safely. Three other boats and
seven men accompanied us. The jour.
ney down was a pleasant and interesting
one, presenting as the whole of the coun.
try does, a strange contrast in compari.
son with any other found in North
America.
Miners and others coming over start as
early as the middle OF March, hauling
their blankets and supplies on hand
sleds. An upright pole is often placed in
the sled, sail is improvised out Of q
blanket or square piece OF canvas, and,
with favorable wind, the trip is rapidly
made down to open water, generally at
the lower en' of Lake LsBsrge, a die
lance of 1863 miles. Here boats must be
be made by whipsawing lumber for the
purpose. After the lakes and rivers are
clear of ice, boats must be built at Lakes
Lindefman or Bennett. There are three
short portages to be made on the way
down, but with care boats and cargo can
be taken over the rapids at these places
with safety. 1t is known that five men
have lost their lives on their way here
this year--one by falling from a horse
into the Dejae river, one by running into
the ice with canvas boat, two by the
swamping of boat at the White Horse
rapids and one at Rink rapids in the
same manner.
At Lake Lindernan we leave Alaska
and pass the boundary line into the
Northwest territory of the dominion gov
eminent and pass out of it forty miles
below Fort Cudahy at the 14lst line Of
west longitude. At Cudahy there is an
English custom house official, squad Of
mounted police, composed of 20 men,
who, under the command of Captain
Constantine, have erected commodious
and comfortable quarters-the best in the
Yukon region. At this place the North
American Trading & Transportation COM
pany have large store and two ware.
houses filled with supplies of all kinds.
A mile south is the town of Forty Mile,
where there are a number OF saloons and a
general store owned by the Alaska Com.
mercial company. These two places near
the mouth of Forty Mile river are the base
of supplies for the miners at work up
that stream in the various creeks and
gulches, distance of from 40 to 90 miles
away. 1t is $50 miles from Cudahy down
the river Yukon to this place.
This is the most northern town on the
continent OF America and is within 80
miles of the Arctic circle. 1t has at pres
ent, including a few men at the mines
and living in the vicinity, white popu-
lation estimated at 600, of whom ID are
women. 1t has about 800 log houses.
There are three stores, one tin shop. a
blacksmith shop, an opera house, brew
cry, billiard hall and a dozen saloons,
over the bars OF which whskey is sold at
four bits drink and beer at % cents. In
some OF these places a dance is held as
often as twice week, where the native
women are the principal attraction and
cut prominent figure in the entertain.
ment. We have two doctors. One ex-
tracts teeth and the other administers
pills to the the sick and amputates froz.
en- toes. 1t is quiet and orderly COM
munity composed OF many nationalities.
We have no preachers or lawyers, no
officers OF any kind to administer justice,
and unless we have worse element than
is here now will never need any.
For the first time in the history Of
mining in the Yukon district there was a
sufficient amount OF supplies brought up
from st. Michael's to meet the demand
1t costs an average Of 500 to buy wear 8
supply OF the necessary provisions for
one man, though he can have his bill run
up to an amount suitable to his inclina.
ton and the size of his gold sack, for
everything is found for sale from canned
turkey and picked tongue to dried pota-
toes and tomatoes. Flour sells at IS per
hundred pounds, bacon per pound IS
cents, ham 40, beans II, sugar 20, coffee
81, corn and ost meal 20, butter so. COM
mon tea $40, rice 80, lard 30, dried fruits
Of all kinds 30. Whiskey sells all the
way from $40 to $40 gallon.
Looking to the west over low wooded
and swampy country, a distance OF 100
miles, IS seen q range OF mountains the
highest points of which do not rise more
more than $500 feet. At their base are
the streams which produce the yellow
metal that has caused so many people TO