The San Francisco call., 1897-09-05
CANNOT GET THROUGH.
Hundreds Try in Vain to Cross
White Pass, Which Is Beyond
Hum an Effort to Remedy.

Hum an Effort to Remedy.
SEATTLE, WASH Sept. 4.-1he Skag-
uay trail over Waite Pass is beyond the
power of human effort 10 remedy. Hun
dteds OF miners at the new camp on the
Alaska shore have given up all hope OF
getting through this winter. They are
preparing 10 winter at Skaguay, Dyea and
Juneau. Hundreds more are selling their
outfits and preparing TO return TO civiliza-
tion and warm tiresides in the States.
few hardy spirits, animated by grim de-
termination to do or die, have remained
on The trail and will camp where their
goods lie till the first freeze comes this
tall. Then they will be able to cross the
bogs that make the trail terror alike for
man and beast, and when snow flies they
hope to penetrate the Yukon valley by
dog sled.
This is the story brought down from
Skaguay by Harry Fredercks, we'll
known young business man of this city.
Mr.. Fredericks went to Skagray August
12, for the purpose of ascertaining what,
if any, inducement there might be for
any one to embark in business there. He
returned home on the steamer Rosalie
which left the camp of the disheartened
gold hunters Monday, arriving here this
morning. The trail had been closed for
three days by the miners, and a goodly
mum ber of them set to work blasting out
the distractions that lay in their pathway
TO The gold fields beyond the mountain
barrier, and others set about to corduroy
the road. where rain and the bogs had
made the trail impossible for either men
or animals. A few of the worst spots
were fixed, and then the horde of miners
began to grow i'm patient for another trial
al The pass.
On Monday last the trail was opened.
At day break 200 men and as many horses
stood ready to cross over. Some of the
first succeeded in getting little way.
The first that went over the soft places
where logs had been laid in en- effort to
make it a corduroy road, spoiled the trail
and made it as bad as before. The logs
and tim bers slipped quickly out of place,
there being no foundation to the road.
Added to this came the rain and cold,
chilling blasts on top of the mountains.
Horses sank beneath their burdens
ard died. In little while the trail was
again blocked and hundreds Of angry,
desperate men turned back, cursing their
fate and the man who built the trail.
II have gone partly over the trail N.Y.
SELF said Mr.. Fredericks to-day, "and have
talked with many who have been to the
other side. The trail was opened Monday
morning at day broak and at noon man
came down saying that there was a block
ade and that the horses were making the
boegy places as bad as ever. A jam re.
suited and when l left the situation was
not tho least bit more reassuring than
before.
"At Skaguay 1 saw Captain Harry
Struve. who was captain OF the Portland
when she was the Haytian Republic. He
had lost some of his horses, but had man.
aged to get his goods part way over. He
was back In Skaguay, though, and it was
said that he had given up all hope OF get.
ting through this winter. There WAS q
rum or that he was coming back here.
II do not believe, from what ! heard.
that more than fifty people have crossed
the summit of White Pass. Not half have
their goods further than the first hill. At
the foot of this is big camp OF tents and
miners. There is another at the beach.
was told that at Sheep Camp, on the
Dyea or Chilcoot Pass, 1900 men were
camped. A Jew are getting over that way,
but very slowly. The Indians receive from
3s to As cents per pound for packing over
the Chilcoot. l heard that two big Swedes
were working there and carrying 225
pounds each. They were making nearly
Sl00 per day. A mum Ger of men are work
ing at packing over the Skaguay trail.
They get So per dey. Each can carry