Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1897-10-02
SEMI-LOCAL NEWS.
Authentic News.


James Heron, formerly of Barton,
this county, with Joseph Denny and
Water Smith, of Roslyn, Washington,
left the latter place about the middle
of July for the Klondike gold field. AT
the summit of Skaguay Pass, reached
Sunday, Sept. >, he penned a letter,
published in the Cascade Miner, of
Roslyn, Sept. Is, from which the fol-
lowing extract is made
| suppose you want to know something of
the Skaguay trail. Well, it would be i'm.
possible for me to describe it to you as it
really is, for have never seen anything in
my life like it, and so far have only been
over half of it, but it is the worst half We
have all our goods at the summit of the pass
and have down-hill pull the balance of the
way to Lake Bennett.
1t has rained every day on lis for three
weeEs, but we have not stopped for it, but
packed ahead, slept in wet clothes every
We had two horses and lost them with dis
temper. We have packed most of our stuff
on our backs this far, and it is very hard
work. We'had two men two weeks helping
us and had to pay them 81 per day and board.
They left us today someone offered them 80
money give any price to get over the trail.
We have bought three more horses and
Walter Smith has gone to Skaguay to get
them shod. Blacksmiths charge 81 for shoe
ing horse all round. Oats is 50 % per hum
dred and hay is $50 per ton. Packing by
horses is 80 cents per pound from Skaguay
Bay to Lake Bennett and it is almost impos-
sible to get it done for that. 1t is a good days
work for a horse with $50 pounds pack to
make six miles over the trail in one day so
you can imagine what kind of trail it is
very steep, very rocky and very muddy.
know there are over 100 dead horses on
the first half of the trail. The stencil from
them is almost unbearable. They are COM
mencing to burn them up. There are over
1000 horses packing on the first half of the
trail. Joe Denney and | sat on rock and
waited for one pack train of horses to pass us
and we counted 1888 and then quit counting
The trail is lined with tents and piles of goods
IN every place there is room to pile them, and
the trail is full of men and horses going and
coming until it is almost impossible to pass
one another. 1t is one of the greatest sights
ever saw. You see men in a mad rush with
so, rs or 100 pounds strapped on their backs,
fiaplack IN one hand and a chunk of SOW
belly in the other (neither Of them half cook
ed) eating as they go along with their pack
The regular salutation is:
Hello, pardner. How far have you got
along 2"
oh, am up the first HILL" or cover the
second hill or "at Porcupine Bridge" or
the top of Porcupine HILL" or the first
river bridge" or "the second BRIDGE or 1.-THE
last bridge" or "the last ford of the river"
or II am over the last hill" or lat the Sum
init" or lat Shallow Lake." or 'at Middle
Lake or lat Last Lake. or Il have got to
Lake Bennett" where they start down the
Yukon. But if you could see the happy low
full countenance Of the man who says he has
reached Lake Bennett you would never for
get it if you lived to be as old as Methuselah
Well, Joe is snoring among the wet blank
cts and the candle is nearly burned down,
(no electric lights here), so will close.
Mr.. Heron, as said before, is a Bar
ton boy. He was a salesman for eight
years in J. Tibbetts q Co.'s store, an
establishment willing to vouch for any
statement he makes.
1t is evident that all the gold q man
can obtain as a reward for such hard
ship and toll as he describes will be
dearly earned.