The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-12-13
JOURNEY TO ALASKA VIA EDM0N-
TON IS STILL FULL OF con-
LECTURE.
UNEMPLOYED PIECE OF LAND.
WHAT A FORMER OFFICER OF THE
NORTHWEST MOUNTED PO-
LICE SAYS.
NO GOLD ON THE ATHABAsGA.
He Prospected mt Numerous Points
and Never Found the Color on
Any Bar.

A gentleman who was for number
Of years connected with the Northwest
mounted police and is familiar with
the so-called Edmonton route to Alaska
Is at present employed by large st.
Paul firm. From his personal knowl-
edge Of the country he says that many
Of the representations about that route
are incorrect. He takes exception to
much that Is contained in story in
Saturday evening paper under CAL
gary, N. W. T., date about the expe-
rience Of L. Warmots, who Is seeking
the Klondike by that route. This gen
tleman said last night to a reporter for
the G o b e:
There has been a great deal said
about the Edmonton route to the klon-
dixie and 1 have seen it's practicability
advocated in numerous articles, but
none Of them have impressed me as
having been written by those who hao
had good opportunities of knowing
whereof they wrote. In fact, an article
that appeared in the local papers cop
led from the Hamilton, Ont, Spectator
(at the end of JULY, written by gen.
tleman who accompanied Caspar Whit
ney on a part Of his trip to the Barren
Lands should have been, in my opinion,
officially suppressed as being calculat-
ed to lead men into difficulties from
which they would find 1t very hard TO
extricate themselves, for II man finds
himself up in that country without
means he is liable to have trouble get
ting out of it, as facilities for earning
money are very limited. Mr.. Hem1ng,
who wrote the article. stated that all
that was needed was "a good constitu-
ton, some experience in boating ana
camping, and about $3.50" OF this latter,
the second-class fare to Edmonton was
to cost $4,000. Now it is conceded that
every man going to the Klond1ke should
take at least enough provisions, etc. to
last him one year; the neglect to do this
has caused the existing trouble at
Dawson Mr.. Heming tells prospective
Klondikers that they can buy their ca
noes at Edmonton and their provisions
along the route from the Hudson Bay
posts. know for fact that there are
not, nor have there been, three canoes
for sale at Edmonton for the last seven
or eight years. AS for the provisions
that the Hudson Bay company will sell
YOU in the Mckenzie district, L can only
say that they will not keep you
from starving very long for they are
not there to sell provisions to white
men, and make no mistake about GO.
ing it. I don't suppose there is post
In the WIOlS VI lllS <alLciOc1oS@ "a 49,
Kenzie river districts that by early
summer, when they receive their yearly
supplies. will not be almost entirely
cleaned out in the course of their reg
ular business, that is trading with
Indians at Klondike profits.
'Mr. Heming advises canoeing 1t from
the Athabasca landing, and states that
no guide is necessary to Fort McPher-
son. Apart from the fact that canoes
are totally inadequate to take the
quantity CT supplies necessary, would
take execution to this statement. Be
tween the Grand Rapids and Fort Nc
Murray there are ninety miles OF very
bad rapids, through which the Oldest
and most experienced traders THINK the
services of steersman with THOR
ough knowledge Of the river necessary
and never go through without one, and
thew are all pretty good men on the
river themselves.
"The practicability Of the end of the
trip Is so far merely conJectural. mere
is considerable tracking up the Red
river to be done, and whether 1t is pos
sikle or not remains yet to be seen. Inc
200 miles across country to the Klon-
dixie may be for all we as yet know TO
the contrary worse than the Chilkoot.
MI. Ogilvie, who probably knows as
much about that country as any white
man. is very non-comm1ttal about IT,
and only says that he once heard a
miner say he crossed it and found 1t
grayeIly hills AS far as taking loads
over there with dogs it is out of the
question. dog is doing we'll when
ii takes $50 pounds, and figure In that
about three pounds a day for It's own
consumption, and you will find that
YOU will want lot Of dogs.
"An article in the Dispatch last night
contained the statement, by Mr.. War
molts, that the route was a very GOOD
one-that his party left Chicago Aug.
81. and they are now wintering at Fort
Resolution, about half way on their
tourney. I believe a great many who
went by the Chilkoot since that date
are at Dawson City by this time, and
this party has net as yet commenced
the worst part of the trip.
eft is stated In this article that bars
were passed where $40 day could be
made. Three years ago about 300 min
ers worked the Athabasca above the
landing to the headwaters. and during
the summer I don't think $4,000 was
cleaned up. have prospected the river
at numerous points lower down during
a summer spent on it, and never found
a color on any bar, nor did ever hear
of one being found below Athabasca
landing"