The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1897-08-30
THE LAND OF GOLD

traverzes Norton sound. a distance % %
miles, and fhls only IN fsvoTsbie weat taer,
go t1e ApprtFn pass. thence 80 miles q
the main river.
Thfs must al nc done between June ls
and Ocgcoer l. Sometimes the rirer
starts freezlnE hv the uasSfle 81 Ssrterl-
Der ana s. Msehaels bav has never he@s
opeu before Jora Is The sound tre1zes
over early la winter and seldom Is cne..
before June n This wear the i-e wtrt
ont June Ia. last wear ahout June 21 one
o. IRE Inhabitants very teESeiy n4t tHe
sifuation here. thus. Ser name rseuths
K means from - To O eeETees beioW ana
everything frczen over for twn months
it's mosquitoes, sEd for the other ane
month is depends upo1 the weather
whether it IS faE 0r sunshine" Tr spite
ot tsis. the people here do not seem 70
Dc particularly disseminated.
TIE river steamer having entered fho
river has some saa miles before hep ana
her drauEht cannot safely exceed foar
fest on account of sand hars. A current
ranging upwards II four miles an boar
has "a be overcome an the way up.
Three round trims a season. 4 all goes
vel is good work II four fuli trips ara
naee Il Is exceptional The greatest af-
fert is made 30 complete three trips ard
mese start up river On the fourth
proceeding until The river freezes over
and then Eoing into winter quarters The
river Ice breaks up first ia the spring.
thus enabling the boats 90 40 ln with
taeir Cargo and start hack IN tirie 70
reach S. Mchaels very scan after the
ice leaves the hareor
II Is plain to ~ seen that the difficult
ties o. setting in supplies after they
reach ST Nichaeis are unusual ani ex-
tTaerdiraFy ard that both companies
work under disadvantages beyond their
control.
They are certainly doing all IN their
power az present 20 ger supplies up the
river. The only question ] have 80 far
heard raised was on the selection of tho
river beat caFZoes. The miners here
claim that 700 much whisky VAS sent ~
or the Alaska Commercial Companys
boats. and that the North American
Transportation & Trading Company also
carried more than was needed under tho
circumstances this season. Ths only boat
l saw loaded was tbe Hamilton. es the
North American Transportation & Trad
ing Company. and liquor formed a very
small part Of its cargo.
The solution Of getting more supplies
up the river depends upon two things
An entrance 20 the river direct from the
sea would overcome the difFlcQity. ON
this point there new seems 70 be POS
sibility OF solution. In another article
viii be found the report of the discovery
OF such an entrance.
Under the present circumstances mora
river boats ere imperative. This the
companies ara enaeavorsnE 20 supply.
The North American Transportation q
Trading Company has thrce large boats
IN service and two more building The
Alaska Commercial Company has two
passenger and freight steamers. besides
two harhor and tow boats. a steam barge
and three river barges.
The North American Transportation a
Trading Company, besides building
large barges has contracts placed for
TIVE more boats which viii be added to
the river feet by spring.
This season the service has been the
best ever known. although tho loss Of
the Alaska Commercial rompanyg
steamer Arctic WAS unfortunate While
the steamer service has been 80 largely
Increased. u has been beyond the ranxe
of human caps hiiittes TO keep up with
the influx into the Yukon and unless iib-
erai supplies are taken IN over the Pass
there Will be shortage at Dawson this
winter