Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-12-17
MILES, RELIEF PLAN
Would Send Two Expeditions to the
Klondike.
MADE 4 STUDY OF TEE SUBJECT
Demonstrates the Need of Prompt
Action.
TRAILS WHICH HE PREFERS

N''N 'S>iSeois VI w al III ANTICIPATION OF I'M.
mediate action by Congress for the relief
| OF miners in the Klondike country has
sent a telegram to Gen. Merriam. COM
manding the depaftment of Columbia at
vancouver barracks. Washington. Girect-
Ing him to serd two or three competent
offlcers of the army to Dyea and vicinity
to reconnoiter and report to the depart.
| ment how supplies can best be gotten
across tho passes to Dawson. They are to
report specially whether cattle can be
driven on foot across the passes. and. II SO.
| which is the easiest pass to cross. and. if
not possible to get them all the way
through. whether they can be driven part
OF the way and their carcasses cut up and
| carried the remainder.
ALREADY the War Department has two
| parties In Alaska. one under Col. Randall
at ST. Michaers, at the mouth of the Yukon
river, and the other. consisting of two Off
GERS, Capt. Ray and another somewhere
IN the vicinity of Circle City. The Secre-
lary OF W ar has made another move in the
direction of preparation, having been in
strumental in sending to Lapland Mr.. Kjal-
MANN the herder of the government rein
e aeers rs IN Alaska, to get options on a stock
OF the animals, to be forwarded to Alaska
ior use In transporting supplies.
Former Military Expeditions.
Gen. Miles has made a special s,udv NJ
the situation of affairs in Alaska and ho,b
he and Secretary Alger are deeply inter-
ested In relieving the prevailing distress
IN that far-of country. He told a Star re-
porter last night that two expeditions will
De sent TO the mining country-one by the
copper river route and the other by the
Dalton trail-and that the dominion gov
,nI erHilieht VIII be asked TO cooperate in IA
cillatlns The progress of the enterprise
when Alaska was acquired by our gov
erhment, said Gen. Miles, ''it was occu.
pied by brigade of Russian troops under
command of Prince Macsantoff The com
n1dhd OF the territory was turned over to
Gen. Rosseau, and for several Years was
occupied by United States military forces.
Inc troops We're gradually withdrawn and
the territory turned over to the Treasury
Department in 1891. Subsequently the ter
r;tory was occupied by civil government
Win governor, marshal, etc. During the
military occupation of the territory very
niue knowledge was obtained of the in
teilor. Its waters We're to some extent ex-
piored by the naval forces of the United
States.
During the time from 1885 to 1855 while
was in command of the department of
the Columbia | sent three expeditions
through Alaska The first was under Lieut.
Frederick Schwatka. in 1883: the second
was under Lieut.. Abercrombie in 1855 and
the third was under Lieut.. II. T. Allen
later In the same year. Lieut.. Abercrom-
bic conducted an expedition up the Copper
River valley, and Lieut.. Allen went up the
Copper river thence across the divide and
down the Tanana to the Yukon thence
TO Bering sea.
During the last few years miners have
been prospecting that territory and reports
have been received from time to time OF
discoveries of valuable mineral deposits,
gold, silver and copper, much so that
1t was estimated year ago that a thou
SAND men had gone into that country to
seek for its minerals. Owing to the severi-
ty of the climate. the extreme rugged
broken character of its topography, and It's
great distance from any sources of supply,
the transportation is most difficult, and
supplies almost impossible to obtain. The
country is entirely unlike any other por-
tion Of the United States. where shelter
from the severity of the weather can be OBJ
tained and where abundance of game may
be found upon which man can subsst.
Probability of Suffering.
"It is now estimated that there are an
proximately 5000 men either in our terri
tory or in British Columbia. Immediately
adjacent to the boundary. The people en-
gagged i'm sending supplies to that remote
country have failed to furnish sufficient
food to last the miners during the winter,
and it is quite probable that there will be
great suffering, If not many deaths before
relief can reach them, or supplies can be
sent to them in the ordinary way at the
opening of water communication in the
summer of next year.
Probably % per cent of these men are
ClliZciiS Ol lne United states engaged IN
the most commendable enterprise of OBJ
tanning from mother earth treasures that
will be of great benefit to our people. AS
the army has for 100 years been placed
between the pioneer, the miner the home
builder and their savage foes or impend-
ing dangers, IL seems but proper that the
military forces should render every assist
ance In this emergency that is possible.
In my opinion, the government is war
ranted in eXerting every effort to send
relief and sustenance to these miners.
THE distance from water communica-
ton in an air line to Belle Isle is as fol-
lows: From the mouth of the Yukon river,
700 miles; from Chilkoot Pass, 420 miles,
and from the mouth of the Copper river,
$40 miles. The distance in following the
windings of the great Yukon river, navf-
gable for 1000 miles, is 1,1O0 miles, and
from the Chilkoot Pass. 775 miles. The
latter course also follows the windings OF
the upper Yukon. The distance from the
mouth of Copper river is much shorter and
more direct, but as the route has never
been fully explored, 1t is impossible to give
the exact distance.
LAS water communication by the Yukon
is now closed. 1 believe that two expe-
ditions should be sent-one over what is
known as the Dalton trail from Dyea to
Dawson City, Belle Isle or Circle City; the
other from the mouth of Copper river to
Belle Isle. The Dalton trail extends but
short distance through our territory, being
principally along the upper Yukon river
in British Columbia. Hence to send an
expedition by that route will require the
approval of the Canadian government, and
probably the two governments viii CO.
operate in this humane enterprise. We
could at least clear the trail and make
the route practicable as far as it extends
within our territory, and IL permission is
given by the Canadian government can
send relief by that route through British
Columbia.
The Copper River Route.
1.-The route from the mouth Of Copper
river extends entirely through our own ter
r:tory, and in my opinion is practicable for
sending supplies to the places already men,
toned. or to a point near the boundary line.
where depot Of supplies. an asylum and a
he spital could be established. / have,
recommended that Congress give
for the sending of two expedi-
tions with food and hospital supplies with
a. little delay as possible.
''Of course the sending Of a military es-
cort by water from Puget sound to the
mouth of Copper river and to Chlkoot Pass
VIII involve considerable expense. The cost
Of getting food into that remote country
particularly at this season of the year Will
be very great. but It need nos