Lincoln County leader. [volume] (Toledo, Lincoln County, Or.) 1893-1987, 1897-12-31
.o1e .o1edo lincoln County Oregon Friday December q, soz
A LETTER FROM ALASKA.
w. A. Peek Writes an Interesting Let
ter from that country.

Ft. Wrangel, Alaska, Dec. 20,
Editor LEADER:-Fort Wrangel
is about one thousand miles north
of Yaquina, Oregon, and has a pop
ulation of about 800 whites, 800 ma
tives, and half million dogs (more
or less), of al sorts and sizes with
every known bark and howl, from
the high-pitched poodle soprano and
kiota tenor, to the full. fedged grey
wolf alto howl.
There are in course of construc-
ton in Wrangel at the present time
more than thirty buildings.
They consist of residences, cottages,
warehouses, and a hotel $50 feet
long and so feet front, with as
many more under contract to be
built as fast as the material can be
produced. The sawmill cuts about
thirty thousand feet per day, and is
taxed to its fullest capacity and can
not keep up with the demand for
lumber.
Wrangel is having a genuine
boom, and destined in the near
future to be one of the best, if not
the very best town in all Alaska.
1t is the starting point of the Stick
cen route to the Yukon gold fields,
which is the most practical route in
to the mining districts. Up the
Stickeen river to Telegraph station
it is $50 miles, from there overland
to Lake Teslin about $50 miles,
thence down the Hootalinqua river
to the Hootalinqua river to the Yu-
ken. The Stickeen river is navig-
for river steamesfAs. IS relfforHalef. lfo orle 4sta5eu
boats will be put on the route as
the ice breaks up in the spring.
From Telegraph station the over
land route runs mostly through fer
tile valleys in which grass grows
three feet high, with many of the
plants and flowers common to the
Northern and Eastern states. 1t is
the opinion of many who have trav-
eled over this route that good crops
of grain could be grown on these
inland valley.
The Hootalinqua river, which
has its source i'll Lake Teslin is g
tributary to the Yukon, and is g
fine navigable stream from source
; to mouth for river steamers attel
the ice breaks up in the spring
, This usually happens about the the
> first of April. This makes route
by which the prospector may trave
through the very heart of the golo
fields of Alaska, and have but I5c
miles of land travel on the who'll
;, route, by starting at Wrangel, vi
a the Stickeen, down lake Teslin ant
5 the Hootalinqua river, and dow
|. the Yukon to St. Michaels, ant
. back south by sea. The gold bear
ing quartz fields begin at the yer,
doors of Wrangel.
= After the rivers and lakes ar
2 frozen up this is the best sledg
I route in Alaska, as there are n
: high passes to go over. So it is a
3 all year round route, with the eS
: ception of about two or three week
: in the fall while the ice is forming
: and about the same in the sprin
: when it is breaking up.
: The weather in Alaska, or
3 least in this particular part of it,
: avery great surprise to anyone az
: customed to read Of the terrible rit
ors Of the northern cline. Tt
= whole month of November was {
bright and fair as it possibly coul
> be anywhere, but was cold, rangin
from 10 to "a degrees above zer'
The air was so dry that lumb'
would season in one, week equal
ne kiln drying. The first day Of d