The daily morning journal and courier., 1897-07-27
TIE YUKON GOLD FIELDS
EFFORTS TO SECURE BETTER MEANS
 OF TRANSPORTATION.

Ah6 lNubn VO tnc
 satisfaction With the Treasury Depart-
 ment's Action Making Dyea Sub-Port
 of Entry--Talk of Military Post at
 Alaska.
 San Francisco, July 26-N. F. Picotte of the Yukon country who has been in this city several days, gives an in teresting account of the efforts of pio- neers of that locality to secure more modern means of conveyance into the gold fields.
 While at Circle City and Forty Mile last year." says Picotte, i've consider ed seriously the possibility of securing aid from the Canadian government to build a railway into this district. We secured as reliable data as we could and forwarded it to Ottawa. Finally an appropriation of S5,000 was passed
 by the parliament, and surveyors or dered to take the field this year.
 There are two practical routes by which this country might be reached
 by a railway. One of these Is from
 point on the Canadian Pacific; the oth-
 CT Is from Dyea. As far as we were
 able to ascertain neither presents many difficulties. That from Dyea would be the shorter for the reason that only some eighty miles of road would have to be built, the rest of the route to the mines being by means of the river. Of course during the winter season this
 route would be closed as far as the riv- CT is concerned. This road would do
 away with the difficulties of the Chil-
 kat Pass. It naturally would be a clos CT means of communication with San
 Francisco, and for that reason Is not likely to be favored by the Canadian government.
 "The other route Is about five hun dred miles longer, but, being entirely within the Dominion of Canada is like
 ly to receive consideration at the hands of the government. The moneyed men of that section are willing to assist in any enterprise of this character which will tend to develop the country. The attention of the world has been called to our country, and the idea that roth- ing but fairy tales have been written l about It's wealth is being, dissipated." l Seattle, Wash, July 26.-The steamer I City of Topeka arrived here from Alas
 ka at two o'clock this morning. She | brought no passengers nor gold from | the klondike fields, but reports that the miners are Hooking towards Dyea | by the score from Juneau and Sitka, | and that both of these places threaten | to be depopulated.
 Fort Townsend, Wash, July 26.-The | steamer Mexico has just left here with l four hundred passengers, all except fif- l ty being bound for the Klondike gold | fields They went well provlsioned and | equipped. Many have supplies for a
 three years stay. The party was made | up of men representing all callings and | professions, including a number of vet
 erans who joined the similar rush to | the gold fields In California nearly half
 century ago.
 San Francisco, July 26-The Pacific Coast Steamship people are much ex- ercised over the action of the treasury
 department in making Dyea sub-port
 of entry, which they claim was done l at the request of the Canadian Pacific | Navigation company, through the Do- | minion government. The Canadian | Pacific company operates a line of steamers between Victoria and Juneau and asked to have United States GUS l toms officers placed on board their boats which they wanted to run through to Dyea direct. These officers were to collect duties and thus obviate neces- | sity of landing cargoes at Juneau. The treasury department went even further and made Dyea a sub-port of entry. The local steamship companies say this | will turn gold hunters from the east to the Canadian route, to the injury of the local line.