St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1897-09-17

Indians who guard the headwaters OF
some of the rivers that are said to be
rich in gold. Briefly stated, he was
nearly drownded and was nursed back
to life by the red men, and his friend, who
persisted in entering in the land Of gold
alleged to be further up the river, was
told by the Indians, after an all-night's
session to consider the matter, that they
would permit him to proceed, provided
he married one of their women and be-
come fellow tribesman. He refused.
Now, as to these trails: detailed
statement has been prepared after
thorough, painstaking and expensive ex-
animation. The facts here given are
CLEANED either from personal investiga-
ton and observation, or from reliable
citizens who have gone over the various
trails and have had experience for years
in these routes.
There are two general routes from
Tacoma to Dawson City-one by the
way of st. Mchaels, at the mouth of the
Yukon river, and up the river by steamer,
being the longest way around and the
most expensive; the other by way of
steamer to Telegraph Creek, Dyea,
Skaguay, Chilcat or Fort Wrangle,
thence over several trails and passes to
the headwaters of the Yukon river and
down the river TO the gold fields. The
latter are the shortest, quickest and
cheapest routes.
The St. Michaels route is by steamer
from Tacoma to St. Michaels. distance
of about $500 miles, then by river
steamers up the Yukon to The gold fields,
distance OF about LOO miles further.
The cost of ticket by this route, from
Tacoma to Dawson City, is 5000, in
GLIDING meals and berths. Competition
may reduce this to $50 or even 500,
for ordinary second-class accommoda-
tions.
Freight by this route is high, ranging
from $500 to $1,000 per ton.
The run from Tacoma to Dyea is made
in from II to Is days, and from St.
Michaels to Dawson in from Is to 20
days, while the trip down the river is
made in to 10 days, the river steamers
making about one trip per month.
During the season of 1897 the steamers
Portland. Danube and Bristol made
regular trips to ST. Michaels, and several
schooners also made trips. Probably
three boats will be running soon as
navigation opens in the spring OF 1898
During the season Of 1897 there were
two lines OF steamers running on the
Yukon between st. Michaels and Daw
son-the Alaska Commercial company
which run the Bella, 1856 tons, rs pas
seneers; Alice, 200 tons. 100 passengers
Margaret, 260 tons, 100 passengers;
barges of 22S tons each. tugboat Yukon
10 tons, and tug W. H. Seward, used al
St. Michaels harbor and vicinity. Thu
North American Trading & Transporta
ton company run the John ]. Healey
PAL tons, $50 passengers; Portius B
Weare, 200 tons, rs passengers; and tn
Charles II. Hamilton, 400 tons, 20'
passengers. The steamer Arctic waslos
during the season, and the Victoria an
P. c. Richardson, new boats, will b
ready for the opening of the river in tn
spring of 1898.
The fleet of river boats will be largel
increased in the spring by the additio
of several boats from Tacoma and tn
building OF others on the river.
To make the trip from the landing a
the foot of the mountain passes to Daw
| son, takes about FIVE weeks, under Oh
{ binary conditions. The trip has bee
made in twenty-one days, but. howeve1
without carrying anything more tina
a camp outfit and sufficient supplies to
, the journey. Under ordinary condition
stop of several days has to be made a
Lake Linderman, by the Dyea and Skas
nav routes, to build boats Tor the journe
down the lakes and river to Dawson
over 500 miles, which is made in fror
, six to twelve days.
Chilkoot pass from Dyer is not passs
: BILE for horses, and supplies are take
over on sleds drawn by dogs and met
5 or packed over on the backs of miners G
, Indians. The sleds are made in Tacom;
OF eastern hickory, are Z feet long, l
inches wide, s inches high, and weig
about 80 pounds. The runners al
r steel shod and the knees iron bracet
q About 400 pounds are carried at a loa
over the pass, but after reaching TT
lakes, earley in the spring before tn
, lakes open, the sleds carry from 800
r 1000 pounds. Two or three large dog
, will handle sled, and six or eight max
a fast team.
The White pass, from Skaguay,
S passable, in a limited way, Tor pac
! horses, as well as Tor dogs and sleds,
Packers charge from 16 to 20 cent
!, per pound for carrying supplies over tt
passes from the steamer landing at Dye
or Skaguay to Lake Linderman,
Early IN the spring before the IL
breaks up in the lakes, the journey
made down the lakes by seds until tt
breakup. The river, from White Hor:
! rapids down. is not passable until tt
breakup, on account OF the rough an
c broken condition of the ice and snow
r the river.
p Upon careful personal investigation "
make the following estimate OF the oil
'' tances from the steamer landing at Dye
e and Skaguay, to Dawson City: 49,,
Summit
'e Head of Lake Linderman
. Lake Linderman
aEa