The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1897-09-20
RELIEF FOR xLoNDIKERs.
Secretary AIgsr Considering nsaiarea 10
Aid suffering Gold Seekers.

WASHINGTON, Sept, l9.-Two repre-
sentatlves of the North American Trad
ing and Transportation Company
Messrs. p. B. weare and Michael Gu
daily, of Chicago, arrived here to-day
They came at the special request of Sec
retary of War Aiger, who desired to con-
fer with them in regard to the question of
sending relief supplies to the gold-seek-
ers In the Klondke country, should tho
investigation now being made by Cap
tain Ray, OF the army. show such meas
ures to be necessary. Shortly after their
arrival In the city the two gentlemeli
went to the residence of Secretary Alger,
where they remained with him the great
er part OF this evening, The possibility
Of the need OF government aid OF the
miners during the coming winter was
hroached by Secretary Alger In cabi-
net meeting during the past week, the
secretary feeling that the interests OF
humanity dictated that some plan
whereby aid could be extended should be
determined upon. in the event It was
found necessary =
To-nlghts conference was mainly a
preliminary one. in which, however, the
whole question was gone over In q very
thorough manner
Mr. Weare, who has spent some time In
Alaska, was able to give the secretary
much information bearing on the topo'
graphy, climate distances from place tn
place and other conditions which would
have to be confronted II aid were under
taken. Secretary Alger said tonight
that nothing final had been determined
upon and that nothing would be, until q
report had been received from Captain
Ray The latter Is supposed to be now
at Dawson City and his report is expect
ed here about the middle OF October. An
important matter upon which Secretary
Alger especially desired the opinion OF
Messrs. Weare and Cudahy was the feas.
iblllty of locomotive sled designed to
draw logs and other material over the
ice. This has been in successful opera
tion In the logging camps in Wisconsin
and Its adaptabllity to this work lnflu-
enced the secretary to believe that It
might be put into practical operation in
Alaska should relief measures be neces-
sary. The representatives of the trad
Ing company had examined n diawlne
of the sled and had Its workings briefly
explained to them and they expressed
the opinion that It might be feasible for
the purpose contemplated. Secretary
Ayers idea Is that the sieds might be
taken to st. Michaels by ship but even II
this Were not possible, he believes they
could be taken plece-meal over the Chill.
coot Pass and thence to the Yukon.
Messrs. Weare and Cudahy say there
are ample provisions for 5000 men for
one year at ST. Mlchaels, and they be-
lieve that II found necessary the sleds
could be used to transport these supplies
to Dawson City during the coming win
ter.
Secretary Alger has received letter
from the superintendent OF construction
for the patentee OF the sleds In which the
writer says he understands that the Yu-
kon river freezes solid enough to be used
as a road: also that between White Pass
and Fort Selkirk, distance of $50 miles
the land Is practically level and q good
wagon road can be easily made That
he says is within 200 miles OF Dawson
City and the river would furnish the roao
the rest of the way.
Secretary Alger tonight announced
that that company of soldiers for the
military post to be established at st.
Michaels, would leave Seattle during the
coming week.