The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1897-11-07
DESTINY Of SKAGUAY CITY.
ID. J.. MkINNEY CONSIDERS 1T A
FUTURE METROPOLIS.
A Wagon Road tn he Bailt From the
Town 10 Lake Bennett, q Dis
lance of Thirfy-two Miies-No Dis
Satisfaction With Seattle Outfits

Sksguay City has one enthusiasts al
nirer in the person % y. J. Mckinney,
chairman % all committees and fuzzy
lneriting the title BY waicn ne Is fanl!-
larry known. Mayer OF Skaguay- The
confidence he expresses in the future Of
the gateway OF W n4te pass - unoouace1-
Il look 10 see il some day the metrop-
oils OF the northwest he said yesterday.
1T has fine situation and ali the nat
ural resources OF large city. Tne Aar-
Dor Is the only one 90 Lynn canal a
lake OF pure water, mile long and half
a mile wide. lies above the city al an
elevation of .se feet. a source of water
supply and a power that could be u;il-
lied in manufactures. OF al the routes
into the Yukon none offers the advan-
tages OF White pass. All that is neces-
ssry Is the construction OF roadway
through the valley of the Skaguay river
and this We win soon have"
II u in the interest OF the roadway that
Mr.. Mckinney returned 10 Seattle
Wednesday on the steamship Ai-ki- He
VIII attempt 10 interest local capital in
the proposition. and combining pleasure
with business viii remain with his fam
lily in this city until next February. he
viii then go 20 Skaguay and push on
over the ice, With over $50 pounds OF
provisions. 10 Dawson City. Il Is his in
tsniion to remain on the Yukon but a
short time. His interests lie in Skaguay,
which he regards as a KIondike on IT'S
own account. Explaining his plan to
build road he said yesterday:
The trail over the summit, built by
Moore, seems to have been designed 10
take in as much land as possible. IL goes
over four mountains and each descent
brings a man back to the same river. L
could not see why such a way should be
taken. and going in once 10 Lake Ben
nett / returned by following the river
bed l waded the river in two places and
found the route entirely practical for a
wagon road. Careful surveys were made
and We estimate that the road will cost
about sSoeo1. No summit will be crossed.
At its highest point the road will be 60
feet lower than the White pass and the
grade throughout is per cent. There
are now twelve men at work under En-
gineer Brown, of the Seattle Bridge Co,
and we expect to have the road com-
pieted by April ]. In time TO accommo-
date the spring rush. Two steel bridges
viii cross the Skaguay. One OF these is
now on the way 10 Skaguay In the care
Of n. b. Smith. BY the new route the
distance to Lake Bennett viii be but g.
miles and We will be able to take outfits
from salt 10 fresh water for eight cents
Parties interested in the proposition
are President Thomas Ward, Of Skag-
uay; the Kerry Lumber Company; Sc
attic Bridge Company; David Sampson
or SkagUay; DR.. Runnels. formerly of
Puyallup; c. r. Kelly, formerly a drug
gist Of Seattle: myself and several others
There is no question that the wagon
road will catch the bulk of travel next
spring. Willis Thorp. who attempted TO
take his cattle In by the Dalton trail, is
now going in by White pass. He con-
slders it a good trail The men who
have come back 10 Seattle disguised are
the tenderfeet who never attempted to
cross 20 Lake Bennett. They knew moth
Ing of packing and were easily discour-
aged. Why. when left there were parties
going through every day
People are not deserving Skaguay City
by any means. The place has between
1900 and 400 people and Is gaining in
habitants rather than losing We have
as business houses. % saloons, five large
hotels and number of smaller ones.
many restaurants. eight blacksmith
shops. four butcher shops. two bath
houses, one weekly newspaper that is