The Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Or.) 1862-1899, 1897-12-10
he remainder Of the route is the same

/ 4A4Oilu1hOs Ii lS OO uulJGS IuTCl16T TO
Forty-Mile, and Circle City is 800
miles down the river from Dawson.
The new town of Rampant City is still
about 500 miles further down the Yu-
kon, at the mouth of Munook creek,
not far above the point where the
Tannanah flows into the great river.
This entire lake and river journey is
made in strong boats usually built out
of timber whipsawed by the Yukoners
| on the banks of Lakes Lindermann or
Bennett. There is small saw mill
there. but it is unable to cut enough
timber to fill the demand. Doubtless
other mills will be taken in as soon as
the tramway is completed, but miners
should not rely upon this, but should
take an outfit of tools and material for
building boat, as we'll as oars and
rowlocks. Efforts to take in boats over
the pass last fall were unsuccessful,
even in sections. Though it might be
~easier to do so over the snow, it is
doubtful if it would not consume as
much extra time and labor as the
building of boat would require.
When the tramway is at work, special
ly constructed boats could no doubt be
taken in to advantage, and valuable
time be saved.
The route leads through Lake Linder-
mann, 6 miles, portage to Lake Ben
nett, l mile; down the lake, "a miles;
through Cariboo crossing to Lake Tag
ish, miles; down the lake 10 miles;
by river to Lake Marsh, miles;
across the lake passing Windy Arm,
10 miles. Those who go in the win
ter and early spring can proceed to this
point by drawing their boats on sleds,
but there they must wait for the ice to
break up before proceeding down the
river in their boats, unless they intend
to go through light, dragging a sled
over the snow and ice. twenty-five
miles below Lake Marsh is the dreaded
Miles canyon, and just below this
place are White Horse rapids. Both
of these places may be safely run in
the boat if the utmost care is exer-
cised. Many boats have been wrecked
here and their contents lost, while sew
eral unfortunate men have been
drowned. No one should attempt these
difficult passages without first having
carefully studied the situation. Thirty
miles further down the river is Lake
LIE Barge, 80 miles long. Five Finger
rapids are 163 miles below this lake,
and Rink rapids are 8 miles further.
These are the last of the specially dam
gerous places, though care must be ex-
ercised during the entire journey.
AS to other routes from the coast, |
IL
prominence, and none of them is as yet |
known to make it advisa-
Bile for the ordinary gold seeker to at
tempt them. One of them is the Dali
ton trail, leading noltherly over the
mountains just west of the Chilkoot
pass, and paralleling the lake and
riversroute for about 800 miles, finally
striking the Yukon below the most
dangerous rapids. 1t is claimed that
this is the best route for railroad, but
It is yet to be shown how practicable
It is for general use. The government
will probably attempt to send in re-
lief expedition by this route early in
;he spring.
The Taku and the Stickeen routes,
me starting from Taku inlet, near Ju-
leau, and the other from the Stickeen
liver, near Wrangel, converge at Lake
Ceslin.. Small river steamers can nav
gate this lake and pass down the
river to the Yukon below
he rapids, and thus to Dawson and be-
'ond. 1t is claimed that such steam
rs will be built on the lake in the
pring, and that trails will be opened
p to the lake and pack trains put on,
0 be followed soon by railroads; but
ntil this is actually done the gold
ecker would do we'll not to intrust
imself to the uncertainties of those
outes.
Undoubtedly the most com mfortable
nd easy way to reach the Yukon mines
J by steamer from one of the Pacific
past ports to the mouth of the Yukon,
t St. Michaels, and thence by light
lver steamers up the stream, the dis
ance up the river being ], ,422 miles to
ircle City, and 1,772 to Dawson City.
he trouble with this route is that the
yer is navigable only three months in ,
le year, and then only by small river :
because of frequent bars. The
e breaks up about the Goth of June
nd forms again about the same time Y
September. There are now several Y
Gamers on the river belonging to the f
laska Commercial Company and the C
orth American Transportation and
rading Company, both of which have
aiding posts on the river, with head s
larters at St. Michaels. Both COM t
,nies are building several new vessels t
r next years traffic.
The outlook for this route next sum.
er is that the number of steamers on Z
e river will be utterly inadequate to :
commodate the persons who will be
nded by thousands at ST. Michaels by
and sailing vessels, though n
ere are numerous projects on foot for II
Hiding steamers on the river in the q
ring or towing them thither. As
cry vessel on the river will probably
n in connection with some regular g
can line, and as the Probabilities are a
at the ocean liners will carry more W
and freight than the river
Gamers can handle, it would seem as
ough the only persons who will stand 81
y show of getting through to Dawson W
this route will be those who pur- is
ase through passage from the starting
int to their destination for them 4
YES and supplies. Those who pay Y
ssage only to St. Michaels, or who I
.ch that point by Independent steam
or vessels. will probably be unable
proceed any further. Notwithstand-
: this promises to be the condition A
affairs next summer, there will p
ubtless thousands of men take pass 81
3 in all kinds of craft for st. Mich -.
IS, without providing means for get IS
ur heEnnd that rnint Much dica,, >.