The Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Or.) 1862-1899, 1897-09-03
THE TRAIL is OPEN.
A Few of Those Gathered at Skagua.
Can Now Escape.

A Few of Those Gathered at skaguay
Can Now Escape.
Seattle, Sept. 1.-The following let
ter was received per steamer Utopia,
which arrived in Seattle today:
Skaguay, Aug. 25.-The jam is broken
on the Skaguay trail. A number of
outfits have gotten over, and there is a
steady stream of moving humanity,
mixed up in an almost indescribable
mass of horses of all sizes, ages and
conditions, mules, steers, milch COWS,
goats and dogs, also vehicles of every
description and kind to be imagined.
Three steamers are now unloading on
lighters, which convey the freight as
near the shore as possible, where it is
loaded on wagons or carried above high
tide. The Utopia is unloading at the
only wharf-a very shaky structure.
Two piledrivers are at work on another
dock, which is intended to be sub
stantial one.
A new sawmill got up steam for the
first time this morning. Rough lumber
is worth $27 per 1000, but cannot be
got half fast enough at any price. The
city of tents is not being displaced, but
reinforced by a city of "shacks of all
sizes and degrees of finish. Skaguay is
the boom town of Alaska. Every man
whose heart failed him when he en-
countered the first hardship has turned
townsite boomer. Four weeks ago
Skaguay was not known; today there
are not less than 5000 people here, in
addition to those on the ships in the
harbor. They have surveyed off the
townsite, the first corners having first
choice. The United States commits
sioner is issuing some kind of certifi-
cate for fee of S.; then the squatter
sticks up his tent, shack, or corral, and
is ready to "skin" the first tenderfoot
that comes along. Transfers by quit
claim are quite common, and as high
as 5000 has been paid for choice loca-
tion.
Skaguay has all the usual accompani
ments of a frontier mining town.
Dance halls and scarlet women are
plentiful, while roulette, faro, and stud
poker and craps find devotees ready to
tempt tickle fortunes smile.
There is no danger of famine here,
though there may be shortage in certain
lines. On all sides, Smiling plenty
as if conjured by some enchanter" here
abounds. Great piles of hay, grain,
flour, bacon, sugar and all the necessa-
ries are in stock apparently enough to
last for some time to come. There are
not less than 2,O00 horses at work on
the Skaguay trail, but it is hard to get
anyone to contract TO deliver you over
the summit-at any price-but you can
get over for about 80 cents pound, if
you are willing to wait and contract by
sections The packers at this end of
the trail do not like to contract farther
than the first hill, six miles out, then
one has to hire another outfit.
At Dyea the Indians are moving the
freight in an almost unbroken stream
from the landing to Lake Lindeman,
and it is no trouble to contract to get
ones entire outfit over at one trip for
30-to 35 cents per pound. No one
should come expecting to get over this
fall for less rate, and no one should
bring boats. There are boats, set up,
knocked down, in sections, and single
boards on both trails from the landing
to the base of the summit, but not one
has yet been taken over.
Another Rich Strike.
Tacoma, Wash, Sept. IA letter to
the Ledger has just been received from
the north fork of the Mcmillan river,
Alaska, from George Lennon, addressed
to his wife, in South Tacoma, giving
particulars of fabulouslv rich strike
on this tributary of the Mcmillan river.
He and his partner went there from
the Yukon on information from An In
dian, who accompanied them, last
spring, and he says they have struck a
locality richer than the Klondike. In
three months they have made cleanup
of $50, 900. He says they have lard
bucket and bean can full of nuggets,
and although they have no scales, they
believe it will run at least the amount
named. They have staked off five
claims, and he tells his wife to send up
four friends, whom he designated, as
quickly as possible, to locate the ad-
joining properties, the law being that
one man can locate only one claim.
The letter was sent down by the In
dian, who takes $500 or $500 worth OF
nuggets to lay in fresh supply for the
winter. Lennon says he will not be
out before next summer, and thinks his
friends can reach there by the middle
of October over the Chilcoot pass. Nc
MILAN river is between 200 and 800
miles south of Klondike, and until
lately has been an unexplored region.
He expresses fear of scurvy breaking
out this winter unless they can get some
green vegetables in, but adds that
nothing would induce him to leave the
diggings until next year, as by that
time they are confident of having sew.
eral hundred thousand dollars.
Nh nnfYz