The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1897-01-06
A. PERlLOUS ROUTE.
The Unique Mail Service Into the
Interior of Alaska.
How Letters Are Carried to the
Upper Yukon.

the whole world, rs we'll as the most
unique and the longest star route SER
vice on record, has just been estab-
lished by the government through the
heart OF Alaska. A vast part OF the
territory is wild and uninhabited. but
about the recently discovered gold
fields there has sprung up rude sort
Of civilization aud the hordes OF pros
pectors aud miners who have nocked
there dazzled by the intermittent re-
ports OF rich strikes have settled sec
tion of the interior region. The gilt
tering of gold at Circle City. 900
miles inland on the upper Yukon
river, attracted q large number OF
miners aud others. who after settling
had no regular mail communication
with the rest OF tho world. Compelled
TO trust to chance In sending ont their
mail they sometimes paid as much as
q dollar n letter for the privilege OF
sending by persons leaving camp for
| civilization.
The country was 90 inaccessible that
10 was difficult even to secure any ac-
currate information, aud the major
portion OF the vast tract is still ns lit
| tie known in the United States as the
remotest parts OF the henrt OF Africa.
Postmaster General Wilson, through
his assistants, looked over this field
and its needs. and after lengthy cor
respondence with Governor Sheakley,
| finally obtained some data. He found
that in the vicinity OF Circle City
there were about 900 people aud many
more during the winter; that in going
over the proposed route, which has
now been adopted and is being Gov
cred under contract, beginning at
juneau, the mails could be carried by
| river for n distance of about 100
miles. Then would have to be en-
countered difficult portage of over
thirty miles. Supplies have to be
packed on the backs of Indians over
this stretch, at the end OF which the
upper Yukon is reached.
For the remainder of the distance
TO Circle City it was decided, as is
now being done, to carry the mails on
the river in small boat during
| short season when the river is open
and at other times by II dog train.
This service is now ON accomplished
fact. The first step was taken by the
establishment of a post Office named
Circle on March 10 last. l.. n.
Question was appointed postmaster
and not long afterward contract was
signed with the Yukon Transporta-
tion Company, II Chicago enterprise,
for carrying letter mail over the route.
The compensation for tho service is
| $500 round trip. Tho first trip was
made on June II, when 1,474 letters
were started from Juneau and carried
into the Circle City post office on the
14th of the following month. This
initial expedition was under the per-
sonal supervision of the president of
the contracting company, N. A. Bed
loe.
| The season was very late, and while
the snow was too soft to permit the
taking of the launches over the Chill
koot pass the lakes were not sulli-
ciently open to allowof their use To
overcome this obstacle lumber was
purchased for two boats, to be built
on the other side OF Chilkoot pass,
where they would be launched on the
lakes. Half way to the summit of the
mountain it was carried by the Indians.
when, tired out and exhausted, they
absolutely refused to carry the lumber
further, and it had to be abandoned.
Nothing daunted, the party pushed
on with the mail and supplies, and 1t
the lakes logs were cut and boat
built From there down, going day
and night, there was no mishap, but
the seething waters of the can.
yons aud the terrible rapids passed
through are enough to add years to a
mans life. The question now with
the little expedition was to get the re-
turn mail back to Juneau at the ear.
liest moment possible. It was impos-
sible to start mp the river owing to the
rapid water. For 500 miles the cur.
rent averaged eight miles an hour.
Then Bedloe concluded that il no re-
mained at Circle City until the end OF
the month it would take forty five
lays to pole the boat up the river.
| "a -. Iao;I,I xo ~. -