Kansas City journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1897-1928, 1897-12-19
PRESIDENT APPROVES THE kLON-
DIkE APPROPRIATION.
PLANS FOR THE EXPEDITION.
CAPT. d.. L.. BR iINERD WILL PROB
AHLN COMMAND IT.
Three Million Pounds of supplies
viii BE Required and Ii Will
Take 1000 Reindeer to
Transport T~hcm-Gcn
Miles Views.

Washington. Dec. IS.-The president this
afternoon signed the JOINT resolution passed
by congre-~ to-day ~appropriating S3r'."'o
FOR tho relief Of The miners in the Yukon
r4yor country.
II is probable that Captain David l..
Eraincra, 81 The subsistence department of
the army. wiz be placed in charge OF the
Eelicf I-rty. captain Brainerd accom-
panied General Greedy on his Arctic TX
plor:rlous. ANA it is largely through his
horoiSm that tn" small remnant OF The
party was enabled 10 prolonG life until
sucror arrived. lie viii 20 TO pyel or
Skaguay OF Chilcat river with two officers
10 bc selected by General Merriam. 10 ar
range for the expedition and II the
Others. ~ l. expected, find II nee
essary TO return to Seattle 10 report.
Captain Braincrd viii remain on inc
ground to carry out the arrangements.
Secretary Alrer Is giving much study 10
the best means OF getting in supplies 10 the
mirsrs in the Yukon country and mas de-
c!ded 10 ask bids for the delivery OF stores
directly 10 Byea. Skaguay or S,hilcIt. Al
ready Il great deal OF rivalry haN sprung
up among the towns on our faclhc '"iNt
Tor the honor of being the shipping port
of the stores and the business thdt VIII
follow. ana by requiring bidder 10 de-
liVei their goods directly III Alaska Inc
wal department viii be saved the neces-
sity Of making i choice among them.
Secretary Ayers estimate now Is that
no less than 3.rjU an pounds OF food stores
will be required Tor the expedition. inns
makes the transportation problem =. very
serious one. IL = estimated that a rein
deer cannot bc loaded safely with more
than 800 pounds. 20 that no less than l.vp
head of these animals would he required
as "a pack ndin if they were the sole r.li-
anCe.
The following kilograms were received
to-day from Seattle 10y the secretary ana
by him referred 10 General Merriam at
Portland. :
The Post-InteIligencer and its Alaskan
news syndicate haVc mad. preparations to
send an expedition 10 Dawson city. leaving
Seattle n"At Tuesday on 'ile steamer 90,
roma, for Shasuay. II Is Well equipped
with oxen and dogs and will reach Dawson
by February L.. II j. the pioneer mld"lnter
expedition and its services are Offered TO
you for reconnoit.rs and such other pur-
poses as you may be able TO suggest
This afternoon Secretary AlSer sent Il tel
egram to General Merriam inSrruetins him
10 pick out two officers ana nifty of MS
expedition. Captain Brainard is 10 devote
himself first TO experimenting the .selrc-
ton Of stores. their delivery and proper
packing at Dyea for the nip across the
passes. Aft"rward he may 20 across with
one of the expeditions. III. present idea
IS that there will b. twenty Of these par
ties. and they viii be loaded with Loco
tons of food. for which Secretary Alger Will
advertise Immediately under condition of
delivery at pVea.
The United States military attache of the
legation at Stockholm has been cabl-d 10
purchase the reindeer needed az draft ami
mails and to ship Them to Dyua.
Mr.. kjelmann. the chief herd-r of the
Alaskan reindeer herd. il now in l.apland.
where he has been getting an option on
the animals needed.
General Miles believes expeditions should
he sent over both routes To the klondike
region al once. in order 10 have double
chances of one getting through quickly
in case the other il delayed. General Miles
has made for years a special study. OF
Alaskan affairs. having been responsible
for the military protection of the territory
when he commanded the department uf the
Columbia from 1885 to 1871. During tiitt
time lie sent three expeditions through
Alaska.
General Miles says:
.'Of course the sending OF a military es-
cort by water from Puget sound 10 the
mouth of Copper river and 10 Chilcoot
pass will involve considerable expense.
The cost of getting food into that remote
country. particularly AT his season of the
II need not be u wholly gratuitous eNpeuoi-
rure. MANY OF the men that are In 4 SUI
ferinG condition have sufficient gold 10
pay for supplies 50 received. and gratui-
tous issue of supplies should he made only
10 those who are in a destitute condition.
An important feature OF sending eXpedt-
lions through In" interior. especially by
the Copper river route. VIII be TO cOncil-
late the natives, who are liable TO become
hostile. and if possible 10 ally them to
the government and employ them i'll the
government service.
They Will lie exceedingly useful as guides
and interpreters. and can also be employed
in clearing and blazing the trail. placing
landmarks. transporting stores and in
many other ways facilitating the purpose
uf This enterprise. II they are NOT con-
ciliated and disturbances should occur
which would make them hostile. an Indian
war might "nsue in that territory. which
would he the most expensive OF any In
dian War which the government has ever
had TO undertake.