The record-union., 1897-08-17

dagger, as the river has to be crossed
at several places on the route. At
one point you have 10 ferry across, for
which about So per ton is charged. One
poor fellow was buried yesterday who
had attempted to ford the stream in
that vicinity. He left widow and
children somewhere in Oregon, and a
collection is being taken to send to
them The situation in a nutshell at
this time is just this: If you have
enough money to pay 5000 or 500 per
ton, possibly you can get your freight
to the lake in the next two
weeks. If not, you can attempt the
trip by packing on your back by slow
stages of perhaps a mile or less each
day, and if your strength holds out and
you have average luck there is just
chance that you can get through be-
fore cold weather comes.
The White Pass is somewhat longer
Ghirty-six niles, but has several ad-
vantages. 1t is about / ,000 feet less
altitude. and you come out at Lake
Bennett, where there is yet plenty of
timber 10 be had for boats. Over the
Chilcoot to Lake Linderman timber is
scarce, even for RATS, 50 one would
avoid the delay Of rafting across to
Bennett by taking the White Pass
route. But it is a new trail and one
part of it runs just under and around
a glacier FOR the distance of a mile,
and here they say the horses mire and
founder in the mud, and in a short
time Win make it impossible. Our
crowd however. viii go back TO
Skaguay Bay and take the White
Pass route, providing we can get
horses. We expect Mr.. Wasson in a
few days with eight horses, but do not
know fully what arrangements We will
be able TO make with him, but if we can
hire a few more with his eight, hope
10 get over in two or three trips. II
not, we can stop there and take up
town lots and go in in the spring.
Our main trouble now is to get our
baggage and freight separated. The
steamship company has dumped us out
on the rocks and are bringing the
freight over in lighters. piling it in
heaps, and I suppose when all is un-
loaded viii pull UP anchor and get away
from the mass as soon as they cam
We are helping to unload the cargo, or
it would take them a month 10 get
everything ashore. In the end we Will
all have to separate the freight the
best we can. l am writing at inter
walls as opportunity permits. Some one
is getting away with small articles left
unguarded. I'm the heaviest loser,
some one having taken my overcoat
and pistol from the cabin of the ship
when my back was turned. One In
dian was made good night before last
at Skaguay while caught in the act
of stealing You can, maybe, get some
idea Of the situation here by my let
ter but I haven't told half II Will
be made much worse soon by arrival OF
several more shiploads of people. What
the result viii be, it is hard to say.
We are fortunate now in having fine
weather. If it can hold out little
longer we will be thankful. Don t
think from the tome of my letter that
we are in the least discouraged. We
are better off than the majority, with
even chances with most of them to
get into Klondike. On the whole, it's
lots of fun, and whatever comes we
viii be fixed to make camp when it
becomes necessary.
by. Ben Bullard, as a last resort, says
he can go into the real estate bust
ness any time. The only time Bill
Ahern had looked blue was when he
tumbled into the bay yesterday. All
are feeling fine and in good spirits. L
haven't time TO write more, but Will
have opportunities to write as long as
We stay in this vicinity. The willamette
is not due until the 11th.
If you see any one that contemplates
starting this way, tell them to stay
away until there are some means or
transportation established unless they
have plenty of cash to see them
through. 1t would be utter folly TO
try to get through now with less than
81 600.
VIII write again in a few days, or at
least before We get away again. Give
my love to all.
FRANK P. JACKSON.