Herald and tribune. [volume] (Jonesborough, Tenn.) 1869-current, 1897-10-20
OUR ALASKA LETTER.
Some Of the Hardships to be Met
Influence Of Women with the Miners on the
March and IN Camp,
special correspondents Herald & TrIOunel
TACOMA, October 5, 1856

IT.
My trip-to the Chilkoot and White
passes has been great treat, and
although I failed to send a letter last
week, have enough very interesting
notes that would make dozen letters
OF ten columns each. The round trip
to the passes can be made in two weeks
with plenty of time to Inspect the trail,
and the expense needhot be over $50
all told. IL
There are people up there from all
parts of the United States, and the
whole world besides. Men are there
fresh from South Africa, Others are
from Australia and Europe. Every State
in the Union is represented, and the
strangest thing about the people you
meet there is the fact that they are not,
as rule, discouraged, although en-
icountering the most trying hardships.
But, of course, there are exceptions,
and you find men who denounce every.
thing connected with Klondike and
Alaska. This is especially true on the
Skaguay or White Pass. where many
have lost all their outfits and have
spent all their money trying to get
over the most damnable scratch on the
face of mountain thatever was desig.
mated as ''pass." There never was
pass there and probably never will be
one. Some surveyors sblazed way
along the side Of the mountain last
summer, and then number of men
who were interested in a possible rail
way into the interior, announced that
''the trail was open" and the people
rushed in like so many sheep. They
struggled for weeks 10 the mud and
over the-rocks, and not over 200 out of
5000 got over the ''impassable pass"
Up the trail from Skaguay there is
enough provisions going to waste to
load ship. They were thrown away
by men who thought to get through
by thus reducing their packs. There
are bags Of beans, flour potatoes. ba.
con, and hams scattered along the
trailfor miles. Toe side few feet
in the brush, big Saratoga trunk
may be seen,a few miles from Skaguay.
The person who costis off started out
with the idea that he or she would
need it along the trail. Her counter
part in man broughteup bicycle.
What nonsense Another man took in
canvass sacks to carry out his nuggets
of gold.
There are dead horsess by the hun.
dred along the trail. They are better
dead than alive. Their horrible suf.
ferings are ended. For days some of
them had carried packs along the trail
with blood gushing from wounds at
every step. After working all day they
were frequently left standing all night
in the rain without blanket on and
without anything to eat. They could
not rest without fiouudering in the
mud and slush and that they would
not do until too weak to stand up.
Their owners would not return for
food, and sometimes fed them on beaue
and flour. Really, the suffering OF the
horses on the Skaguay trail is one OF
the saddest subjects to dwell on in can.
nection with the Klondike excitem ent,
And, am told, horse could not pos.
sibly carry food enough for 1t to live
on and reach the summit OF the White
Pass, to say nothing of carrying packs
And yet most Klondikers who return
say they dare not tell the true situation
up there for fear of trouble when they
return in the spring.
While at Sheep Camp, on the Chill
koot trail, u man came in ut night with
his last load of goods. The horses had
been faithfully packing for him all
day, and for days for week. He had
plenty of hay and oats, but they were
valuable and could be sold at, fancy
prices. So. when the last pound of the
masters pack was unloaded, the hun
cry and tired horses were taken aside
few yardsin the brush and theil
j
brains were blown out. They were MOI
worth the feed that would sustain
them. But such fate was more mer
ciful than to turn them loose, as wal
done In many instances, and allow
them to starve to death or die in grea
agony from eating poisonous moss ant
roots.
/ But men have suffered on the trails
too. After working ahead for month
on the Skaguay trail, men have at las
arrived at the. conclusion that they
could not get over the ''impassabl,
pass" All their money had been ex
pended Ia trying to get to the goal
their goods were worthless, SO far in
land, 1t would neither pay to bring th,
goods out or attempt to carry then
along, Then the weary seeker for golt
] had to do one of two things, remain
with his pack and live off 1t, or aban
don it altogether. One man, In par
ticular, after having been robbed o.
1,4O0. pressed on fourteen miles owe
the Skaguay trail. Finally 1t dawnet
upon him thathe could not possibl,
get to the lakes, and he quietly, with.
out saying word to any one, CLOSED
his tent over his $500 outfit and de
lberately walked down to Skagua,
and bought ticket for Puget Sound
and will return to San Francisco.
He had had enough Klondike ant
will not return. He was one of tn,