The San Francisco call., 1897-09-19
HORRORS OF THE TRAILS.
That Hundreds Are in Danger of
Freezing and Starving,


WASHINGTON, D. T., Sept $50. W.
Weaver, acting Commissioner OF Labor,
to-day gave tho Associated Press a copy
of a letter on he terrors of the trip across
Alaska TO the Alaskan gold fields. The
letter had Just been received from Samuel
G. Dunham, statistical expert OF the Gov
eminent Department of Labor. who had
been assigned by Commissioner Wrig ht
to make an investigation of the oppor-
tunities which the gold regions in the
Yukon Valley ard adjoining territory
afford for the remunerative employ ment
OF American labor and capital. The let
ter is as follows:
LAKE LINDERMAN, ALASKA, Aug. 26, u NJ,
1897 Commissioner Of Labor, Washington, d.
C.-SIR: l left Dyea Monday morning al IL
o'clock and arrived here Tuesday evening at
z. My four Indians started ahead of me, but
] have not seen anything OF them since they
started, and am waiting for them here. When
l reached the foot of the summit a terrible
storm was raging in the pass, and presume
The Indians went into camp somewhere on the
other side to await better weather
1t has been storming, rain, sleet and snow
alternating, since Tuesday morning. and the
situation is aggravated by q piercing wind of
thirty miles velocity. l had awful eXpe-
rience coming across the summit. l started
out with my handbag strapped on my back,
lnlnklng, as II OuIy WclGneQ 10rty pt uDQS, L
could carry It. 1 managed to struggle along
10 the head OF navigation for canoes, six miles
from Dyea, and there was forced TO employ an
Indian packer, paying him $40 TO carry my
grip TO camp, twelve miles from Dyea.
l spent the night at Sheep Camp, which is
merely a COLLECTION OF tents, and start for
the summit at O clock Tuesday morning in
driZzling rain. Iemployed packer TO carry
my grip from there 10 Lake Linderman, pay
ing S16. At the foot OF the summit we met
perhaps hundred Indian and white pack
erS, who had cached their packs on the trail
above and were returning TO Sheep Camp to
await the abatement of the storm. We were
warned that 1t was dangerous to attempt to
get over, but as the wind was blowing the way
we were going we decided to go ahead, as
telt sure my packers had gene on, and l
wished TO be here when they arrived.
The distance from the foot of the summit to
the Top Is sal 10 BE- tntee-ouBrters OF q mile,
but it sc ms like five miles. The trail ascends
at an angle OF 45 degrees, skirting preeipiees,
where a nisstep won d hurl one 1000 feet be-
low, crossing the fac e Cf glaciers as smooth as
glass, and in many places traversing the pol
ished surface OF & eat granite boWIders hun
dredS OF feet IN extent. Every hundred yards
or so mountain torrents fed by the glaciers,
and on the present occasion augmented by the
rHiuf, II, rush across tue trail aud have 20 be
waded, the waters often coming to the knees.
Add to this gale blowing tittv miles al hour.
with sleet and snow rushing horizontally
through the track. ard Temperature at 80 de-
grees, and you Will have faint idea II the
horrors of my passage across the summit.
After struggling up g steep ascent OF twenty
five 10 tnlrIy-hve feet l would be forced fro m
sheer exhaustion to rest for q moment. bu I
would scarcely stop before the chilling wind
would cut me 10 the marrow and l would have
10 continue my course TO keep from chilling
TO death.
Before reached the summit was wet to the
skin and my boots were iull OF water and the
added weight OF the wafer made it almost i'm
possible to proceed. I finally reached this
camp, at the head Of Lake Linderman, about
O'Clock in the evening, having been eleven
hours III covering Twelve miles, so thorough Y
exhausted that could scarcely draw one foot
after the other.
l had letter from friend to gentleman
who is in camp here, and was kindly received
by him and made as comfortable as possible in
his tent. AS my Indians had not arrived, 1
had no change OF uuderc!othing and was
forced to accept his Offer of suit of warm,
dry underclothing which, supplemented by
hall d teacup OF rum, brought some warmth
back 10 my body. Iremained in bed all day
yesterday. too thoroughly worn out to move.
had some fear OF pneumonia, but with the
exception OF some soreness am feeling fairly
well this morning.
The sun has just made its appearance, and
old-timers say we are likely 10 have good
weather tomorrow. This climate is very
tTescherous, changes being very sudden. On
the ocean side of the mountains 1t rains more
than half the time and rains hard. On ac-
count ot the continuous rains the soil washes
down from the steep mountain-sides, and
wherever there is Il level place you viii find
bog, in TO which q man or horse sinks 10 the
knees at every step. This is one Of the worst
features OF the tialls and makes 1t almost i'm
possible 10 use horses. Many OF the boggy
places have been eorduroyed, and suppose By
next summer the Skaguay trail, which is now
practically impossible on account OF the bogs,
w.ll be in fair condition.
At present the condition OF affairs on both
trails is terrible, and hundreds of men are
bound TO starve and freeze to death If they
continue to come this way. l passed at least
a Thousand men between Dyea and here, and
not more than 100 have got their outfits this
side OF the summit Every fifty yards along
the trail are piles of goods, and Isuppose there
are provisions to the value OF $500 OU0 scat
tered along the trail. Prices for packing and
for all kinds of service nre practically prohib-