The San Francisco call., 1897-09-21
Build a r abroad From
Skaguay to Lake
Bennett.
Expect to Transport Twenty
Thousand Persons Next
Summer.
Other Companies Are Forming and
Agents Are s eeking Business
for the Rival Routes.

SEATTLE WASH, Sept. 20.-United
States Senator John P. Jones of Nevada,
James McNaught of New York, ex-coun-
sci of the Northern Pacific Railroad Com
pany. and ex-United States Senator Wat
son c. Squire, expect to make fortunes out
OF the AlaskS country next spring. They
have incorporated the Yukon Railway
Company under the laws of New Jersey.
Their lead Office will be in New York
City, where Mr.. McNaught, who is now
practicing law there, will personally have
charge of the Eastern affairs of the COM
pany. 1t is proposed to build a narrow
gauge railroad from Skaguay to Lake
Bennett.
F. c. Farnham, the mining engineer of
California reached Seattle from New
York, where he received his instructions
to proceed 70 Skaguay with all possible
speed and do the necessary preliminary
work. Mr.. Farnham states that the United
States Government has granted q right of
way and tre road will be in operation not
later than May. Mr.. Farnham has already
arranged for the necessary material to be
used in the construction of the road. The
best that can be bought will be used in the
construction of the road, because the COM
pany believes that the population of
Alaska will not only increase, but will be
permanent, and that the railroad will pay
from the start and be a money making
proposition until greater capital sees fit to
cover the country from the south coast to
the interior with a railroad system.
The com pany has not as yet decided
how much passengers will be charged for
a trip from SkagCay TO Lake Bennett. At
the present time the company does not
expect to run any steamers on the lake or
Yukon, but will likely enter traffic ar
rangements with one of the numerous
com panies that contemplate such enter
prises.
There is no reason why the Yukon
Com pany cars should not carry 20, 600 peo-
pie from Skaguay to Lake Bennett this
summer" said local member of the COM
pany to-day. I'VE have given the matter
careful and mature consideration. The
West, as matter OF fact, has no concep-
ton OF the excitement that reIgns in the
East over the Yukon gold fields. 1t is
temporarily dying out in the West, be-
cause We have heard so much about il, but
in the East and South it has just COM
menced to boom. Why, had a letter to-
day from the South telling that at least
500 men who intended to leave there in
the spring for the Klondike viii take their
departure from the South during the next
Jew days. The yellow fever is driving
them West, where they will stay until
early spring and then start for the gold
felds.'
Inc belief prevails here that those who
60 IN the spring will make the trip at
very small expense. The new railroad
company referred to will have rival in
the company that will put in a tramway
system over ChiIcoot. The tramway peo-
pie say they will be able to do the cheap
est and best traffic business, and the Yu-
kon Railway Company says it will have
the superior facilities and carry goods for
less than they can 90 by the tram way
route. 1t is an actual fact that already
these rival companies have agents in this
city and in the East who are quietly bid
ding for the spring trade; but rates are
looked for.
In addition to these lines Andrew F.
Burleigh, ex-receiver of the Northern Pa
ciic, will havea railroad and the Canadian
Pacific another.