The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1897-08-27


In . !. J, ES
in Alaska, and Alaska is ia the United
States, while the Klondyke Is ia for
eign country called Canada. Next please
bear in mind that Juneauis 700 miles from
the gold field, and the intervening dis
tance IS "a bowling wilderness. There
are none but the most primitive means Of
ommunication, no railways or even
wagons; nothing but the human back or
tor a short distance pack horses and dogs.
My information therefore is second hand.
! have not been over the trail; have
only heard and read. Still Think my
information is as reliable as can be had.
! will suppose trip to the Klondyke,
starting from Seattle. Canadians should
buy their outfit in Canada and bond il
through and so save customs duties.
They should buy what they will use in
American territory on this side 50 as not
to break their bonded packages. Ameri-
cans will have to pay duty to the canad-
ian government at the boundary line.
The best place for Americans to out
fit is here in Juneau, even Canadians
will find it best to supply what they have
forgotten or overlooked, when they come
to juneau. overheard areporter Of the
New York World say that Juneau was
the best place to outfit, prices being reas-
enable and the right material being kept
by our merchants. believe it is the
general verdict that Juneau is the best
place to outfit. Our merchants have
made speciality of this business of out
fitting.
A first class ticket from Seattle to Tun-
eau costs $50, and second class S17.
Both include bed and board, but the sec
ond class is pretty rough. You had bet
ter secure your ticket month ahead or
even longer than that.
You must carry in with you everything
you need for year, you need not take
any guns; there are already in the Yukon
more guns than wild animals. It makes
me tired to see whipper-snappers who
would faint with fear at the squawk of a
wild goose, staggering ashore from the
boat, under a load of guns and rifles, and
pistols and knives. Remember, every-
thing has to be carried miles and miles
and twenty or thirty pounds of guns and
ammunition is serious matter at the
end of long tramp through mountain
and bog.
a years grub-stake will cost here be-
tween two and three hundred dollars and
the clothing, shovels and tools will cost
another three hundred, and both .togeth-
er will weigh from six to ten hundred
pounds. In winter you will need a Yu-
kon sleigh. which is best purchased in
Juneau. Freight costs thirty dollars a
ton from Seattle to Juneau, so it is best
to keep it as small as you can as long as
possible; sleigh costs about six dollars.
Good sleigh dogs are useful in winter.
and are worth from one to two hundred
dollars each in the Yukon; but remember
you must carry feed for them.
Arriving at Juneau, you will find large
establishments; at Behrend's, Becker
Bros. Koehler & James and other mer-
chants, and competition keeps prices
down to reasonable profits and gives the
purchaser chance. Hotels here range
from one to two dollars day. The one
dollar day house is favored by Yukon.
ers. After a day or two in Juneau fitting
out, you go in small local steam boats,
or as many are doing, take row boat to
Skagway, or to Dyea. This is about one
hundred miles, Skagway is only about
five miles from Dyea, and leads over the
White Pass. This route is not, l believe,
practicable at present, but will be short
ly, when the corduroy across swamp is
completed. BY this route, horses pack
outfits from salt totresh water, and, when
this is practicable the hard work Of the
trip will be overcome. The rest is only
boating; that is in the summer, of course
in winter the whole way is on the ice.
The route by Dyea, the only one practic-
able at presen, leads over the Chilkoot
Pass. The pass is very steep but the
steep part is only half mile or SO, and
since women, children and babies have
gone over in numbers, think men need
not trouble much about that part.
Reaching Dyea, your things are placed
on the shore and you have to hustle to
get them above high water mark or the
incoming tide will drown your stuff. At
Skagway, ! am told, there is small
wharf. It costs $40 to get from Juneau
to Dyea or Skagway. At present, /
understand they charge u cents pound
to mack from salt water II, the fnn nf <ha