The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-04-25
AWAY UP IN PRICE.
MORE TILUABLE THIN HORSES
NOW IN TIE NORTHWEST.

the Goid Miners in the Yukon Country In
Atnskn-Thcir Advantages Over Iuorses-A
Fleet OF Bnthtubs for the Yukon Camps.
TACOMA, Wash, April 2o.-Dogs have sudden
ly become moro valuable than horses in this 500
tion OF tho Northwest. This state Of affairs re-
suits from tho great and growing demand for
dogs to DO used In hauling slodges in the Yukon
country, Alaska. While thousands OF horses
for which their owners cannot got SO n head are
roaming over tho plains OF eastern Washington
and Oregon, good.sizcd DOGS arc bringing from
Sl5 to $50 each in the local market. At juneau
their value IL double what IL Is here, and on the
Yukon River q good dos brings from 800 to
$50. To tho Yukon miner the dog has become
what tho reindeer is to the Laplander and the
pony to the cowboys OF Texas and MeXico-a
beast of service and a most valuable ono.
Every steamer sailing for Alaska for three
months past has borne northward several dozen
dogs destined for service in front OF heavily
lndcn slcdgcs. They are taken by boat to Dyca,
Mt the head of salt wntor navigation. and thefo
put into harness to assist in hauling outfits and
supplies over tho Chilkoot Pass and down the
further slope to the series of fresh water lakes
forming tho hcadwntcrs OF the Yukon's tribu-
taries. Up to May, when the ice brcnks up, dog
teams slide over tho smooth surface OF these
lakes with surprising rapidity. considering the
loads they haul. There arc ~portagcs to be made
around dangerous rapids, and here again their
services are invaluable. Arriving at the con-
trail posts. such as Forty Mile or Circle City,
both men and dogs take a rest. In most cases
the dogs arc put into harness again for the trip
to tho diggings.
Tho sledgc dogs arc too valuable not to bo
taken well care Of where that is possible. Their
owners first thought in this respect Ia to obtain
plenty Of food for them. Their food consists
principally Of fish, usually salmon. caught in the
Yukon River by the natives. An ordinary dog
will eat daily two pounds Of dried salmon,
which equals seven pounds of fresh fish. AZ
Forty Mile last winter dried salmon sold at from
20 to 80 cents a pound, and bacon that was fit
only for dogs to eat sold for 37ia cents a pound.
In some of tho larger camps on the Yukon dog
boarding houses have been established, where
the animals arc properly cared for at from SO to
S15 a month, according to the season and the
price of dog food.
The native Yukon dog is much moro valuable
than the importations from Puget Sound. The
dogs must be acclimated in order to stand the
seventies of the winter. 1t is found that dogs
taken from Montana and Dakota endure the Yu-
kon winters with less suffering than those bred
in the milder climate Of Puget Sound. TIVE
splendid specimens of native Alaska dogs were
brought here a few days ago. their owner finding
II cheaper to pay their passage on the steamer
than to have them boarded at Dyea during his
90 and the other SO pounds. The large one cost
Its owner s1l7 at Circle, City. 1t is a
q Missionaries tSs V went q, the Y 5s%a,n
yfSeFi sho ass o. and tho one %uef san. h RIEsl. h fSSR
mpmsclod, Snd have exceptionally short and
Ike those OF the Eskimo dog. Their coats are
dark. and the hair. while not close, is smooth and
against the Arctic winters and the Yukon
mIPo mo Ts.l by the side of which the ferossity Of
lns Specials SsM iHlsr pTsp SaciaftdE oPP ifi ood ln mod ies asF n mSsi
and coarse meat from the packing houses is now
and seems likely to come into general use.
Buckskin moccssins are provided by many
owners i%g ,ynrn to * keep @ III the ,f feet 90 Of tn, the animals from be.
about nine inches long and made much after the
pattern Of a Ghild's st9clking. Pack saddles are
10 to 20 pounds besides drawing q sled: Tho
ranged to prevent the pack from sliding forward
A Tacoma dealer has built up a large business
IN the manufacture of dog harness. A suit Of
harness usually weighs 2l2 pounds. The collar
the necessity Of bucklins it about the animaIss
neck when the drivers hands are cold and numb.
skin and stuffed with deer hair. The names are
inclosed in the collar. and attached to them are
are placed rings to which the traces OF a dog in the
lead may be Sttached. making It easy to drive
tive dogs arc made Of heavy web material, boz
cause the do5s ca. the leather harness. They
~ Jul LS oiiai VII siSut u ptTIulltcu 10 10 So
This peculiar craving makes it necessary 70
keep the animals separated when harnesscd. so
that they shall not masticate one another's col
lar. When the web traces become oily the dogs
chew even them, and 1t is only a matter of time
when the web trappinss become food for the
hungry creatures.
This spring several parties have taken burroO
and small horses In lieu OF dogs for draught and
general service boasts. 1t Is claimed that one
pony or burro will draw 5000 pounds on the
frozen surface OF n lake. Another advantage
claimed is that they can be more proftably used
as pack animals during the summer. A Circle
City firm works a train OF thirteen horses, haul.
ing from 800 to l 300 pounds each on sleds and
miners, however. unite in declaring that the
dog is holding its own well against the compete
ton of the horse and that dogs will be needed
on the Yukon in large numbers for years to
come. 1t is expected that within n few years
the Government will be able to supply many
reindeer from the herd at Point Barrow.
4. VI. Mechanic ana A. NJ. Stems. two Eastern
minors. have jH' started north with a new
kind OF frcigh onvcyance. 1t is q water and
ice craft Comnir 'i. The main part is a box,
built like n large watering trough. 3 feet long,
% inches wide across tho bottom, 3 feet across
the top, and % inches high. Beneath the box
are two runners, 8 inches high. and II little
longer than the bed. Tho party has six of these
convcyanccs, which will be used as sleds on
land and boats on water. For use in the wnter
two of the sleds will be joined together by
blocks Mt tho ends. making a stronger water
craft. To each side of the conveyance log will
be attached. TO render it more buoyant. The
trouRh-likc boxes are made OF galvanized iron,
and II is intended to sell them on the Yukon for
bathtubs, the cost OF u bath there being 81.