The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1897-09-29
officials Terrible Journey.

receiNed from Samuei Z. Dunham
statistical expert Of the government
Department Of Labor, who had beer
assigned by Commissioner Wright tC
make an investigation of the opportuni
ties which the gold regions in the Yu,
kon Valley and adjoining territory af
forded for the remunerative employ.
ment of American labor and capital.
The letter is as follows:
LAKE LINDERMAN, AIaska, August
Is. commissioner Of Labor, Washing.
ton ID. c.: Sir-I left Dyea Monday
morning, at IL o'clock, and arrived
here Tuesday evening, at Z. My four
Indians started ahead of me, but j
have not seen anything of them since
the start, and am waiting for them
here. When / reached the foot Of the
summit terrible storm was raging on
the pass, and presume the Indians
went into camp somewhere on the
other side TO await better weather.
''It has been stormy-rain, sleet and
SNOW rnating-constantly on the
summit since Tuesday morning, and
the situation is aggravated by piercing
winds of thirty miles velocity. 1 had
an awful experience coming across the
summit. | started out with my hand
bag strapped on my back, thinking
that as it weighed only 10 yOunds
could carry it. 1 managed to struggle
along to the head of navigation for
canoes, six miles from Dyea, and was
there forced to pay an Indian packer
sl0to carry my grip 10 Sheep Camp,
twelve miles from Dyea. | spent the
night at Sheep Camp, which is merely
a collection of tents, and started for the
summit at 5 o'clock Tuesday morning,
in drizzling, cold rain. | employed
a packer to carry my grip from there
to Lake Linderman, paying him
SIS.
"At the foot of the summit we met
perhaps 100 Indian and white packers,
who had cached their packs on the
trail above and were returning to Sheep
Camp to await an abatement of the
storm. We were warned that it was
dangerous to attempt to get over, but
as the wind was blowing the way We
were going we decided to go ahead, as
felt sure my packers had gone on,
aud I wished to be there when they ar
rived.
''The distance from the foot OF the
summit to the top is said to be three
quarters of mile, but it seemed like
five miles. The trail ascends at an
angle of forty-five degrees, skirting
precipices where a misstip would hurl
one 1000 feet below, crossing the face of
glaciers as smooth as glass, and in
many places traversing the polished
surface of great granite bowlders hun
dreds of feet in extent. Every 100
yards or so mountain torrents, fed by
the glaciers, and on the present occa-
sion augmented by the rainfall, rush
across the trail, and have to be waded,
the water often coming to knees. Add to
this gale blowing fifty miles an hour,
with sleet and snow rushing hOrizOnt-
ally through the air, and the tempera-
ture at 80 degrees, and you will have a
faint idea of the horrors of my passage
across the summit.
after struggling up a steep ascent of
- to 30 feet, / would be forced from
sheer exhaustion to rest for a moment,
but would scarcely stop before chill
ing wind would cut me to the marrow,
and | would have to continue my
course to keep from chilling to death.
Before l reached the summit | was wet
to the skin, and my boots were full of
water, and the added weight of the
water made il almost impossible TO
proceed. finally reached this camp,
at the head of Lake Linderman, about
: o'clock in the evening, having been
eleven hours in covering twelve miles,
so thoroughly exhausted that l could
scarcely drag one foot after the other.
IL had letter from friend to a
| gentleman who is in camp here, and
was kindly received by him and made
as comfortable n possible in his tent.
As my Indians had not arrived, had
no change of underc.othing, and was
forced to accept his offer of suit of
warm, dry underclothing, and these,
/ supplemented by half a teacupful of
rum, brought some warmth back to
my body. / remained in bed all day
yesterday, too thoroughly worn out TO
move. l had some fear Of pneumonia,
but, with the exception of some sore
nes, am feeling very well this morn.
ing"
TREACHEROUS CLIMATE
"rhe sun has just made its appear.
sae,, and old-timers say We are likely
to have good weather by tomorrow.
This climate is very treacherous
changes being very sudden. On the
ocean side of the mountains it rains
more than half the time, and rains
hard. On account Of the continuous
rains the soil washes down from the
steep mountain sides, and wherever
there is n level place you will find a bog
into which man or horse sinks to the
knees at every step. This is one of the
worst features of the trails, and makes
it almost impossible to use horses.
Many of the boggy places have been
eorduroyed, and suppose by nexl
summer Skaguay trail, which is now
practically impossible on account o.
the bogs, will be in fair condition.
"At present the condition of affairs
on the trail is terrible, and hundreds OF
men are bound to starve and freeze to
death if they continue to come thi:
way. | passed at least 1000 men be-
tween Dyea and here, and not more
than 100 have got their outfits this side
of the summit. Every 80 yards along
the trail are piles of goods, and I sup.
pose there are provisions to the value
of 500, 900 scattered along the trail.
prices for packing and for all kind
of service are practically prohibitory
for most of those who are attempting L
get in, so many are carrying over thei
own outfits. Some of the Indians car
~ as much as 200 pounds at one load
| and make the trim from Dvaa In LAX,