The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-12-31
CANADA WILL ASSIST
COMPLETED FOR
THE KLONDIKE EXPEDITIONS.
Mounted Police of the Northwest Ter
ritCry to Accompany the United
States Military Ctaard.

WASHINGTON, Dec. S0-Mr. Sifton, the
Canadian minister of the interior, called at
the War Department by appointment to-day
and had long conference with Assistant
Secretary Miekeljohn, who is giving his at
tention to the A<londike relief expedition
during the illness of Secretary Alger. Hav-
ing secured the consent of the British gov
erment to passage of United States troops
to be used guards over Canadian terri
tory, what remained to be, done was to ar
range for the admission of the supplies to
be taken to the miners without payment of
duties, provided they are not sold for more
than their actual cost. The conference to-
day was harmonious. The arrangement eff
fected with Mr.. Sifton contemplates that
the relief expedition shall be executed joint
ly by the United States army and a force
of the mounted police Of Canada, which
constitutes the military arm of the North
west Territory. The United States force will
proceed with the relief stores to Skaguay,
where it will be joined by the Ca
madam mounted police, about forty
in number, and the two forces
will then proceed together to the
points where the relief is to be distributed.
The determination to Skaguay is how
ever, still open. The Canadian officials con-
cede much latitude TO the American author
tiles in the actual distribution, recognizing
that the expedition is fitted out on this side,
although a considerable part of its work
will be done on the Canadian side of the
border. No duties will be imposed on the
stores carried by the relief expedition. Mr..
Sifton also held conference with Secretary
Gage and discussed the unsatisfactory con-
dition of customs regulations along the bor-
n nd ut or
ceived by one country for transportation to
the other country. 1t was the mutual feel
ing that an improvement of the system
could be made, and negotiations are IN prog
reSS which hoped to effect changes ad-
vantageouS to both sides.
Mr.. Sifton says that the only practicable
route to Dawson City is what is known as
the White pass, or comoInnly called the
lake route, commencing at Skaguay on Lynn
in tb nave apecf "a nave
fifty more at Skaguay on or before Jan. ..
They have twenty tons of supplies now
stored at Skaguay for transportation over
the pass, tc which will be added ten tons
within the next ten days for transpor-
tation over the pass. The Canadian author
tiles have a post at Lake Bennett, another
at Tagish, at which latter place twenty men
are Stationed another at White Horse Rap
ids and two posts intervening between the
latter port and Fort Selkirk. 1t is the in
tentOn of the Canadian government to have
a detachment of $50 men in the territory
within the next thirty days. Their detach-
ment will be ready to leave Skaguay on the
18th prox but the minister has kindly con-
scented to hold the expedition that they may
accompany the expedition of the War De-
partment, which will leave Skaguay on or
before Feb. l. The Canadian government
has kindly consented to grant escorts to our
expedition, provided the cooperation cam
not be consummated. The government du-
ties on all supplies sent in under military
control will be waived by the Canadian gov
eminent. The minister was over the pass in
October last He stated that the govern
ment would be very glad to grant our expe-
dition the use of their posts on the route,
and grant all other facilities to the move
ment of our expedition over their territory.
Secretary Alger has received two reports
from Captain Robinson, the contract quar-
termaster at Seattle, touching the respective
merits of the different trails leading from
the seaboard into the Klondike country. He
made through inquiry at the direction of
the secretary and in substance his conclu-
sions reached after conference with Jack
Dalton and other experts, is that The Dalton
trail is not we'll adapted to the uses of the
government expedition during the winter,
but that the Skaguay route is PROBABLY the
best. The captain says he has had An in
terview with one man who claims 10 have
10000 pounds of beef stored at Lake l}cnnett,
which he is willing to sell at a dollar per
pound. The same man says he mas 10000
at the same place with which he proposes
to organize a sled train into Dawson. Capt.
Robinson says himself that his opinion is that
the difficulty of reaching Dawson has oe1n
very much exaggerated and that a good
army officer could make his way in with
an expedition. Montana horses should be
used.