The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1897-09-07

NO Legal Way to Collect Tolls.
There Is not the smallest doubt that
very good trail could Dc made up the
Skagaay with time ani money AT COM
mand, out no one viii undertake the task
OF making such a trail unless he can
legally collect ton over the same 10 re-
imburse the outlay and there is appsr-
entity no authority. outside IF congress.
which can grant a charter All attempts
10 Keep the trail in repafr By forced col
ieeiions work inevitable injustice, as IN
the last closing Of the tran men who
were al the front were denied the privi-
lege OF taking their horses down 20 Skag-
nay 10 iced. and consequently many or
them were but poorly pr0vided fer: and
II horse once loses his strength and
pluck on such a journey. nothing short
Of absolute rest and ample feed VIII re-
store II. As far as this season IS cen
cerned, the situation viii soon work itself
out. In very short time the river be-
yond the summit viii become impossible,
and during the enforced idieness OF win
ter there viii be ample time 10 formulate
programme for the season OF isss which
may work smoothly.
Those who go over on the snow next
spring and push down the river on sIeds
as Tar as possible viii have ample time
In which 20 build their boats. Even II
the multitude now on the trail reaches
Lake Bennett, but a very small percent
age or them could possibly get down the
river for want Of boats. as the facilities
at the sawmli on the lake are totally
inadequate 70 furnish lumber for more
than three small boats daily (as far as
can learn suitable for the outfit of three
or four men each. or accommodation for
about $50 persons monthly. All others
must get out their lumber by whip saws,
and frf "
VIII not square up more than six TO seven
inches.
No Risk to Human Life.
In conclusion IL may be well TO state
positively for the benefit and encourage
ment OF the wives and sweethearts and
sisters of those upon the trail that of risk
10 life on the trail from It's difficulties
there is none. 1t Is not conceivable how
there can be any restitution or suffering
this winter If the gold seekers have taken
care OF their provisions. as il is safe ia
say that the average amount taken in
by each man was amply sufficient for
one years sustenance. and considering
the number who viii return, any loss by
breakage and water in all its forms will
cut no figure. The worst than can happen
TO crowd of young men. such as is col
lected on the Skaguay. endowed with
magnificent youth and vitality is an ex-
perience which they win remember all
their lives; which will develop them into
leaders Of men, or teach them that they
are only qualified for less conspicuous
lines of life. In engineering phrase. we
multiply any statement as 10 physical
possibilities by fractional number called
co-efficient TO reduce a theory TO a prac-
teal working basis; and in any statement
of facts about such proposition as the
Skaguay tran, we must multiply the win
ter's correspondence by the fractional
quantity which will represent his CO.
efficient of veracity. knowledge. expert
ence or executive ability. or the personal
ends which he may have to serve AS
before stated. when the necessary ele-
ment of time is taken into account, all
other serious difficulties absolutely dis
appear
There are no more accidents on the trail
in proportion to its length and the num-
bers of horses upon it than there are on
the trail to the Forty-five mine at Silver
to. and the climb is infinitely less severe.
but what shall be said of the competence
of crowd of 1000 men in charge OF 1000
horses to take care of themselves and
their outfit on such an expedition as an
excursion on the Skaguay, when the
scarcity of horseshoe nails ran them up
TO % cents apiece. and horseshoes were
non-obtainable. No more caustic COM
ment on the foresight of the argonauts
is possible and no more forcible explana-
ton Of the difficulties which have attend
ed the transit and the mutterings Of dis
appointment now reaching the daily
papers. As TO the statement in the morn
ing papers that the gambling element
were doing all In their power to block the
trail, IL was probably made as a purely
theoretical proposition. No man is going
to spend money on a proposition when
somebody else is turning the current of
trade his way by his own acts and the
closing of the trail for four days. thereby
making any number of men idle, was
probably a windfall 10 the gambling ele-
ment as well as sore trial TO men and
horses on the trail ahead who were not
consulted and had no voice in the matter.
4 Leader BADLY Needed.
'rThe leader on the trail mas not yet
made his appearance He will be the man
who will compel travel I'm one direction
only during certain hours each day. who
will not let a horse pass up the tran un-
less properly shod and packed. and not
overloaded: who will see that every man
is competent To perform the duty he has
undertaken. When sucn a leader arises
we shall hear no more Of trouble on the
Skaguay trail, but In the meantime we
must let the struggling mass OF human
ity work out its own salvation, success to
the few and disappointment TO the many,
as in all other walks of life. each man
taking to himself HIS own share of re-
sponsibllity, and not trying 10 transfer IL
10 other shoulders already bearing a suf-
ficient burden"