The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1897-04-30

Charles Esplfn. who may be truly dessg-
mated accordingt 10 haekneyed phrase.
''the weIl-known maa-about-town. has
returned from his trip 10 Alaska. bigger
and bVowner than ever. with ragged at
tachment oe whiskers and his right hand
IN sling. He got as far as Sheep camp.
and while packing across the summit met
with painful accident which deprived
him temporarily OF the use OF his right
hand and arm He is going TO resi- cou-
pie CT weeks and then try IL again. Es
pin was one OF the '.ia2' who went from
the Sound on the first special voyage OF
the steamship Mexico through 10 Dyea-
The Mexico left here March 3" said
Esplin yesterday. with 80 passengers
aboard. A stop Of one day was made at
Juneau 70 give those aboard opportunity
10 completes purchases. Dyea was reached
Mexico anchored a mile and a quarter
from the beach at low tide. and the freight
Was Transported TO the beach in the ships
boats. The passengers assisted the crew
IN every way, and much freight was piled
above nigh-water mark. IL was generally
understood that no one was TO take more
than his tents and grub boxes. the captain
agreeing TO land the balance of the freight
on the beach He held 10 this plan for two
days, and then. becoming anxious TO ger
away, he began dumping the freight on
large rock about two miles from where the
other goods We're piled. Eight or ten tons
We're landed in this way. and consider
rising tide II cost the people 81 per canoe
load TO have the freight carried from the
rock TO the beach. The passengers were
greatly dissatisfied. In the two miners
meetings held here before the Mexico sail
ed Il was understood that the ship was 10
land the freight above high-water mark
on the beach.
THE transporting of the freight caused
considerable delay Time was precious
as the snow was rapidly disappearing.
Getting Strengthened out in a day or 50.
rs h..f IN
encamped about "A mile above Dyea,
where wood and fresh water could be OBJ
tanned. From there the next move was
four miles up the river to the foot OF the
canyon, where camp was again pitched.
The head OF the canyon. Pleasant camp.
was the next point lor encampmeni The
canyon is two miles long. with a rise OF
100 or 500 feet. The weather was warm
and the snow began to disappear at a
rate which kept the people hustlng to
keep ahead. Much anxiety was felt. as
everything pointed TO an early breakup
in the canyon. All reached sheep camp
in safety That was the general render
vous before making the final climb over
the pass. a distance Of two miles. with an
almost imperceptioie grade. There was
plenty of snow here until about April H.
when. the trail was worn out by constant
travel.
THE next haul was TO the stone house.
a mile and quarter up the pass; That
sled being good load for one man. From
there TO the foot of the last hill was a
mile and three-qnarters. The freight was
then lifted to the summit by tramway.
IA ma jority OF the Mexico crowd had
crossed the summit by Easter Sunday, or
eighteen DAYS after landing in Dyea. On
$50 or 800 people were over the summit
with 400 yet to cross. When j left Dyea
April Il. there VS. no snow between
there aud the stone house. Packers We're
getting cents pound from Dyea to the
foot OF the canyon. and cents 10 Is cents
from there to Sheep camp. A fellow who
came out about that time reported foot
of water in Lake Linderman and five feet
i'm Lake Bennett. a sign of an early
breakup. There was Thought to be dan
ger of breakup In the canyon between
Crater lake and Lake Linderman. Should
that happen ID will necessitate the use OF
summer trail which is at present prac-
tically impossible because OF the depth
For the development of cussedness rec
ommeni me to a pack over that trail be-
tween Dyea and Sheep camp. II was worth
ones life to get off a joke, and any per-
sonal remarks were taken up at once as
deadly insult. Sheep camp boasts three
saloons and gambling house, and this
may have had something 40 do with the
III nature prevailing. Easter SUNDAY was
so hot on the summit that men worked in
their undershiTts. and there was a gen
erai demand for yaseaine TO soothe burn
ed faces. The women in the party were
dressed like the men and looked very
funny in their suits of Aackinaw.
There was party of newspapsr men.
which crossed the summit with the rest.
The leaders were Dan Fraser and h. M.
Hutchinson. They had eight men and
were well QUILTED In the crowd cross
ing April Is We're n number OF Seattle
men. among whom were Ron alsawtord.
John r Miller. c. r Treat. Frank r.
Sims Joe Barrett NJ. Hunt. Ed White
more. James Harrison and Thomas Sou
beruAsky. Sims is getting thin and treat
is getting corrcSpondingly fat. I think
they will all be thin by the time klon-
dixie is reached. I'm going up again IN
rn,spfp Of weeks