New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-12-23
HELP FOR ALASKAN MlNEho
crcprrARy A1GEh URGING ON THE
RELIEF EXPEDITIONS

,, roS JACKSON GOING TO LAPhAND ''''
,r DISCUSSES THE TRANS
-,oN OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
FOR PURCHASING FooD-THRiND
NO STORY OF WIN
TER JOURNEY.
INV rr,roRApH TO THE rRisU"H|
r,.,,,r.or Dec. 2o-Despite the 1ae' NC ,.
,e,od IN his house by severe
AZ A1gers interest and activity io' ~
-. -, -he suffering miners ana
1919 ere Increasing and every susee'
" ,..,en forward the means Of rehei 10 -.
r' ,o,e,dered. The activity ana ih'eie ~
A.. hsaa ~ the War Department are
.,ar.a nv all the officers OF the amy o..
- hosn or are likely to be caiieo VI.
.srv,cs In this emergency. ana 'he' u" - a,.-
,no es much energy and zeal as 'hey oo"'N
- IN the eve OF an important 'n'h'a''
,o,a, IN the field Everybody concei"@N
roor. 70 realize that the inhospi'aoie ~.
N.,u-s which must be encountered anu w.
cor. before relief can be given are ee .,,a
,o-r,,aahle than any which human ioo 80
,r,ernose to thwart and prevent NV $3.50.
NJ an army To get supplies INTO '.'
-, before the opening OF Inland naVlsa-
IT, q. ,ustIy regarded as the most u''''N"
problem OF all 49,. hecome
secr.tarv Alger seems to have oe0o''''
thoroughly convinced that the means u
variation on which greatest rehance CO...
n,aced ara reindeer. and he mas coiliii'''
The Rev. Dr. Sheldon Jackson VINO mas oeeN
49, vaar. and still is the general agent OIL
odyc,tion for Alaska, under the bureau "a
,,,,oo,,or az a special agent OF the war De
.a-,rnen+ "a proceed Immediately TO Lapianu
"a nrocure six hundred broken ana tra'ieu
reindeer and secure the services oi Sum
c,ent number Of experienced lap teafiis'eis ~
handle and drive them. For this ser''co ''
teamsters will be required Dr. 1acAso'
solend,dly equipped for the service reauneu y.
him II was due to his efforts tha' 'ei"ue
ware introduced into Alaska several years ago.
and he knows what they can 90 IN 'ha' GUN
trv. He Is a militant Christian ana as iu''
~ zeal and energy as he is OF practicai iueoN'
First Lieutenant D. D. Devore, Military Ala u
Secretary Alger will accompany Dr. 1achsoh'
The Secretary also held a long conference
NTH Captain D. c. Brainard who started FOR
Chicago tonight on his way 70 Nah'0u'e'
p.rracks with full power TO purchase all neces-
sary food for the expedition. captain Dfa'"
ard will 20 to Dawson City and act as chief
rOmmtSSary
also ordered the pack train Of the Department
Of the Platte shipped at once to vancouver
Barracks, and these mules will be used on the
Alaskan trails to see II they do not surpass
\ reindeer for heavy travelling General Merriam
j pratiaed the War Department oificials to-day
by telegraphing that Major L. H. Rucker Attn
Cavalry. had already started under orders to
reconnoitre the passes and trails near Dyea
Advertisements for concentrated food and other
supplies will probably be issued by the Depart
ment tomorrow.
DR. JACKSON TALKS OF HIS TRIP.
Or. jackson will leave Washington tomorrow
night, sail from New-York on Saturday. and
waste no time In reaching the objective point
OF his Journey 1T will not be an altogether
pleasant excursion" he remarked to Tribune
correspondent to-day ito go to Lapland and
three degrees above the Arctic Circle In mid
winter, but I hope 70 make the trip success
full one" In Lapland DR.. Jackson will have the
assistance and cooperation Of William A. Kjell
MANN a native Of that country. who has been
for several years superintendent of the Govern
ment reindeer station in Alaska. and who was
sent to Lapland some time ago to induce COL
ony of his countrymen TO settle In Alaska. DE
has recently been instructed to ascertain where
and how many reindeer could be obtained in
case II should be decided to send for them. Dr.
Jackson hopes that the required number will
be obtained and landed in this country by the
middle Of February together with suflcient
number Of trained and experienced Laps TO
handle and drive them. They will be brough;
to New-York and shipped across the continent
by rail as the most expeditions way to get them
where they are needed.
In his annual report which was transmitted
70 the Secretary Of the Interior on thursday.
Dr. Jackson discusses the subject Of Alaskan
inland transportation and communication ex-
haustively and in a most interesting manner
Under the head OF reindeer freighting he says
in psrt: The first thought OF the miner IN
Central Alaska is to secure good claim
hi. next thought is the question Of food
supply with the exception Of FISH, q little
wild eame and limited quantity Of garden
vegetables, there Is no food in the country. All
breadstucs. vegetables. fruits and the larger
nort,on Of the meat must be brought into the
country fom the outside A small quantity OF
nrov,sions is packed on seds and on mems
.hou,ders and brought over the passes OF the
r,burat country in southeastern Alaska. to the
headwaters of the Yukon. The great bulk OF
On. food supply however, is brought In on
.,.auers plyIny on the Yukon River. These
nrov,.ions are necessarily left In warehouses
on the banks of the great river But the MIN
ers who are the consumers. need them at their
claims. which are from ten to one hundreo mics
away from the river
DIFFICULTIES OF TRANSPORTATION.
Now, 1t should be remembered that there are
nm road. in Alaska they exist IN other por-
lions OF the United States. And. with the almost
.tlutable areas of bog and swamp and tundra
and frozen subsoil. II will be Impossible 10 make
and maintain roads except at cost which
would be practically prohibitive. In summer the
.nnnI,es are loaded into small boats. which are
noled ND the small streams packed on mems
hacks 70 the mines. In winter they are hauled
on dog sleds. This costs heavily. From Circle
CITY 10 the Birch Creek mines. distance OF