The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-12-19
MILES Has Il PLAN
EELONDIEE RELIEF EXPEDITION,
he THINKS, SHOULD BE SPLIT
IN TWO.
OVER SEPARATE ROUTES.
ONE OF THE PARTIES WOULD BE
SURE TO REACH DAWSON
CITY.
SEPARATE ROUTES.
For Il Number of Years Alaska Was
In the Department Under His
Command.

NEW YORK, Dec 1S.-Gen. Miles be-
lieves expeditions should be sent over
both routes to the Klondike region at
once in order to have double chances
of one getting through quickly in case
the other is delayed, says a correspon-
dent of the Tribune at Washington.
Gen. Miles has made for years a spe-
cial study of Alaskan affairs, having
been responsible for the military pro-
lection of the territory when he COM
manded the department of the Co
lumbia, from 1883 to 1885. During that
time he sent three expeditions through
Alaska. The first was under Lieut..
Frederick SchWatka in 1888; the sec
end was under Lieut. Abercrombie in
1855, and the third was under Lieut..
Allen, later in the same year. Lieut.
Abercrombie conducted an expedition
up the Copper river valley, and Lieut.
Allen went up the Copper river, thence
across the divide and down the Tanana
to the Yukon, thence to Boring sea.
Gen. Miles says: II believe that two
expeditions should be sent-one over
the Dalton trail from Dyea to Daw-
son City, Belle Isle or Circle City; the
other from the mouth of Copper river
to Belle Isle. The Dalton trail ex-
tends only a short distance through
our territory, being principally along
the Upper Yukon river in British
Columbia. Hence to send an expedi-
ton by that route will require the ap-
prevail of the Canadian government,
and probably the two governments will
cooperate in this humane enterprise
We could at least clear the trail, and
make the route practicable as far as
it extends within our territory, and, If
permission is given by the Canadian
government, send relief by that route
through British Columbia The route
from the mouth of Copper river eX-
tends entirely through our own terri
tory, and, in my opinion, is practicable
for sending supplies to the places al
ready mentioned; or to any point near
the boundary where a depot of sup
plies, an asylum and a hospital could
be established. l have therefore recon-
mended that congress give authority
for the sending of two expeditions with
food and hospital supplies, with as lit
tie delay as possible
"Of course, the sending of a military
escort, by water, from Puget sound to
the mouth of Copper river and to Chill
coot pass, will involve considerable ex-
peDse. The cost of getting food into
that remote country, particularly at
this season of the year will necessarily
be very great, but it need not be
wholly gratuitous expenditure Many
of the men that are in suffering con-
dition have sufficient gold to pay for
supplies, on receiving them, and gratu-
itous issue of supplies should be made
only to those who are in destitute
condition. An important feature of
sending expeditions through the inte-
rior, especially by the Copper river
route, will be to concillate the natives
who are liable to become hostile, and,
if possible, to ally them to the gov
eminent, and employ them in the gov
eminent service. They will be exceed
ingly useful as guides and interpreters
and can also be employed In clearing
and blazing the trail, placing land
marks, transporting stores, and in
many other ways facilitating the pur-
pose of this enterprise. If they are
not conciliated and disturbances should
occur which would render them hos
tile, an Indian war might ensue in that
territory, which would be the most ex-
pensive of any Indian war, which the
government has ever had to eneoun-
ter"