The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1897-11-30
PASS TRAMNAY.
Work Progressing Rapidly On the
Wharves and Buildings, and the
Line Itself. and II VIII he Rum
ning By the Fad Of January.

Special Dispatch TO the Post-Inteiigencer
TACOMA. Nov. 2.-About the most Con-
servativs statement yet given out in re-
gard TO conditions about Skaguay and
Dyea. and also about the work being done
by the Chilkoot Railroad & Transpor,
Company, was given out this afternoon by
A. Mel. Hawks. chief engineer Of the
company. who returned yesterday On tie
City OF Seattle. air. Hawks said:
Since my trip 20 Alaska last August
remarkable change has taken place at
both Skaguay and Dyea- AT Skagu4y the
well built town or good proportions. BY
the census taken there week ago S,eto
persons are enrolled as citizens OF Skag-
uay. Dyea, when / returned there early
IN October, was practically In its org
MAJ conaition, i long sweep OF meadow
lands. occupied only by HeaIy s. Wilson )
store and the little indian village near by.
The first OF the present inhabitants We're
living in tents, taking up the lots as squat
tiers and slowly erecting log hutS or board
shanties TO hold down these lots.
"Dyea IS now a town or from Loo 10 1.5oo
people, with stores, hotels, residences ana
ali those things necessary to make up
town Of that size. 1t has been plated in
10 lots ana blocks and out Of the chaos OF
tents pitched in every conceivable way
to suit their owners ideas, the streets and
avenues. bordered with respectable look
ing buildings, are being evolved. Every
trade. every pursuit is represented here.
and the inhabitants are literally gathered
Hawks said: "The wharf il under way
and will be pushed TO completion at the
earliest possible date. The Colorado ar
rived and debarked its cargo. consisting
principally OF lumber and supplies for ths
company. just previous TO my sailing. The
receipt or this material will enable the
work to be prosecuted with even greater
vigor. The Warehouse at the shore was
being pushed as fast as men and ma
terials could rush 1t, and viii be completed
n va ha ga Va a IN fer a
sent forward per steamer RosaIie. This
warehouse will be 4oxs2 feet. one story
high;
ing OF the horse tramway has been begun
and this part OF the companys road the
nine miles from Dyea TO the canyon) will
be in operation by December To-
The log station at the canyon, 30x5o
feet. two stories high, was rooted in pre-
vious TO my departure November q, and
viii be ready for occupation as my head
For the cable way from the canyon to
the power house at Sheep camp. the right
of holes for the posts will be completed
December /. The erection OF this part of
the line will not take place until the line
from Sheep camp to Crater lake has been
put in working order. The power house,
just below Sheep camp, was being erected
at the time OF my departure and is to be
completed by December 10. The drilling
OF the holes for the pole supports of this
line has been completed and all the ma
teriais for the pole line are being sent
TO the front"
In response to the question. "win your
tramway be in operation by January 15?"
Mr.. Hawks said:
There have been certain unavoidable
delays In the delivery of material. Not
withslanding these delays the company IS
ma king. every effort to meet the date
originally SET and 1t is my opinion that
We will not be delayed more than a few
days beyond the first time given"
In In speaking OF the weather Mr.. Hawks
until the last OF October in the neighbor-
hood of Dyea. From Sheep camp TO the
Summit the snow fall has been from one
almost continuously. and in the last few
days before my departure from five to If
teen men were packing out over the sum,
month. clear most Of the time; the latter
part the thermometer falling to degrees
Fahrenheit. Every one Is in winter
for Arctic weather. Daylight is about
eight hours In length, but sunshine lasts
only three or four hours, depending upon
the height of the surrounding mountains"
Mr.. Hawks was asked If II was true
that he had severed his connection with
the company. to which he replied: do
my present surroundings seem to Indicate
any such condition of affairs? I, myself
heard upon the street that I was to be
superseded by Mr.. Nelson Bennett. So far
from that being the fact. can say that
alton over very carefully, I wrote to the
directors OF the company urging that they
send to me one of the interested parties
to act as an adviser and managing d.
rector. They have been considering this
matter. and one of the objects of my pres
ent visit was to settle this very question.
The selection made by them is very pleas
ing to me and a renewed interest will be
taken in the company's affairs all over
the country when their choice Is an
nounced to the world. The Trenton people
are sending our material forward as rapid
~ as cars will bring 1t. and we soon will
have everything in shape.
From III. C. wallace. president OF the
Chilkoot Railroad & Transport Company,
1t was learned that Nelson Bennett, for
many years one Of Tacomas richest men,
had been appointed general manager Of the
company and would leave In few days
for the scene Of his iahors. This was learn
ed upon asking Mr.. Wallace whether or not
Mr.. Hawks had been superseded by Mr.
Bennett his answer being:
"Mr. Hawks has not been superseded
He Will remain as chief engineer of the
company and his position has not In any
way been changed. The company's affairs
have reached such stage that 1t is neces-
sary to have a general manager. The d.
rectors looked over the field for the best
man on the Pacific coast for this position,
and believe they have found him In the per-
son OF Mr.. Nelson Bennett. He has become
interested in the company and Will start
north In day or two Ia the capacity of
general manager"