The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1897-12-07

| Ds W, hll Ch VliuoldoOiS obulAl Cl VI
the Klondike country, writes the
Western Mining World as follows
concerning an overland route to
that section
Many are the routes travelled
and many are the perils braved
by the hardy sons of Adam in
their endeavors to reach this
wonderful country of ice and
gold. The question has often
been asked, if there is not a safer
and cheaper or quicker way of
reaching Dawson City than by
going away around by steamer,
then by paying such enormous
prices for packing over ldanger-
GUS passes and building boats to
drift down the raging rivers and
perhaps be driven against the
boulders and mashed as many
have been in the White Horse
rapids and other places.
Yes, there is another route, an
all land route, with little or no
danger attending the travelling
of it. 1t is known as the Ash
|
croft route, deriving it's name
from the town of Ashcroft, which
is in British Columbia, 200 miles
northeast of Vancouver, and
from which the route starts.
Many cattle were driven over it
in the balmy days of 1929,
when Cassiar and Omenica were
in their glory. But / shalli en-
deavor to give a general idea of
the route in as brief a manner as
possible. Some time ago an arti-
Gle appeared in the Seattle
Times, which gave a fair account
of the trail AS a result many
inquiries are coming in daily
concerning distance, feed, equip
ment, cost, etc. I have found it
impossible to answer all inquir-
les, so take this means of ans
wering many at once.
After leaving Ashcroft, B. c.,
which is on the main line of the
Canadian Pacific railroad, one
proceeds direct to Quesnelle, a
distance of some 200 miles, by
good stage route with plenty of
feed. 1t takes the pack train
about thirteen days to make the
trip. At Quesnelle the Fraser
river must be forded or ferried "a
steam ferryboat is running there.
After crossing the Fraser river
you are in one of the finest graz
ing countries beneath the sun,
that IS in the summer months. 1t
is fifty miles from Fraser cross
ing to the Black Water valley.
Water and fuel are to be found
at any time and no time need be
lost seeking a camp ground as
any place is good enough.
There are very few white men
in this country, but the Indians
are very friendly. The place
where civilization is to be met
with is at the crossing of the
Nachaco river at Fraser lake
where the Hudson Bay Company
have store and post. This is
270 miles from Quesnelle. From
Fraser lake to the first crossing
of the Buckley river is 100miles;
this is over the divide" and the
water is now flowing in the same
direction that the traveller is
going. Then the Buckley is fol-
lowed along for about liz miles. |
crossing said river many times
and finding plenty of grass all |
the time. Hazelton is the next
postoffice. 1t is at the forks of
the Skena river. This is a Hud |
son Bay post; also contains three
stores and many cabins in which
the Omenica and Cassiar miners
pass the long winter months.
From Hazelton one follows up
the Skena river for 80 miles, or
to its junction with the Babine.
there the trail turns to the left
AMI crosses the Skena leading
due north through mineral and
cy,.a =, 10 a~,xc4.x~ e.