Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1897-10-04
BY THOMAS sAMMoNs.
Tacoma. Wash. Sept, eth, 1897

Tacoma. Wash. Sept, eth, 1897.
This letter will be devoted to facts and
/ igurs on the passes and trails to the
Klondike gold region. There are four
principal passes, and all heretofore have
had there favorites among the miners.
Chilcoot is the most dangerous and the
| highest pass, Chilcat is notso dangerous,
but much farther around, and can be
traverpsed by horses and cattle, which
is also true of White pass on the Skag
nay trail The Stikeen river route h as
been used for many years by the Hudson
Bay company in packing it's supplies into
| the Yukon county. Starting their pack
trains at Ashcroft, they travel north
through a wild, rough and desolate
country until they arrived at Telegraph
Greek on the Stikeen river. From Fort
Wrangle TO Telegraph Creek a river
steamer is RIM to start KlOndikers on
their inland jurney. In season there is
good grass for stock all along this trail,
and strange as it may seem.- vegetables
are raised Uncomfortable quantities at
Telegraph Greek, which is in the same
latitude as juneau. Ten years ago R. H.
Norton, a mining engineer Of this city,
now state inspector of mines, says he
saw as fine a field of oats at Telegraph
Greek as he ever saw in his life in any
country. Mr.. Norton, by the way, had
a very startling experience with the indi-
]. ans who guard the headwaters OF some
of the rivers that are said to be rich in
gold. Briefly stated, he was nearly
drowned and was nursed back to life by
the red men, and his friend, who persisted
lin entering in the land of gold alleged to
z~be further up the river, was told by the
Indians, after an all-night's session to
consider the matter, that they would
permit him to proceed, provided he mar
ried one of their women and become a
fellow tl1besman. He refused.
Now, as to these trails: 4 detailed
statement has been prepared after a
thorough, painstaking and expensive ex-
animation The facts here given are
CLEANED either from personal investiga-
ton and observation, or from reliable citi-
zens who have gone over the various
trails and have had experience for years
in these routes.
ROUTES FROM TACOMA TO THE KLONDIKE.
There are two general routes from
Tacoma to Dawson City = one by way
OF ST. MichaIes, at the mouth Of the
Yukon river, and up the river by steamer,
being the longest way around and most
expensive; the other by way OF steamer
to Telegraph Creek, Dyea, Skaguay,
Chilcat or Fort Wrangle, thence over
the several trails and passes to the head
waters of the Yukon river and down the
river to the gold fields. The latter are
the shortest, quickest and cheapest
routes.
THE ST. MICHAEI.S ROUTE.
The ST. Michaels route is by steamer
| from Tacoma to st. Michaels, distance
of about $500 miles, then by river
steamers up the Yukon to the gold fields,
a distance of about /, 700 miles further.
TRANSPORTATION
The cost OF ticket by this route, from
Tacoma to Dawson City, is 5000. includ-
ing meals and berths. Competition may
reduce this to $3.50 or even 800, for
ordinary second class accommodations,
! Freight by this route, is high, ranging
! from $500 to $1,000 per tou.
TIME REQUIRED.
The run from Tacoma to Dyea is made
in from II to IS days, and from st
Mjchaels to Dawson III from Is to 20
days, while the trip down the river is
made in to 10 days, the river steamers
making about one round tripper month.
SAILING DAYS.
During the season of1S97 the steamers
Portland, Danube and Bristol made re-
gular trips to st. Michaels, and several
schooners also made trips. Probably
three boats will be running as soon as
navigation in the spring OF 1898.
YUKON BOATS.
During the season of 1897 there were
two lines of steamers running on the