The record-union., 1897-12-19
The Bill Passes Congress and is
Signed BY the President.
The Expedition to be Under Direction oi
the War Department.
Captain Brainerd, who Accom-
panied Greedy on His Arctic
Expedition, Likely to be Placed
in Charge of the Relief Party.

WASHINGTON, Dec. 1S.-The Klon-
dixie relief bill as passed in Congress
to-day embodied provision giving the
War Department authority TO use the
military arm Of the Government in exc
cution of relief measures. While there
is little doubt as TO the right to detail
officers and men for this purpose, yet
the department officials wanted specific
authority in order to obviate any ques-
ton as to using the military arm for
civilian purposes 1t is not anticipated
that a large military force Will be re-
Quired. The authorities look with much
favor on this expedition, as it will draw
officers and men from inactivities of
garrison life, and give them a mission
in which courage and daring analogous
TO that of active military service Will be
required.
SIGNED BY THE PRESIDENT
WASHINGTON, Dec. 1S.-The Pres
ident this afternoon signed the joint
resolutions passed by Congress to-day
for the relief of the miners in the Yu-
kon River country and changing the
appropriation of the. Government build
ing and display at the Omaha Exposi-
ton.
WASHINGTON, Dec. 1S.-It is prob
able that Captain David [. Brainerd,
of the subsistence department of the
army, Will be placed in charge of the
relief party that Secretary Alger will
send to the Klondike region with pro-
visions. He is now on duty in the army
building at New York, and has been or
dered to report to General Merriam,
the commander of the Department of
the Columbia at Portland, Or. On the
way he viii stop in Washington for
consultation with Secretary Alger. He.
Will have particular charge of the COM
missariat department of the expedi-
ton.
Captain Brainerd was with Greely on
his Arctic expeditions, and it was
largely through him that the party was
enabled to prolong life until succor
came. Brafnerd also held the honor,
until Nansen's feat, of having made the
farthest point north ever reached. He
will go to Dyea or Skaguay or Chilkat
River with two officers to be selected by
General Merriam to arrange for the re-
lief expedition, and if the others, as is
expected find it necessary to return
to Seattle to report, Captain Brainerd
Will remain ON the ground and carry
out the arrangements.
Secretary Alger is giving much study
to the best means of getting in supplies
to the miners in the Yukon country,
and has decided to ask bids for the
delivery of stores directly to Dyea,
Skaguay or Chilcat. Already a great
deal of rivalry has sprung up among
the towns on the Pacific Coast for the
honor Of being the shipping point Of
the stores, and the business that will
follow, and requiring bidders 10 de-
liver their goods directly in Alaska, the
War Department viii be saved the ne
cessity of making a choice among
them.
Secretary Ayers estimate now is
that no less than 100000 pounds of
food stores will be required for the ex-
pedition. This makes the transporta-
tion problem a very serious one. 1t is
estimated that reindeer cannot be
loaded safely with more than 300
pounds, so that no less than a thousand
head of these animals would be re-
qured as a pack train if they were the
sole reliance.
One question that has engaged the
Secretary's attention is that of secur-
ing the consent of the Canadian Gov
ernment for the passage of the relief
expeditions over that part of Canadian
territory which must necessarily be
traversed in reaching the miners. 1t
will be necessary to obtain permit
for a military expedition to pass, and
also to secure a remission of duties. 1t
is probable that to attain his object in
the shortest possible period of time
Secretary Alger will go himself to OF
tawa in a few days and deal directly
with the Canadian authorities, instead
of relying on the slow-moving process
of diplomacy.