Evening journal., 1897-07-16
DOGS IN DEMAND.
A Paying Market for Canines in
the Yukon Country.
One of the Animals Said 20 BE Worth
Dozen Horses In the Mining
Region Used I'm Drawing
SIedges.

ing demand for dogs to be used in haul
ing sledges IN the Yukon country, Alas
ka. While thousands of horses, for
which their owners cannot get three
dollars per head, are roaming over the
plains Of eastern Washington and Ore
gon, good-sized CANNES are bringing
from SIS to $50 each in the local mar
ket. At Juneau their value is double
that sum, and on the Yukon river a
good dog brings S1o0. To the Yukon
miner the dog has become what the
reindeer is TO the Laplander and the
pony to the cowboy of Texas and Mex
ico-a beast of service and most val
liable one.
Every steamer sailing for Alaska for
three months past has borne northward
several dozen CANNES destined for serv.
ice in front of heavily laden sledges.
They are taken by boats to Dyea, at
the head of saltwater navigation, and
there put into harness to assist in haul
ing the precious outfits and supplies
over the Chilbot pass and down the
farther slopes to the series Of fresh
water lakes forming the headwaters Of
the Yukon tributaries.
Up to May, when the ice breaks up,
dog teams glide over the smooth sur
faces of the lakes with a surprising rap
idity, considering the loads they are
hauling. There are portages to be made
around dangerous rapids, and here
again their services are invaluable. Ar
rived at the central posts, such as For
~ Mile or Circle City, both men and
dogs take q rest, but in most cases the
dogs are soon put in harness again for
a trip to the diggings along the nu-
merous creeks where shining gold is
being washed out.
The sledgedogs are too valuable not
10 be wen cared for when care is pos
sible. Their owners first thought in
this respect is to obtain for them plenty
of food, which consists principally of
fish, usually salmon, caught in the Yu-
kon river by the natives. An ordinary
dog will eat daily two pounds of fresh
fish. At Forty Mile last winter dried
salmon sold at 20 to so cents a pound,
and bacon that was fit only for dogs
70 eat. sold at 37h cents a pound. In
some OF the larger camps on the Yukon
dog boarding houses have been estab-
lished, where the CANNES are properly
cared for at from Sc to SIS a month.
according to the season and price of
dog food.
The native Yukon dog is much more
valuable than the importations from
Puget Sound. The dogs must be accli-
mated in order to stand the seventies
of the winter 1t is found that dogs
taken from Montana and Dakota en-
dure the Ytllon winters with less suf-
fcring than those bred in the milder
climate at Puget Sound. Two splendid
specimens of native Alaskan dogs were
brought to Tacoma q few days ago,
their owners finding it cheaper to pay
their passage on the steamer than to
have them boarded at Dyea during his
trip down for supplies. The animals
weigh So and SO pounds respectively
the larger one having cost its owner
s117 at Circle City. These animals arc
stout, well-proportioned and muscled
and have exceptionally short and heavy
necks. Their cars are short and lift
r ed like those of the Eskimo dog. Then
T, coats are dark, and the hair, when no
close, is smooth and heavy enough t.
form a comfortable protection agains
the Arctic winters and also the YukoI
mosquitoes, by the side of which thu
ferocity of the New Jersey variety pale
} into insignifcance.
An especially prepared dog food
r made out of meal and coarse mea
? from the packing houses is foeing man
ufactured in the form of cracker an'
seems likely to come into general use il
Alaska.
Bucksllin moccasins are provided b.
many owners to keep the feet of tn
faithful little draft animals from be
inc worn raw on the ice and snow. The.
' are ABOUT nine inches long and mao
much after the pattern of a child
+ stocking. Pack saddles are COMM
. into use this spring. These are so al
o ranged that the dogs can carry weigh
d of from ten to 20 pounds, besides draw
G ing n sledge. The saddle bags fall o
D either side, and straps are arranged
+ prevent the pack sliding forward
{ backward.
! A Tacoma dealer has built up a larg
business in the manufacture of do
harness. The collar is made TO sli
l. over the dogs head, obyiating the M
d cessity OF bucllling it about the al
= imal's neck. when the drivers hano
e are cold and numb. The collar is mac
of leather faced with sheepskin an
stuffed with deer hair.
Z The names are inclosed in the CO
lar. and attached to them are buckle
!. for fastening the traces. On each CO
v lar are placed the rings, TO which Il
s traces of dog in the lead may be a
s. tached, making il easy TO drive teams
,h tandem. Traces to the harness f.
IS native dogs are made of heavy web IN
T. terial. because the dogs eat the leat
:. er harness They devour the cola
- - on sight, if permitted. This pecul
- craving makes it necessary to keep Il
- animals separated when harnessed,
IL they will not masticate each others &C
is lars. When the web traces become oi
the dogs chew even them, and il is on
q matter Of time when the web ira