The record-union., 1897-11-29

was led by Mr.. Dalton. He was well
satisfied with the route and the grades.
OF course my opinion in this matter is
worth little, but / feel how important
it is that railroad should be built
through that country. Some quartz
and placer mines of great extent
and richness are to be found in the
country, through which we passed,
and it is my deliberate opin-
ion that California and Australia
are likely to have their past and pres
ent outdistanced by the development of
the next ten years in that wide region.
Of course, too, fairly paying placers and
wide, low graded quartz will be the
rule.
I'm saying this, / am not dreaming
of adding stimulus to the wild and
blind helter skefter rush of aimless peo-
pie who have been and will be tum-
bling in in all sorts of unprepared
shapes into that wild country. 1t was
a study in this connection to see men
apparently almost crazed with haste
breaking their necks almost in rushing
over the Skaguay trails to get on to-
ward Klondike, and later on to see them
in Dawson loafing around the muck
hole streets there doing nothing, wait
ing for rich strikes which they expect
ed and did not find. Nearly all Of
them were short Of provisions, and the
great majority of them were suffering
from the blues and intense disappoint-
ment. Eight out of ten of them wish
ed they had not come. 1t was gener-
ally prophesied at Dawson that there
would next summer be nearly as great
hgera of outgoers as of incomers.
Some very rich strikes, some of which
were made last summer and fall, may
change this Transportation both ways
on the river can hardly be overdone."
In the opinion of Mr. Magee no such
amount as one million dollars WAS
brought down on the steamer. A very
small amount of gold dust can be
brought overland, and he did not think
that the drafts carried by Ferguson
and Leak, who had the largest amount,
would exceed $4,000.
Mr. Magee thus graphically describes
his trip out over the Dalton trail:
THE town of Dawson boasted of only
one steamboat, named the kiukuk.
She was old. rickety and utterly brok-
en- down. She had just made two trips
up the river 200 miles to Selkirk taking
over eight days in each case to make
the trip. One would not have cared
to make a short trip in her in calm
weather on an inland river.
Yet 200 passengers at least, in Daw-
son, utterly disappointed by the nom
arrival of the big steamers from St.
Michael, We're willing to trust their
lives for over ! 800 miles down the
III lit. ~ Il Ill 81
arranged to have her bought and make
this trip on her, but Captain Hanson
of the Alaska Commercial Company
persuaded us not to do so, because it
was exceedingly doubtful that. even if
she made the trip TO st. Michael in
safety we would find an ocean steamer
there. Therefore we decided to so up
the Yukon to Fort Selkirk Peliy) 200
miles farther, to Chilkat.
Seven days We're spent upon this
steamer, and instead of taking US 10
Selkirk, she took us a distance of about
thirtyfive miles only. Her machinery
broke down from one to three times
day, and she was constantly running
aground.
"On one occasion, through misman-
agefrfws1t,~ ne ssas driven head on at
full speed on to a rocky shore, where
her bow was torn away and her whole
frame shaken. But for double protec-
tion in her bow she would have sunk.
At the end of the seventh day, sur
rounded by heavy pack ice in the river,
the trip was given up and we all re-
turned to Dawson. This move cost us
5000 apiece.
After this failure to get up the
Yukon I met Jack Dalton in Dawson.
He had just come down from Selkirk
with three large rafts containing about
five carcasses of cattle and horses and
200 sheep. This meat he sold for 81 to
81 % a pound 1t will prove of vital
value in keeping the wolf of famine
from the people in Dawson Mr. Dali
ton is one of the best-known men in
the Yukon River, and the Dalton trail
is named after him. He intended, with
one of his men, at once to return to
Selkirlz, polling and taking his canoes.
up. From that point with five horses,
he meant to go over his trail, dis
tance of $40 miles. to Chlkat. Three
old Yukon miners, Messrs. Ferguson.
Celine and Leak, We're also going with
him. He agreed that we should accom-
Indians and Mr.. Ferguson, my son and
I left Dawson on October 14th with
about GOO pounds Of food and personal
effects. Mr.. Dalton, two days later,
with an Indian in 14-foot shell and
about 200 pounds of freight followed.
He overlook us ten days out, and when
the ice was running very heavily in the
Yukon On the fourth day we en-
countered very severe obstacles in
crossing the river al a point where il
was much too deep for polling. After
two hours work and repeated danger
of drowning, We finally got across. The
ice IN the main river grew worse daily
until the ninth day, when in a slough
with a raging current, high banks and
overhanging trees, we We're caught in
nearly ice-closed water Farther
progress seemed impossible. The In
dian grew wild over the dreadful OBJ
stacles He exhausted his vocabulary
Of filthy English and Indian oaths over
and over again. and finally, in combined
rage and despair, broke wholly down
and cried.
HE refused to go farther Here
Dalton and his Indian joined us, his
canoes having been partially wrecked
by ice jamming half mile ahead. We
therefore Joined forces Towing oar
boat was the chief work-my son al
ways taking the lead in this. I re-
mained in the boat and steercd with an
Indian paddle. Digging the water.
rather than steering it. is the word
expressive of that parting work 1t
was very hard work, too, when IN
shallow water, 1t being then almost
impossible to keep the boat from 60
ing ashore and grounding. At first
nv padding caused frequent ground
A