The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1897-12-23
RELIEF OF THE MINERS.
Captain Brainard Confers With Secretary
Aiger Relative to Means.

l
Washington, Dec. 22.-Captain Brain
/ ard OF the subsistence department OF
| the army arrived in Washngto this
morning. and although Secretary Alger
| Is confined TO his home by q severe cold,
| he sent Immediately for the officer and
had conference with him respecting
| the execution of his plans for the re-
lief Of the miners in the Yukon coun-
try.
General Merriam, commanding he
department of the Columbia. tele-
graphed Secretary Alger that he had Sc
lected Major l.. II. Rucker, Fourth cav
airy, to proceed to Alaska and make
reconnaissance of the passes leading
from the head of Lynn canal.
Senator Lodge has brought to the at
tention of the war department officials
the claims of the Boston Transportation
company. Their representative, Pierre
Humbert, asserts that the company is
in position to feed a large number of
miners, inasmuch as it has just re-
cefved news of the delivery by its
agents at Fort Selkirk, on the Yukon
river, of 100000 pounds of food. This
point is above Dawson.
The announcement that the war de-
partment is by no means committed to
any one route in the effort to reach the
miners in the Klondyke country, has
caused persons interested in various
routes to advance the claims of their
respective sections.
The Spokane chamber of commerce
has sent Frederick w. Marvin. an ener-
getic newspaper man of that town. as
its representative, to urge the superior
facilities of the overland route North
ward from Spokane. This is the old
telegraph route laid down by the agents
of the Western Union Telegraph COM
pany years ago, when they sought to
run a telegraph line to the bering
strait.
Marvin has stated to the war depart
ment that the route is still clear; that
through the dense Northern forests
there is a trail $50 feet broad, affording
easy passage for draft animals, and the
feasibility of the route in winter is
shown by the fact that for many years
it has been traversed by numerous
ira 3pers and .prospectors. while the alb
seHee of heavy grades insures the ca
patty of animals to carry large loads.
Sec rotary Alger is asked to delegate
some of the army officers now at Spo-
kane TO report upon the advantages of
the route.
Captain Brainard left Washington
this evening for Chicago by direction of
the department to confer with the man
ufaeturers there of condensed food
preparations with a view to getting a
supply for the expedition.
He will proceed then to meet General
Merriam at Vancouver barracks. The
of all supplies and their purchase and
packing. He will go with the first expe-
dition to Alaska and thence through
to Dawson. where he is under orders to
meet and confer with Captain Day, who
has not been heard from since Septem-
Der, when he was at Circle City pursu-
ing the inquiry into the condition of
things in the mining country with
which he had been charged by Secre-
tary Alger
Lieut.. d. B. Devore. the military sec
rotary of the secretary of war. has been
ordered to accompany DIR. Jackson TO
Lapland as distributing officer of the
party and they will sail on the Lucania
next Sunday for Liverpool going
thence to Christania. Norway, and to
Alien, where it is supposed the reindeer
herd has been gathered. Lieutenant
Deyore is authorized to charter a YES
sci for the transportation of the herd of
600 to the United States. If found neces-
Sary to do So