Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1897-08-21
MANY BRE Disguised.
Some Gold Hunters Gladly Would Re-
turn to Their Homes.
They Are Restricted Only by the
Terrors OF the Chlkoot Pass-Not
One in Ten Likely to Get Across
the Divide This Winter.

the DlVlQ6 his w IILCA'
Port Townsend, Wash, Aug. 20
In a letter received here from c. NJ.
Weymouth, who left here on the last
trip of the Mexico, dated Lake Linde-
mann, August Z, Weymouth says he
is disguised with the trip over the
pass and would return but for the ter
rors of returning over Chilkott Pass.
In Weymouth's opinion Dyea will be-
come famous as a horse market, Tor
the reason that horses cannot stand
the usage there longer than a few days
when their hoofs, regardless OF heavy
shoes become so broken as to incapac-
itate them for any use. Weymouth Is
with w. J. Jones, the united otaLes
commissioner for Alaska, and a Well
known newspaper Correspondent,
which party was the first 10 Iahu aI
Lake Lindemann since the hlonQyhe
rush began. Both Jones and Wey-
mouth give the opinion that not one
in Ten Of those who are now at Dyea
and Skaguay and en- route Will be aDIe
to cross the divide this year.
The latter says: I'VE have seven or
eight miles yet TO make to reach the
summit, and so far are ahead OF nearly
everyone who came on the Queen, the
Mexico and the Islander. It viii take
us about all of next week TO make IL
with our whole outfit, and we caIcu-
late in another week TO get to Lake
Bennett. That will give us about tVe
weeks for boat, getting down the river
nv October I. Many are turning back,
and many more will not make II. Men
without horses are selling their out
fits at Seattle prices or less. some
even with horses are selling and drop
ping out. 3.
s.Tbe trail Of the Skaguav to-day is
lined with impedimentia from salt
water to this place-cOats, hats, picks
sbOvels. lumber boats window glass,
tim cans. grips and valisss, every
thing imaginable in piecemeal, not To
sneak Of the tons Of the tons OF sup
plies cached every hundred feet Of the
distance. One may have his outtht al
a dozen different places scattered 1or
five miles. He Will throw down Ioad
anywhere. No one will modest II.
Everyone has more than he wants
The cost of packing from Dyea has
advanced to q cents a pound. The cost
of q sack Of -four laid down here IS
about $17, and one sack sold yester-
day for so5. A man cannot get q
meal Of bacon. bread and coffee at
Lake Lindemann for less than S1.Z5.
and is fortunate at that price
On Lakes Licdcmann and Bennett
are nearly 500 people actively making
preparations and building boats for
the descent to the Klondyke. The
Skaguay trail is open and tho first
contingent reached Ta@ish lake on
Thursday last. numbering 200 people
The trail is nearly 80 miles long, and
horses pre- able to pack $50 pounds
from salt water to Taguish. Nearly
1.CO0 people are in camp at SkaSuay,
and it is expected that they will reach
the lakes in ten davs TIC Tn ....s. VIII
T)vea route. except during the winter
and spring months. The opening Of
the Skaguav road IS sure to cause
travel to continue as late as September
10. At present the Dyea trail is
blocked with freight and passengers,
and to cOmDlicate matters the Chill
koot Indians have struck for 20 cents
a pound.
Seattle, Wash. Aug. 2O-Shortly az
ter the collier Willamette left Seattle
for Dyea the passengers organized
for police protection. the organization
being rame5 the Willamette and Klon-
dyke Protective Society. Especial care
was taken to prevent fire, and al sus-
picioUs characters were watched. Be
fore the boat reached Dyea eight sus-
poets had been imprisoned,
Washington, Pa. Aug. pa
Washington youth. who has already
sailed from Seattle for the Yukon
route to the KiOndvke region. writes
back that al supplies may he pro-
cured most reasonably on the coats,
that the merchants have laid in Just
what is needed, and that his groceries
cost only half what he had antici-
pa,ed. lie also says that there are
plenty OF men left at Seattle, and any,
one expecting to find work there for
the winter will probably be disap-
pointed.