The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-08-27
LETTER FROM SKAGUAY
GEORGE vi. TAYLOR, OF THIS CITY,
BOUND FOR THE KLONDIKE.
A Description of the Trail over the
Passes-The Great Profit
in Horses.


where his family resides, is on his way
to the gold fields of Alaska with party
from Seattle. Yesterday his mother re-
ceived an interesting letter from him, writ
ten at Skaguay bay. The letter made
very quick journey, starting from the bay
on Aug. IA and arriving here yesterday.
The letter of Mr.. Taylor follows:
L sailed from Portland on July 80 on the
steamer George w. Elder, the first to leave
that port for Alaska. 1t would require
many pages to describe the scene that took
place at the dock that day, and up to sail
ing time I'll D. NO. fully 5000 people were
there of all classes ana both sexes, ana
peculiar mixture of gayety and sadness
were to be seen, with many bands playing,
6lee clubs singing, cheering, fireworks go
ing, steam whistles blowing mingled with
the good-byes and sobs OF frien0s, sweet
hearts, wives and mothers, all added Its
share to create a picture never to be for
gotten. We had Az passengers of all classes
of men. The good ship Elder made fine
trip in as beautiful sea and weather as l
ever experienced in the past We were
seven days making the trip and were COM
PEELED TO lay to twice In Alaska waters on
account of tide in certain narrow passages.
such beautiful weather, together with the
grand scenery, made trip hard TO de-
scribe. More than once L thought of you
and longed for you to be with me to enjoy
it. No wonder Eastern tourists have peen
taking this trip in summer on the Queen
and City of Topeka from the sound
PugeD tor the past ten years.
Dyea, the extreme northern point of these
inland waters and from which they start
over the mountains to the Yukon country,
is just six miles from here, and L was up
there yesterday afternoon, making the
round trip in a small rowboat with friends.
1t is a small Indian town (Chilcat Indians),
miserable and filthy, and the surrounding
country is destitute of everything but wild,
grand scenery. To think While there that
TINS insignificant Indian village was being
mentioned by every paper in the land in
connection with the Alaska gold fever was
hard to realize, but it is where water trans
portatlon stops and the trail over the di-
vide is commenced. This has been the only
trail for years tan Indian traiD, but from
here another trail has been made to the
lakes. This trail permits of pack animals
the whole distance (thirty-siX miles), while
on the old trail (Chilcat pass) horses can
be used only to Sheep Camp, when the out
hts go over the steep pass On mems backs.
| cannot go into detail, and no doubt you
nave seen the many articles, pictures and
maps in the leading newspapers to be
thoroughly conVersant with it. The whole
coast was wild before / left and the re-
ports from the last steamer just in from
Seattle say it is growing worse. This bay
is almost entirely surrounded by noun
talnS. On one is to be seen from any point
OF the camp glacier, perfect field of ice
gradually melting at the edges, forming
peauttul mountain streams. Hundreds of
glaclerS were 10 be seen on all sides on our
trip UP. This is typical mining camp, a
city OF tents, with a few shacks and log
huts mixed in, and such scenes it would
take pages to describe, hundreds of men
landing every day and thousands on the
way. L understood to-day that there were
The steamer Willamette, formerly a collier
on Puget sound, an immense iron ship, ar
rived this morning with 1205 human beings.
3OO horses ana many dogs, with tons upon
tons of freight. They Immediately land by
small boats, commence making camp and
such daily scenes of activity are both
amusing and pitiful. There are men from
all parts of the earth here from the tender
foot college graduate to the grizzled miner
character would have abundant material
here.
SELDOM BELOW ZERO THERE.
Although the weather is fine now, to-day
being perfect, in less than a month there
will be snow where 1 now sit beside my
tent A great deal of snow falls here, but
never severe cold seldom below zero. But
across the mountains in the great Yukon
basin the winters are long and severe, and
the suffering hardships, privations and
misery these people that are now hocking
over the divide bound for Dawson City the
Klondike and intermediate points will ex-
perience God will only know. We learned
yesterday that the steamer Mexico was
sunk near Queen Charlotte sound several
days ago. All on board were saved. This
ship was as large as the Elder.
Now in regard to myself being here will
say l came on few hours notice without
any preparation or money. L came with a
friend and L am now camped with him.
He came up to look around and then de
eide whether he would push on to the
Yukon gold fields. He will either remain
here until spring and then go in or return
to Portland this fall l may remain here or
return to Juneau Seattle or Portland for
the winter If l had come up with party
of men we'll QUILTED and with plenty Of
money L would now be over the divide and
on my thousand-mile trip 10 the klondke
region. How l wish it so, for L would
be willing to suffer nearly death if / could
OBTAIN enough gold in year to live in COM
fort the rest of my days. Although the
great rush has made it lottery now and
only small percentage can expect to be
successful, hope may in some way have
an opportunity offered me to chance It,
You know thousands are QUILTED by those
that have money. L was nine miles out on
this trail the other day The first four
miles was really a. wagon road following
the Skaguay river. Then we assembled the
mountainside and / soon realized what a
miners mountain trail was Ikea steep
narrow, winding path where men and
horses are expected to come and go loaded
and unlOaded a distance of thirty-six miles
In places | would not believe a horse could
go had not seen them loaded with two or
three hundred pounds Oh their backs. There
and reports, but what there will be two
streams of striving, struggling men and
beasts across these two trails all winter
There is no sentiment poetry or romance
connected with this life. Many have given
up at this point and returned to civilization
trail (Skaguay) not only want complete
outfit of clothing and provisions but should
nave nVe horses to the man. In this wav
they would be able to get over TO the lakes
In few days, otherwise they will never
get over. A $25 horse in Portland is worth
$500 here. on the Dyea, or Chilcat trail
indians are doing the packing at 30 cents
per pound, so you see it takeS not only
good outfit but also plenty of money to
give you the opportunity of seeking the
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