The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-12-31
KLONDIKE RELIEF PLANS.
AMERICAN AND CANADIAN ExPEDI-
TIONs TO 90 TOGETHER.
me Duty On All war Department Supplies 70
ne waived ~ Ca~nada-aay Net Atternpt
20 Reach Dnwson CITY Daring the winter
ReinaNer Cannot Ne ahIpnea mere IN Tlnae.

me buty On All war department bunpuen 70
ne waived ~ C~anada-n1ay Net Atternpt
to Reach Dawson City DnrinH the winter
Reindeer Canpot ne shipped Here IN Tiuae.
wAsHrNoToN, Dec. so.-Mr. Clifford slfton,
the Canadian Minister Of the Interior, and Mr..
George Meiklejohn. tho Acting Secretary Of
War. arranged at o conference to-day that tho
expeditions which will DO sent by tho Canadian
and Unitod States Governments to tho relief Of
the Klondike gold seekers shall start together
and make the trip In company. Officially the CO.
operation Of tho two countries will not extend
further than this. Each expedition will be
Separate. but each will endcavor to assist the
other In the journey. Tho most important
outcome Of the conference was the practical
deciaion not TO attempt to reach Dawson City
during the winter. While tho War Department
has not definitely abandoned the idea Of succor-
ing the people at Dawson. 1t 10 likely that Its
efforts will be directed to relieving the distress
among those who have left that place on ac-
count Of the lack Of supplies and are now quar-
tered at camps along the Yukon and in the lake
region Of Alaska and the British Northwest.
Secretary Alger had not sufficiently recovered
from his attack OF tho grip to permit him to
confer with Mr.. Sifton, and Acting Secretary
Meikleiohn was designated to represent him.
The plan of tho Canadian Government for re-
lieving the distress is set forth In this statement
given out by the War Department:
Tho Hon. Clifford Sifton. the Minister Of the
Interior Of Canada. says that the only practical
bio route to Dawson City is what 10 known az
tho White Pass or commonly called the lake
route. commencing at Skagway. on Lynn Canal.
He says they have sixty-ave mon in the Terri
tory. and expect to have nifty more on or before
Jan. 8. They have twenty tons of supplies
now stored at Skaeway for transportation
over tho pass, to which will be added ton tons
more within the next ten days for transporta-
ton over the pass. The Canadian authorities
have q post at Lake Bennett, another at TaRish.
at which latter place twenty men are situated;
another at White Horse Rapids, and two posts
intervening between the latter point and Fort
Selkirk.
at Is the intention of the Canadian Govern.
ment to have q detachment of $50 men In tho
territory within the next thirty days. Their
detachment will be ready to leave SkaRway on
the 18th proximo. but the Minister has kindly
consented TO hold the expedition that they may
accompany the expedition of the War Depart
ment. which will leave SkaRway on or before
Feb. l. and to grant escorts to our expedition,
provided the cooperate n cannot be consum-
mated.
"The Government duty on all supplies sent in
under military control will be waived by the
Canadian Government. The Minister was over
the pass In October last. He said that the Gov
ernment would be very glad to grant our expo
dition the use Of their posts on the route and all
other facilities to the movement Of the expedi.
ton over their territory"
Tho probable abandonment of the intention of
Secretary AlRer to use reindeer in hauling some
Of the supplies Of the American expedition was
foreshadowed to-day in the receipt of q cable
despatch from William A. Kjellmann. the as
sistant superintendent of the Alaska reindeer
herd Who y WaS sent to Norway to- purchase goo
in that country. His message read: Can
probably ship 800 reindeer Feb. To-"
Lieut.. Devore: military aide to the SECRETARY
maj Day in company with DR.. Sheldon jackson
Of the Bureau Of Education, the originator OF
ka, carried with him instructions from Secretary
Alger not to purchase any deer unless he could
to the Tinted States by Feb. H. 5.' II the deer are
not shipped from abroad until that date, nc indi-
gated by MIR. Kjellmann. they cannot reach the
dixie country this winter.
Two reports haye been received at the War
officer of the Quartermastor-G enerals Depart
ment. stationed at Seattle. on the result of his
the trails leading to the Kiondiko region. One
Of the men he saw was Jack Dalton. after whom
the Dalton Trail was called. Capt. Robinson
expresses great faith in the Judgment OF Dalton,
who recommends the use OF horses from north
ern Montana in hauling the relief supplies
through Alaska and the Northwest Territory.
Dalton thinks his trail Is not available for win
ter travelling.
A memher OF a firm Of cattle raisers told
Capt Robinson that 1t had 20, 900 pounds of
beef packed in Ice at Lake Bennett. which it
would sell to the Government for S. n pound,
and that from ten to twenty horses were at tho
same place. An officer OF a company which Is
putting n railway into the Klondike told the
tween Skagway and Lake Bennett would be
ready for traffic by Jan. l. and that the entire
trail to Lake Bennett would be available by
Feb. 10. r.
Not a line has come to the War Department
since Sept. IS from Capt. p. II. Raw. the army
Yukon country. His failure to send reports il
uuexplhinable to department officials. as sew
eral mails have come through since the date
explanation.