The Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Or.) 1862-1899, 1898-03-18

| taken on SleuS Dy luulFluudlS anu ny
the aid of dogs. This would be in
considerable In fact, with such a
mass of humanity and of goods, it
would be almost impossible for freight
to be moved at all on those narrow
portions of the trail where the right OF
way would be the subject of dispute
and contention. If people interfered
with each other last fall so as to create
blockade on both trails with less than
6, 900 people attempting to go over, it
does not require great flight of i'm
agination to see the utter blockade that
would be created by so, 600 people.
One who intends to go to Alaska may
we'll stop and consider what his chances
are likely to be in such a mob, and
whether he would not do better to seek
some other route or some other obJec-
tive point than the Klondike region.
OF course, transportation facilities from
| the coast ports to Alaska have been
provided for Dyea and Skagway, but
doubtless as soon as this blockade so
develops that intending gold hunters
demand to be taken somewhere else,
steamers will leave the Dyea and Skag-
way routes and seek other ports, such
as Copper river and Cooks inlet. At
these places there is room for all. No
narrow canyon trail confines the gold
hunter to particular route, but there
is opportunity to spread out over a
wide expanse of country, now practic-
ally unknown. but reported to be rich
in gold. There are said to be low
passes through the mountains from
both Copper river and Cooks inlet,
leading over to the Tanana and to the
head waters of Birch creek, by which
the now promising gold fields on the
American side of the line may be more
easily reached than by the route across
the Chilkoot pass and down the lakes
and rivers. The government is now
fitting out an expedition for Copper
river. Undoubtedly these routes will
be opened up the present season by
prospectors even should not the great
stream of travel be turned in that direc-
tion.
There are already indications of
desire on the part of gold hunters to
abandon their idea of going to Dyea
and Skagway, and to stike out for the
Copper river and Cooks inlet. Be-
yond doubt this tendency will rapidly
increase as the crowded condition of
the passes becomes better known. At
present the only facilities for reaching
Copper river and Cooks inlet is the
United States mail boat operated by
the Pacific Coast Steam Whaling Com
pany from San Francisco, the two
small steamers now on the route from
Portland to Copper river, and the small
steamer running from Port Townsend
to Copper river. These steamers are
already inadequate to meet the demand
and doubtless more will soon be put
on the route.
Attention has also been turned in the
direction of the route by Fort Wrangel
and Stickeen river, Telegraph creek
and Teslin lake, but as yet, facilities
have not been provided. Several
small river steamers are being con-
structed for the Stickeen river, to ply
between Fort Wrangel and Telegraph
creek, which is the point of disembark-
alton for the overland journey of the
$50 miles to Lake Teslin. On this
stretch of 100 miles it is proposed by a
Canadian company to construct rail
road the present year under special
grant from the Dominion parliament of
90, 900 acres of land per mile, and
the time set for Its completion is the
first of Septemb ber. 1t is thus seen
that, for this season at least, only such
travel can go over the stickeen route
as can be handled by pack animals,
and this, of course, cannot be very ex-
tensive. Possibly several thousand
people will attempt this route, with
the probability that large portion of
them will make a failure of their
effort. Should this railroad be built
and sufficient light draught steamer
be placed on Lake Teslin and Hoota-
linqua river, in another year the Stick
cen route would be the favorite one.
Undoubtedly great many who in
tend to go to Alaska are waiting to take
the ocean and river route during the
summer months. Here there is as
much uncertainty as on the passes.
The facilities have yet to be provided.
Possibly as many as so small steamers
are under construction or have been
purchased for use on. the Yukon the
coming summer; but navigation of that
river is expensive and dangerous.
Channels are narrow and tortuous and
known only to few people. Fuel is
very difficult to procure, and it is un-
derstood that the companies already
operating on the river have secured all
that can be had for several hundred
miles from the mouth of this stream.
These companies will not take miners
outfits, prefrerring to take in goods for
their own stores and sell them to
miners after they get three. Conse-
quently miners wishing to take outfits
will have to depend on independent
boats which promises to be very un-
certain reliance. Certainly, one going
| by that route should not undertake it
unless the transportation company con-
tracts with him to carry him clear
through to his destination. This, how
ever, is a matter about which more
will be known few months later. AS
stated above, the natural outcome of
the present condition of affairs would
be the opening up of new routes and
new objective points for the thousands
who will be disappointed in their ex-
pectation of getting over the passes,
and of getting into the Yukon country
by the present routes.
| Alaska Mining Notes.
Almost every claim being worked in
the Klondike district is turning out
fully as we'll as %was anticipated,
Hunker creek in particular is making
rich returns, while Eldorado, Bonanza,
Sulphur and Dominion creeks are
holding their own.