Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-03-04
ALASKA A VAST COUNTRY
Views Of Its Magnitude Given by United
: States Commissioner Smith.
Responses to Questions Concerning
the Gold Flelds-Best Route and
the Outat Required.

Mr.. Thomas w. Gilmer of the Treasury
Department has Just received letter dat
ed February TO- from John L. Smith. Unit
ed States commissioner at Dyea. Alaska. in
which the writer gives some information
of value to those who may contemplate
making trip to the gold fields.
Mr.. Smith says:
ut is very hard to describe, in any salts
factory manner, such a vast country as
Alaska BY reference to the map you will
see that 1 am stationed on an inlet Of the
sea, and communication between here and
the Interior. OF any other portion of south
eastern Al&sisa, is difficult. This ia, at this
time. however, a most important point i'm
Alaska, and to- Dyea and Skaguay is head
ed the grand rush to the north in search OF
the precious metals. Every ship comes
crowded with people and loaded to the
guards with freight, returning empty TO
Portland and the sound cities.
in answer to your eight questions, In
the order given, will say:
First. The best route to the klondike
Pass.
Second. How much money should a per-
son have? / would say that the more the
better, as the field for investment promises
quick and large returns; but IL you are in
tending to go into the Klondike country,
end land in Dyea with $500. at this time of
the year, you can outfit yourself with
clothing and provisions for one and one hall
years. The outfit-will cost you in Seattle
about $50, and it will cost about 500 NOR.
to land you in Dyea, and about $50 more
to reach the navigable waters Of the Yukon.
VI course this takes no account of your
own labor, which Is considerable
Third. The Dyea Pass is preferable be-
cause 1t is shorter and not SO muddy and
miry as the Skaguay trail.
,vtI -
necessary outfit you can get from the out
hitting stores in Seattle or Portland, ana
from reading after you arrive there. II
you are tenderfoot' the Seattle mer-
chants are sure to sell you goods you will
rot need. and, although the prices are
Higher in Dyea, I believe money can be
saved by Quitting here because you will
not buy any superfiuous stuff.
Fifth. If you are going to come to Alas
ka, the best time to start is the earliest
possible moment
Sixth. The chances of suco ess in Alaska
are the same as IN any calling Of life any
where. The best rustler' will make the
most money. One should be strong in body.
who make friends quickly are most apt to
succeed, because when a new strike is
made and a man has friends, some Of them
are sure to inform him, so that he will be
the nrst on the ground; and priority is ev-
erything.
Seventh. cannot speak Of the regions
OF Alaska, other than where 1 am, but for
Dyea and Skaguay will say that every one
thus far has made money and plenty Of 1t.
Every one has money and spends it freely;
prices are high for everything: there are
Few quarter dollars in circulation.
Eighth The road over the pass from
Skaguay is all right for winter travel, but
in the spring, summer and fall there are
marshes to encounter. The two rival
towns OF Dyea and Skaguay are both hav-
Ing great real estate boom Just now. The
possessory right to property, which is all
the title one can acquire at present, is ad-
vancing In value, and considerable money
Is being made in real estate. Fifty by one
hundred foot lots, which could have been
purchased three months ago for So are
now selling for from one thousand to twen-
ty-hve hundred dollars each.
Rough lumber for building purposes is
IN such dema nd that prices range from $40
10 SIS per thousand feet. Tramways.
wharves. bridges, telephone lines and cleo
trio light plants are being constructed, and
any one desiring to go into any such ven
lures must have the money On hand to do
II.
Everything is done on a cash basis, and
nothing but cash goes; bank drafts, checks
or certificates Of deposit cannot be used
here. Lawyers and real estate agents are
doing well. Everything is handled with a
rush; the population Is floating. and no one
knows when the boom and the rush to
Alaska will end.
Il know of men who came here without
a dollar six months ago who are now worth
De termed wide open towns and although
there are no miT.es in this immediate Vi
cinfty in operation. they present the ap-
pearance Of frontier mining towns. The
population is made up of all kinds of peo-
pie from all parts of the world