Arizona republican., 1898-06-06
THE WAR OF TOWNS
SkdguaY and Dyed Rivals for
Freight Business.
Steamers Arriving in the Land of
fhe Frozen Sun-GoId Coming to
Amaze the World.

Skaguay, Alaska, May PA re-
port has come down today that rich
strike has been maze on an unnamed
creek, flowing into Lake Bennett. about
ten miles below the town of Bennett.
1t is reported that the gravel goes
$1.5O to the pan, and that some 1000
claims have already been staked out.
A number of people have already left
here for the new diggings. If the
report proves true, there will be a big
rush from here, and much prospecting
will be done along the lakes.
There seems to be reasonable prob
ability that this report may be true,
since placer gold has been found in
Skaguay river and the creeks flowing
into it, in sufficient quantity to pay
wages. If gold occurs on this side of
the divide it is not impossible that 1t
may occur in paying quantities on the
other side. We shall soon know,
however.
1 have just returned from Bennett,
having made the round trip with a
heavily loaded pack train, in four
days without difficulty The trail is
now in good condition and will be in
far better condition, since force of
men has started for the other side to
corduroy the muddy places, as pre-
saged in my last letter. The mer-
chants and packers subscribed liber-
ally to the fund, and the work will be
well and quickly carried out. This
will put the trail in permanently good
order, and will place Skaguay in a po-
sition to defy competition.
Such work is certainly very much
needed. For instance, on the return
trip, | was riding the lead horse of the
train. We came to low, marshy look
ing place, the looks of which 1 didn
at all like, but we could only go ahead
blindly. Suddenly we took a plunge
and went into the deepest and thick
est mud 1 ever saw in my life. Only
manned above it. AS he was still 60
ing down, l had to jump off, and went
in to my waist But by partly sup
porting myself on the saddle, and by
yelling vociferously in Spanish, Ger
man and French to the horse, We man
aged to get out all right A more
sorry looking horse and rider there
could not well be- The mud here is
horse-the latter in unknown guam
tity. We should never have struggled
out, 1 believe, had it not been for my
slight knowledge of foreign languages.
One hears the most artistically COM
plete profanity on this trail that it is
possible to imagine, launched, of
course, at the pack horses. But it
makes not the slightest impression On
them. l have, curing my life, gath
cred a string of French, Spanish and
German cusswords, very innocent in
themselves, but to the uninitiated per-
fectly blood-curdling. The effect of
these foreign oaths on pack horse is
startling. He is positively fright
ened into unwonted action.
We came across one horse who was
down in the snow. three packers
were about him: clubbing, kicking
and swearing, with no effect. l
launched my foreign vocabulary at
him. 1t wac like tying a bunch of fire
crackers to his tail he was up in
moment and trotting- off to join his
companions. Say, young feller,"
said one of the packers, "Tll give you
$40 if you'll teach me that"
The town of Bennett is very lively
place Just now. There are hundreds
OF boats of all sizes and shapes near
ing completion, and their owners are
working over time to put on the finish
ing touches, for on Saturday last the
first boat started for Dawson.
The Canadian police maintain per-
feet order at Dawson, with firm
hand Some 5000 people are there, all
living in tents and all well behaved
Military rule has its advantages.
A most important matter for Ska
quay has been at last decided and
acted upon by the treasury depart
ment. Heretofore all foreign goods
and outfits passing over the Skaguay
trail, have of course gone through in
bond. but under conditions very vexa-
tious and costly to the owners. The
only bonds acceptable to the inspector
here were those of man named
Sylvester, vino regularly charged from
~ to per cent of the value OF the
outfit, as commission or Zee lot the
granting of this bond. Besides this
q convoy at So a day was required to
accompany each outfit to Bennett, lest
dutiable goods might be smuggled out
en- route. This has all been very
costly and annoying to the English,
Canadian and American prospectors,
who have come this way, particularly
as no such anncyances have occurred
at Dyea, the ropeway company there
having been, since its organization,
empowered to give bonds and to act
as convoy; all of which it has done
without charge. Now, however, a
customs officer is to be at once sta
toned at the summit in order that
outfits may be passed by him, and
the bonding and conveying charges
done away with completely.
Skaguay has, in consequence of this.
been able to score victory over her
rival, Dyea. The big Canadian "a
cific ship Attunian is in today, and
the entire cargo of freight goes over
the trail. Not a single pound is left
for Dyea This is turning the tables
with a vengeance, for it has been quite
the other way about, lately
People are beginning to arrive here
from Wrangel The Telegraph creek
and Lake Teslin route seems fore
doomed to failure. 1t is true that a
l 5ooI IF orocc GROWS along this