The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-01-07
GOING TO THE KLONOYKE
When to Go, What to Take Along,
and How to Get There.
SOME FACTS TO REMEMBER
This Information Was Prepared by the
Seattle Agent of the Great North
ern Railroad Company and
Can Be Relied Upon.

contained in a circular letter issued by
r. c. Stevens, general Western passen-
ger agent of the Great Northern at Sc
attic, a copy OF which has been re-
ceived by Major Dawson. AS the lntor-
nation contained in the letter is Of such
general interest it is here given in tull:
There will be daily service from seat
tie to Alaska without doubt after fep
l. 1t is acknowledged by those VINO
should know that such service will not
accommodate over one-half OF those VINO
desire to GO Consequently. II VIII be
necessary to engage accommodations III
advance, or else experience Nekatious
delays after reaching the coast. We are
booking reservation now on all reliable
lines for any date desired. All lines re-
uuire payment in full before they Will
make a reservation, and our agents VIII
please remember that we cannot deVlate
from this rule. There are several com
panieS advertising special rates ana
plausible schemes, but most OF THESE
concerns have no existence, except on
paper, and we would advise our agents
to caution every one to be careful ana
not make any deposits nor have dealings
with any parties unless they KNOW thdl
they are reliable.
We still adhere to our previous state
ment that the Dyea trial is the only
practicable one To use. Touching on
this subject, c. g. Wood journalist OF
Boston, has the following to say:
IF the Chilkoot pass was as impassi-
BILE as the White, there would have been
the same sort of a city at Dyea as there
is at Skaguay; but those who came to
| Alaska were bound for the interior, and
| not bent on or compelled 10 puliu
! town. There are various ways to reach
| the Yukon, but it is an unassailable fact
that the Chilkoot pass is the quickest.
| To most people the quickest is the best,
| and with the trans in operation there
is no doubt that it is the best route.
There are several tram schemes I'M
| der way there, but only three can stand
| up and be counted. One is in operation
! now but it is small and essentially
! winter worker. 1t acts with grip
| clutch. and hauls a sledge over the snow
To the summit
THE Dyea- X londyke Transportation
| company is constructing one OF the
others and they assert that the first
| car will go up the early part of Janu-
| ary The NOVEL; company of BernerS
| bay is practically behind the operation.
! This company has seven trans carry
! ing ore for use at their various stamp
| mills, and the same person who en-
| gineered them is experimenting the
| Chilkoot tram. He is +. e. Hammond.
| The wide and successful experience that
Mr. Hammond has had assures an out
slider. that the movement he is directing
| cannot be a failure.
| from the stone house to the summit of
| Chilkoot, a distance of 5000 feet; the
| distance over the pack trail between
the two places is a fraction over three
| miles. Mr. Hammond told me the power
| would be ready the middle of Decem-
! Der and then the cable and fixtures for
| the descent to Crater lake would be
| taken up over the first span of wire and
full connection made then from the
| stone house to a location 5000 feet be-
lott
| of tram will obviate packing over the
only part of Chilkoot pass that is really
| hard climbing. Steam power Will ope-
rate the Dyea side, and gravitation
down to Crater lake and beyond. The
same company has made preliminary
survey for railroad from Dyea 10
Sheep camp, tunneling through the
mountain a distance of three-fourths OF
a mile, and thence % miles to Lake Ben
nett, where the boating begins.
THE last of the three tram companies
is the Chlkoot Railroad & Transporta-
ton company, and they are spending
all kinds of money. They have COM
pleted big warehouse at Dyea. and the
| foundation for another one is under way
| about mile from the beach just across
the Dyea river. Their wharf Will be
| completed in two months. They have
| built bridge nearly 900 feet long across
| Taiia river The grading of the tram
| way from the wharf to Sheep camp is
| practically finished. The first nine miles
of tram will be worked with horses and
dinky cars. There is a two-story sta
ten, 40x60, at Canyon City. Canyon is
d new town, three and one-half miles
| from Sheep camp, and there are about
$50 people there The holes for stand
ards are drilled from the power house,
near Canyon, to Sheep camp, and over
| Chilkoot pass to Crater lake. The en-
| gineer in charge told me the horse tram
| Nxnnld frpiPhtinkr goods
when working full capacity il could
| handle 200 tons daily: the cable way
can hoist 120 tons daily.
"Dyea, with its cables and modern fa-
ciIties. will be the popular route to the
| Klondyke the coming spring; but, with
all the cables working their utmost |
am inclined to believe their capacity will
be inadequate to meet the demand, and
the consequence will be that there will
be more packing over the trail than
there was this year.
Various times of the year are sug-
gested as the more propitious, but | no
tice the old-timer makes his prepare
tions in February, starts the middle of
March. crosses the ChillSoot and reaches
Lake Bennett the first OF April, builds
his boat, and is ready for navigation
when the ice goes out in May. II is folly
for the novice To prowl up in that re-
| gion in midwinter, he can only Loaf
and hump himself TO keep warm during
the two months, and there i no gain III
| either"
The statement IS again published that
goods will be allowed to pass through
| Northwest Territory in bond. This
statement is misleading. as no one will
be allowed to take goods through in
bond, except incorporated transporta-
ton companies. who have given sufti-
cient bond to cover all loss. You viii
see. therefore. that this will be of no
benefit to individuals who are going
in with their outfits.
J. o. Hestwood. a veteran Klondyker,
in an interview. says: If you are GO
ing in by way of Chilkoot or Skaguay
! pass. come to Seattle not later than
March Is and have a sufficient outfit
+ to last from 10 l. months, at least
( Have your entire outfit thoroughly
protected by oiled canvas sacks. Be viii
| supplied with dogs and Sieds. Each man