The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1898-03-07

An incident OF international importance
Is the invasion Of American territory by
the Canadian customs officials and the
establishment Of stations by the Domin-
ION mounted police for the collection of
duties on the SUBMITS OF the Chilkoot
and White passes II now appears that
the move OF the Canadian officials was
made with the direct purpose of placing
another inhibltory condition on American
trade and commerce. At least, the posi-
ton assumed by the Canadians will have
a tendency, it Is contended, to operate
against every American city whose mer-
chants sell north-bound gold hunters their
supplies OF provisions. hardware and
clothing for residence and travel in the
boreal regions.
The effect OF Canada's new position on
American interests Is clearly set forth in
an interview obtained yesterday with
James d. Esary. of Seattle. who was one
of the passengers on the steamer City of
Seattle Saturday, and who interviewed
Inspector Belcher at Chilkoot pass and
Capt. Strickland on .hes Skagway trail.
Mr.. Esary shows that the Canadians have
gained an advantage in establishing their
customs stations nearer TO tidewater
Formerly when the mounted police coli
iected duty on American-bought outfits,
IL was at Lake Bennett and Shallow lake.
some fifteen or twenty miles from the
summit OF the passes. A miner with an
outfit purchased In any of the British
Columbia cities was compelled by the
United States regulations to pay duty
at Dyea or to employ an inspector at s.
per day TO accompany him to the Can
adam customs station. When these sta
tons were thirty or forty miles from
tidewater the expense OF this method was
so large that IL was to a miners advant-
age to buy his outfit In America and pay
the Canadian duty outright.
Now that the Canadian officials are taxi
Ing duty at the summit, within twenty
miles or less OF tidewater the expenses
attached TO taking a Canadian outfit 10
the customs stations is greatly lessened
and an advantage Is gained by the Brit
ish Columbia Quitting establishments.
ESary's Experiences.
Mr.. Esary's experiences on the Dyea
and Skagway trails We're not greatly diff
ferent from those OF hundreds OF other
Seattle men. yet he saw and has chron-
icied some incidents that are OF interest.
He said last night:
II left Seattle on the steamer CITY of
Seattle January % in the Interest OF a
ny my NO et.a,t
extracting frost from collaborating gray
ei. After tsn-days stay at Skagway.
in company with Frank Barron and VIII
lis Thorp, l started over the White pass.
We had four oxen and two dogs. carry
Ing 5.so pounds of freight The freight
was loaded on four Yukon sleighs and
two thirty-inch bob sleds and another
bob for the dogs. 1t IS well TO call at
teniion 10 the fact that sleds wider than
twenty inches are not handled easily on
the trail in It's present condition. For
the first eight miles up the river bed IL is
comparatively smooth sailing. Then you
travel through the canyon for one and n
hair niles to the famous Porcupine hill.
Here the trail leaves the canyon and the
road ia steep and rough. We had 10
leave one sleigh at tho bottom OF the
hill and double up over this portion OF
the trail. From the h.ll 1t is compara-
lively good shedding 10 the river, where.
az camp Ne. :. the tran crosses the
wagon read. Men were blasting out rock
al this point. After crossing the road the
tran follows the right bank OF the river.
where there IS fairly good travelling 10
what * known as the third bridge Here
wood and iron bridge is being built FOR