The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1898-01-09

by those who should know that such
service will not accommodate over one
half of those who desire to go. Con-
sequently, it will be necessary to en-
gage accommodations in advance or
else experience veXatious delays after
reaching the coast. All lines require
payment in full before they will make
a reservation. There are several COM
panies advertising special rates and
plausible schemes, but most of these
concerns have no existence except on
paper.
Routes-We still adhere to our pre-
vious statement that the Dyea trail
is the only practicable one to use.
Touching on this subject, c. G. Wood,
a journalist, of Boston, has the follow
ing to say:
the White, there would have been the same
sort of city at Dyea there is at Ska
quay; but those who came to Alaska were
bound for the interior, and not bent on or
compelled to build a town. There are vari-
Gus ways to reach the Yukon, but it is an I'M
assailable 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 under 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 a grip clutch, and haus a sledge
ever the snow to the summit
The Dyea- Klondike Transportation company
is constructing ore Of the others, and they as
sert that the first car will go up the early
part of January. The NOVEL; company of
Berner's bay, is practically behind the opera
ton. This company has seven trans carry
ing ore for use at their various stamp mills
and the same person who engineered them is
experimenting the Chilkoot tram He is F.
G. Hammond The wide and successful ex-
perience that Mr.. Hammond has had, as
y+-id tbot
directing cannot be failure.
The cable is strung and in position from
the Stone house to the summit of Chilkoot g.
distance Of 5000 feet; the dis ance over the
pack trail between the two places IS a frac-
ton over three miles. Mr.. Hammond told
me the power would be ready the middle of
December, and then the cable and fixtures
for the descent to Crater lake would be taken
up over the first span of wire and full con-
nection made then from the Stone house to a
location 5000 feet beyond Crater Lake The
complete span OF tram will obvate packing
over the only part of Chilkoot pass that Is
really hard climbing. Steam power will op-
crate the Dyea side; and grav:tation down to
Crater Lake and beyond. The same company
have made preliminary survey for a rail-
road from Dyea to Sheep Camp, tunneling
through the mountain distance of three
fourths Of a mile and thence twenty-three
miles to Lake Bennett, where the boating be-
gins.
The last of the three tram companies is the
Chilkcot Railroad and Transportation com
pany, and they are spending all kinds of
money. They have completed big ware
house at Dyea, and the foundation for an
other 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 tramway from the wharf TO Sheep Camp
is practically finished. The first nine miles
of tram VIII be worked with horses and dnky
cars. There is two-story station, 40x60 at
Canyon City. Canyon is a new town three
and one-half miles from Sheep Camp, and
there are about $50 people there. The holes
for standards are drilled from the power
Chilkoot pass to Crater lake. The engineer
in charge told me the horse tram would be
freighting goods Dec. 10, and when working
full capacity it could handle 200 tons daily:
the cable way can hoist 120 tons daily.