The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1898-06-01
Barge Skookum Ready to Sail e.
Haines Mission.
THOUSAND HEAD OF Srocf.
Carries North the Greatest Expena
the Gold Rush-lnnt Galvin ana q
W. Thebo mt Its Hcad-An~4Ana
Cattle-Going Over Dalton Trua

The Alaska Barge Ccmpaay's big harm
Skookum. Capt. II. Lancaster, expected d
get away for Lynn canal last night n
tow of the powerful tug Tacoma. She hsa
aboard one Of the largest cargoes ever tai.
en- Out Of this port for Alaska. She pro
scented wonderful sight yesterday while
loading az yesler wharf. Her live stock
cargo consists of some 500 head Of cattle
and loo head of horses. In her he'd saa
carries soa tons OF steel rails for Aiaskas
first railroad. Sixty herders and driven
accompanied the stock.
The stock viii take part in the greatest
expedition 10 Dawson in the history Of The
gold rush. C. W. Thebo end Pa; CALVIN
are at the head Of the proposition and e.
pect to make thousands out of the ven
ture. Pat Calvin returned from nyino
winter trip TO Dawson few days ago. He
tried TO get out over the Dalton trail, but
failed hope;essiy and narrowly ESCAPED
with his life. That will not deter Tnehe
from pushing his cattle expedition. They
will not be ready to start from Haiaes
Mission for fifteen or twenty days and
by that time the trail will likely be pa.
sable.
The loading of the horses and cattle was
big job and took considerable timc. All
day yesterday the work which was COM
meneed the night before. continued and
during the whole time the Skookum Was
the center OF attraction on the wafer front
From 20 TO 80 people were at the wharf
all day and found plenty or amusement
To comprehend the scene one must bear
in mind that the Skookum. with a length
of 80 feet. beam 50 feet and hold IA feet
is one of the largest barges operating on
salt water. She 81 painted green and tho
main deck covered with a house running
almost the entire length. On top Of the
house a temporary one has been built,
back of the pilot house and officers rooms
for the accommodation OF 800 or 400 cattle.
On top of that 80 tons OF hay are STORED i
piled three bales high. The cars We're run
down an incline alongside the barge by
pulling engine, and the work OF unloading
proceeded.
A gangway with strong sides SAX feet
high was run from the car door to the
deck of the barge. At the deck end 3
half dozen cowboys waited with rope hal
tiers. c. W. Thebo, who Is at the head
OF the expedition, opened the car door and
got hold OF one of the horses. He dragged
him over the gansway and that broke
the ice for the others. Once started the
horses were only too glad to get out Of
tho crowded car in which they were
brought ever from Eilensburg. They
came too fas. at times and two or three
got jammed between the sides of the gang
way. On such occasions Thebo used a long
OK goad with good effect. All Of the
horses were loaded In that way.
The same method was used to get the
cattle aboard although the latter were
not so troublesome, They might have been
Wild enough on the plains of Montana and
Idaho. but after their long trip overland
they were not inclined to make much reaIe
lance They are provided with comforia-
bic stalls and viii probably stand the trip
well.
II VIII take the Tacoma ten days or
more 10 get the Skookum to Haines Ms.
sion. III very good weather IL met with.
she may make better time. In spite cf
her heavy load and awkward lines tho
Skookum lows easily. She has 4 rudder
OF peculiar construction that steers her
well and makes the work much easier for
the tug. The Tacoma Is the strongest tug
on Puget sound outside OF the Tyee.
Mr.. Thebo goes to Vancouver today 70
load $50 head OF cattle and 80 horses on an.
other big barge. The Vancouver sock
will also be towed to Hainess Mission.
Thebo Will take a steamer for the North
and superintend the work on the Daltno
trail.