Arizona republican., 1898-05-07


 citizens show no weapons, and I doubt if they carry any. The total death list of the town is but forty-six The much talked of meningitis, which was re- ported in Seattle as being epidemic here, was greatly exaggerated. It was confined entirely to men who were packing goods over on their backs. They would get ever heated-their heavy underclothes drenched with per spiration, and then the icy wind on the summit would chill them through. Some had pneumonia; others menin- gitis or something like it, which, un- der the circumstances, is not to be wondered at.
 These statements are in direct con- tradictilon to some of my letters from Seattle. There I was obliged to rely on the reports of others-here I have seen for myself
 The fact is that the partisans Of Dyea, and the partisans of Skaguay have been engaged in a newspaper warfare for the last several months. that will become historical for it's mon umental lying on both sides. It is bad principle, and has been pretty equally detrimental to both places. People and outfits are undoubtedly getting over the pass at Dyea, ard freight is constantly going to Bennett via Skaguay. Nor is there any insur- mountable difficulty by either trail But as result of this senseless jeal- ousy and pickering, much freight that could reach Dawscn more quickly via the passes, will go by way of St. Michael's. The solid men here de- plore this newspaper pickering, but are powerless to prevent it. Certain big dailies have espoused the cause ! of one place or the other, and in each place are plenty of short sighted peo- pie to fall into line and spit and scratch like tomcats.
 AS it is very difficult to discover the truth in regard to the White pass trail in Skaguay, I assume that it is still more difficult here to discover the truth in regard to the Chilcoot trail. As l shall be at the lakes three days hence, and from there can make a quick trip to Chilcoot pass, I prefer not to send you any hearsay news about the other route, but to wait till have seen for myself I can. how ever, say this: There is no difficulty whatever in having any outfit packed from here to Lake Bennett within a few days after landing, at IS cents a pound, nor will there be. The old trail on which 4,000 horses were killed last year, is abandoned, Brackets road has taken it's place. If prospect ors have the money to pay for th1s transportation of freight, now is their best time to come. If they haven't that money, they will be more than foolish to come-for the labor Of packing their own outfits over is such that no man, sound or othreiwsa. should undertake. I have seen men who looked as strong as oxen, totter- ing along under their burdens, sud denly fling off their packs, throw themselves down in the snow and with faces buried in their arms, sob and moan and curse in an agony of eX- haustion and the bitterness of broken strength and spirit So common is this that no one seems to notice it. The same condition of affairs must prevail on the other pass, since it is 1000 feet higher than this one. And for some reason, which I cannot dis cover, the ropeways are not working satisfactorily, and the great bulk. of IIelSuI uuSt gu over Dy uduO. GTedC efforts are being made for proper sanitation, and a pure water supply is now being piled from a lake, high above the town, and quite out of the line of travel.
 The Queen is just in with a big con- signment of railroad ties. This may mean a railroad over the White pass, or it may be for the purpose of holding down franchise. No one in the town seems to have any definite knowl edge of such a scheme, and the man to whom the ties are consigned is con- veniently absent. If such a railway is to be built, however, it will be very difficult of accomplishment, for the hills and mountains along which it must pass are of bare, solid granite, and a roadbed must be blasted out the whole way. It could hardly be fin ished this year, and as the Dalton route is so much more practicable for a railroad, both as to grade and the terminal point, which would be Fort