The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1898-03-21
RIVER ROUTE IAPASSAblE.
HUNDREDS ARE STRANDED ALONG
THE LOWER STICkEES.
Dycn and SkaYway. and the 9th
ers Will Have tn Wait Cntii the
Steamers start Running in May.


VANCOUVER. Il. g. March S.-The
most convincing evidence has arrived here
this week. proving beyond a douo. thar
She al.-Canaaiaa Route 20 the Yukon sold
tieids, by way OF the Stickeen river. Is
a dismal failure, during the winter months
a. least A score of letters from discour-
aged miners. who left this port Tor Nran-
gel during the month OF March. have oeeii
received here. and they all tell the same
story OF the .mrractieah.siy OF the roai1
during the winter months. Some of them
teii Of a condition of affairs AT she mouth
Of the Stckeen lar worse than tha, eX-
perienced at Skagway before the wagon
road was bull; last fail. Sevsra. thousand
people are gathered. according TO these
letters, around the mouth Of the river.
praying for a cold snap and staring the
Thermometer cut OF countenance.
Many who have been waiting for weeks
for drop in the temperature. which WI.
freeze up the siush. two feet deep. on The
top OF the .ce in the river. have lost all
patience and have reshipped their outfits
TO Skagway. Representatives OF parties
here who have gone ahead 10 see The
true condition of the tran have wfitiea
back condemning the route As winter
one in the strongest terms.
Al the present moment there are from
four 10 i've hundred men waiting Aers
10 get reliable information n regard 10
the StiCkeen route before starting out
Their outfits have been purchased and
they are in readiness 10 start at Il mo-
ment's notice. as soon a. they hear favor
able news of the route from friends who
have gone ahead 10 investigate il. L, IL
safe to predict that not 10 per cent. or
these men will go in by way OF the Stick
cen. at least until The river opens up.
They Will either wait here until naviga-
ton opens or will ship their outfits direct
i~r.r ka hn hn
White pass. The Post-intei!sencer cor
respondent interviewed q dozen parties
representing = hundred men. who are
waiting to go in by the Stickeen. and with
very few exceptions they have decided
from information received TO abandon
this idea.
j. ~ Stanton. of Helena. Mont. who il
here as a representative OF party OF
th,gty-four. and originally intended TO take
the Stickeen route. has abandoned the
idea. He says that from wha, he has
heard from reliable sources Ii Is Impossible
10 pack an outfit of any size over it
during the winter.
Capt. Henry j. Woodside. OF Portage La
Prairie, Manitoba who Is going north as
4 representative of the New York World
and syndicate OF Canadian papers. ar
rived IN the city yesterday, and before
making preparations for his trip he oh
tanned the most reliable information he
could III regard to the Sticksen route.
The reports he received. some of them
from people connected with the Macken-
z.e-Mann outfit. convince hum that he will
not be able to go through until nav.ga-
zion opens. He will. in consequence. PROB
ably wait at Wrangel until tne river Is
free OF ice.
Mr. j. 3. Brown. of this city. is in re-
ceipt Of a letter from wrangel. dated
March j.. from DR.. a. f. Carr. thor
oughly reliable man, who is reshipp:ng his
outfit to Juneau, having been unable 10
get it through by way OF the Stickcen.
After description of Wranaei. which he
says is full of gambling dens. saloons and
would-be prospectors, whose patience is
completely worn out with waiting for the
trail 10 become passable. ne saEs:
Before l go any further want you to
advise all your friends. ard those YOU hear
contemplating going by this route. for
Gods sske not To attempt x. It's simply
awful. and out OF the question 10 get up
the river. Tell them not TO listen 10 Mac
kenzie 4 Manns and DswGney's reports
about them making any progress up the
river. for it Is absolutely false. had Il
he told me that he mad gone up the
Stickeen TO Twenty-Mile post, This, no
said. is as far as i is possible TO get.
point. Dewdneys outfit were this far, but
they get no further Mackenzie a.
Mann's men are cutting ilrewood for
II for one will do all can to prevent
people from putting their heads into this
moose. u Is simply great scheme to
fleece d poor devil out OF his nickel. The
customs duties are not 80 bad. You have
10 pay s. TO a broker "a make out your
papers. then the customs officer charges
$50 for each outward entry. Your goods
are then released from bondage. and you
90 on your way reJoicing-until you &c:
on the awful trail. They yharge pretty
high wharfage here. however. The best
way is 10 go in by way of Juneau as ii is
only lao miles from that point to Teslin
lake.
Or. 4. T.. Cieudanuan. late of Steveston
on the Fraser, who IL now connected with
the Mackenzie-Mann OUTFIT. in a letter
from Wrangel. also dated March IL. gives
somcw hat damaging evidence against the
route. His letter. which was received by
a weli-known Vancouver merchant, says
IT has been mild for the last two weeks
and the river has become IN pas sa bic. cx-
cept fer a few drawing their own slcighs
ana some with dogs and dogged persever-
auce. Unless IL turns cold we shall lie tied
up here until navigation opens In Nav.
There are a large number here and along
the tFail fifteen miles up the river. There