The Dickinson press., 1898-03-12

the RISE OF SKACUaY.
Sudden Development to a Bus
Ting and Populous Seaport.
TRAVEL BY WHITE PASS TRAIL.
Tho Most Popular Route to the Klondiko
1t This Season - An Experience on the
Dalton Trail = Interview With General
Merriam of the Government Expedition.
(From Our Special Correspondents
. SEATTLE, WASH, March s..
From disappointed argonaut who
has just returned from sojourn Of sew.
eral months at Skaguay I have received
an interesting and picturesque descrip.
tion of that sudden town. 1t appears
that what at present is bustling, hus-
tling, but wild, woolly and rampant
town was last August merely some 30
huts strung along the beach. Now three
wharfs lead to deep water, and several
warehouses shelter freight as it comes
in. A sawmill sings merrily in the dis.
tance, an electric light plant is in full
operation, and telephone gives conneo.
tion with Dyea, just across the water.
There are about 100 business houses of
various kinds in Skaguay, quite good
newspaper, church, a public school, a
postofiioe and about 30 of those "ad.
vance agents Of prosperity" and subse.
quent distress, saloons and gambling
houses. The latter are run wide open.
OF course there is law prohibiting the
importation Of liquor, but smuggling
goes on constantly.
Some 400 log cabins and frame cot.
tages comprise the residence portion Of
the town. thrift and enterprise are dis.
played on every hand, and 2,5O0 would
be a conservative estimate of the num-
Der Of inhabitants And just at present
Skaguay is where the people flock, for
at this season the Skaguay trail by
way Of the White pass is far more at.
tractive than that by way of Dyea and
the Chilkoot. As soon as warmer wealth
er sets in, however, conditions will be
reversed unless steps are taken to cordu-
roy or otherwise improve the swamps.
The Canadian police now pay S5 cents
per pound for taking their freight to
Lake Bennett over this route. A good
horse with "cayuse" as leader will
haul 1000 pounds to Lake Bennett in
about eight days. Few prospective min.
ers are able to pay that rate, however,
and consequently much freight is being
dragged On hand sleds, 200 pounds be-
ing fair load and the time about the
same as that made by the borses.
Tho Relief Expedition.
Tho Skaguay trail is the one selected
by General H. @. Merriam for taking in
the advance portion Of the government
relief supplies, some so tons of provi.
siona
It is proposed to use mule and horse
power for this transportation. Each an
imal is to carry enough forage for So
days, or, allowing 20 pounds Of hay and
grain per day, say, 800 pounds in all.
"This will enable an animal to haul
but about 500 pounds Of provisions in
addition to his forage" said General
Merriam to me. 1--WE intend to take
the goods as far as the river before the
ice breaks up" he continued. "Then
RATS or boats will be constructed, and
we shall proceed down to Dawson City
as best we may. Late? Of course it will
be late before we get there, but even
that will be far in advance of anything
that can be got up the Yukon from st.
Michael's."
"What are the facts, general, to the
best Of your knowledge, as to the need
Of food at Dawson Cityi''
1.-THE latest information have-and
have been in communication with ev.
cry one I could get hold Of who has just
come QUITS that there is no pressing
need Of food, and this has been the tenor
of my advice to the war department.
have learned that the stores that were
90 long closed in the hope of highe,
prices have all been opened, and that
-four that was selling in December fol
$1.50 per pound is now worth but 81
cents My duty, however, is not tt
question orders, but to obey them. W.
are proceeding with all haste, but the
conditions are without precedent. Here
tofore when we have attempted to pene
trate new country we could rely upor
grass-an almost indispensable condi
tion for easy and speedy TRANSITION
forage. Now we must not only take ir
every ounce that men and animals need
for food during the journey in, but for
age for the return trip likewise.
"How about the reindeer?''
II strongly favor the idea of taking
them into the country, though not TO,
carrying food supplies. I am reliably
informed that the moss they require fol
forage grows in Alaska, and am salts
fed that their introduction is measure
which the government can we'll affort
to undertake. As to the Laplanders wht
accompany them-well, we'll try t.
manage them in some way"
Great activity has been displayed i,
building the wagon road along the righ
bank Of the Skaguay river. At least 35(
men were employed. Hundreds Of blast
were made every day, and millions O
tons of rock were broken up and eithe
hurled down the embankment or uset
to level bad places.
skaguay Overcrowded.
People are sailing for Skaguay o,
every steamer by hundreds, and th,
town is full of idle men looking fo
work as we'll as idle men who woult
avoid work If any CHANGED to come theil
way. Hundreds would go back to tht
Pacific coast provided they had enough
to pay their passage. Every newspape,
man there has written his paper warn
ing people not only to stay away from
skaguay, but from Dyea, Juneau an6
Wrangell, yet there seems to be little
diminution Of the influx. Man is gre
garious. Misery is tempered in the mass
The river from the town to the foot
Of White pass is lined with tents. Late
arrivals must either pay exorbitan,
prices for rude hunks, hire houses O,