The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1898-01-13
THE SKAGUAY TRAIL.
Hnrds hips of Men Who Have Tried the
TerrLBle Pass.


The horrors of the Skaguay trail have
only half been told. A mum beRof men
have recently returned from the White
pass (Which will hence1orward be
known as the Black pass) w.thlstcries
fit to sicken the stoutest heart AID sub
due the hottest courage. One man, Z.
j. Richard, of Seattle, bright lind IN
telligent young fellow, with plenty of
pluck AID perseverance, Used Ms very
best efforts to get over the trail, but has
returned to a more friendly land for the
winter, and will make another trialin
the spring. He will then go by another
route. He has had all of the Skaguay
trail that he wants. To begin with, the
trail was never ready for travel, and
the promoters" who are responsible
for all the waste of time and money
should be prosecuted Richard arrived
at Skaguay on the Islander, which de-
posted its passengers on August /, and
so was among the earliest corners. He
had an ordinary miners outfit, weign-
ing 1900 pounds, two horses and 5000
He considered himself fairly well
equipped. He helped the others cor
duroy the trail and bridge the rivers.
By the time this necessary work had
been done crowds of wayfarers had
arrived, and soon the trail was worse
than ever.
'In eight weeks of the hardest ~@~k
he had ever done Richard manager 30
get his goods to the summit of the last
hill. Then his money was gone, his
horses exhausted, and he had the choice
of wintering in the timber by the lakes,
while his food supply diminished, or of
returning to California and earning
more money to again attempt the trip
northward. He figured that if he
camped the winter, as so many are
counting upon doing. he would have an
early start in the spring, but would by
that time have only two months pc
visions left at the outside, and he was
already penniless. Richard spent his
money for food and shoes for his horses.
He says the difficulty of feeding horses
on the Skaguay trail is enormous. It
was necessary to go all the way back
to Skaguay for hay, and by the time it
was brought back to the hungry ami
mails waiting for it the other animals
met on the trail. by each taking a pass
ing nip, had reduced the quantity about
so per cent. The horses are fond of
birch leaves, but they soon contract
mud fever, and, as they are insufficient
ly fed and not sheltered at all, they soon
become worthless. Not so many are lost
On the trail as is supposed. They really
die from lack of care. Horses are a
good deal better on the Skaguay trail
than burros. although the best thing
of all would be an OK, which is very
good for muddy travelling and can carry
big load. The burros taken I'D are
almost failure. They are good over
the rocks, but no good at all in the
swamp. which forms about two-thirds
of the distance.
Richard reports the packers have lost
money on account of the mortality
among the horses. They would start
cut with 20 apd return with II. The
most trying place below the summit has
been fittingly named Dead Horse gulch.
Instead of one short, steep hill, as at
the Chilkat. there are five long hills,
and Richard thinks it is harder than the
Chilkat itself
Hundreds of disappointed men at
Skaguay in September were making
herculean efforts to reach the timber
that lies beyond the summit with their
goods. there to spend the winter and
get a very early start down the river
In the spring. They must make haste.
for snow had already fallen on the sum-
init. and they must make their camn
and build their log huts before snow
flies. otherwise they cannot procure the
moss with which to wedge the chinks of
their houses.
1t takes strong back and a weak
mind to become a successful packer,
klckard says He also says that, though
quiet and orderly, the Skaguay country
is the meanest in the world. IT rains
there all the time except when it stops
long enough to snow.-Mabel C. Craft
in Leslie's Weekly