Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1898-01-11

Sence of means to enforce law.
At present the committees having
jurisdiction of the subject in Congress
are devoting their attention mainly to
propositions to extend the public land
laws over the territory, and projects To
open regular lines of communication
coast and the interior. In respect to
the latter several bills have already
been offered, granting rights of way to
transportation companies. The routes
indicated have their coast termini at
Dyea. Skaguay and Cooks Inlet. Tho
advantages of the respective routes are
exhaustively discussed in a report and
memorandum submitted to the secre-
tary of the interior several weeks ago
by the commissioner of education, who
had at his disposal mass of informa-
ton furnished by Dr. Jackson and
other officials of the government, as the
result of personal observations and in
Vcstigations.
According to tn" report, however. the
only feasible winter routes to TIL" in
terror for some years to come will bc
those by southeast Alaska. Bills Civ
ing rights of way To transportation
companies from Dyca to the Canadian
line and from Skaguay to Lake Ber~
nett are now pending in Congress. Re
speeding these and other routes from
southeastern Alaskan ports tn" report
referred to says:
The Lynn canal running north from
Juneau into the Chill<oot Inlet and the
Chilkat inlet furnish deep water and
deep harbors at Haines and Chilkat.
The Dyea inlet. opening out of the
Chilkoot inlet. as far as Dyea has less
depth of water. From Dyea two
routes, the one over the Chilkoot pass.
$500 feet above the sea, and the other
the SkaSuay over the White pass, 2i0d
feet above the sea. furnish the shortest
route to the upper waters of the Yukon.
and naturally have attracted the most
travel. Another route up the Chilkal
river to its headquarters and over the
Chilkat pass $500 feet above the sea,
to Lake Arkell and down the Tahkeena
river connects with the other trails JUS
above Lake Labarge Still another
trail further to the west. called TIL"
Dalton trail (named for its discovereD
moves from the headquarters of thu
Chlkat river to the westward OF Lake
4
to the region of Fort Selkiri near the
mouth of the Pelly river. and inasmuch
as its grades are less steep than thoSi-
of the other routes ara the summit ci
the watershed over which it leads IS
only 200 feet above the sea, it IS
claimed by its advocates that this is
the true line OF communication for
reindeer trail.
This third avenue Of communication,
namely by suut htast Alaska is prac
ticahle both winter and summer. and
Ewill command Ivy system Of reindee:
expresses from Chikat the entire
region of Alaska. The approximate
distances and the periods required f""
the transmission of mails are as fol-
lows: From Seattle to Chilkat thy
steamer. six days: from Chilkat 10
Circle City 5000, eight days, passlnG
| Dawson City and the klondike region
SteameI) six days; from Chilkat (by Cir
Gle City $500 Miles,, eight days. passing
on the sixth day out from ChiIkat. AMI
conveying letters from the klondik"
miners the entire distance to Seattle III
two weeks or possibly in ten days.
The reindeer service with the United
('irrIn (sifV To MjnnDi[
at the mouth of the Tanana river. on
the middle Yukon, 200 miles by rein
| deer route. requires two days more.
These estimates suppose that reindeer
| will he used to carry the mail and that
relays are placed 80 miles apart. If
| four relays are used and the journey
| kept up the entire a hours the TIME oc
cupied from Chilkat to Dawson City
would be three days, to Circle City four
| days and to Minook five days. From
MinOull down the Yukon river to St
Micharls ON B"hrinG sea, is; 600 miles.
aud would require six days for mail
service From Minook by way of
| Nulato. and thence to Cape Prince of
| Wales direct. a distance of 500 miles
| would require eight days NorthWari
to Point Barrow. 500 miles. would also
require eight days. With 50-mile re
| lays aud u continuous journey, the time
| to thcse remote points would be short
cncd onc-half. making from Minook
| four days to Point Barrow, the same
length Of time To Cape Primo" OF Wales
| and only three days to ST, MichaclS
81 MMAItI.
Distance Time of
from quickest mail
| Place. Chiikat. service.
| Dawson 600 miles 5-dayS
| Circle CITY StW miles days
| Minook 1000 miles ; days
ST Mic haclS 1000 miles days
! Cape Prince of
Wales $500 miles days
! Point harrow 1890 miles . days
| Adding six days for the journey to
| Seattle it will he seen that even Point
! Barrow or Cape Prince of Wales coutl
| be communicated with in IL days from
! II do of h. CT ,.tj no of hn