Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1898-06-09

tiers of an hours climb, the hardest
had ever experienced, I reached the
custom office on top to find it closed
for the first time since the opening;
not because it was Sunday, but be-
cause it was the worst blizzard since
the slide, and no one had tried to dc
business. / was fortunate, however, il
finding congenial and obliging gentle
men at the custom house, and a GOOD
place to warm, with wood that cost
three cents per pound. That night
slept on the floor of the custom house
brokers' Office, about ~ feet in the
snow; some of the mounted police
whom had met before, invited me tC
roast beef dinner. Next morning
discovered that Mr.. Mckay, freighte1
on the other side, had advanced 800 as
part payment of my customs. and, as
was we'll known to the authorities, the
goods were allowed to go through
About nine a. m. Judge Irwin, an old
friend and former Indian agent, brought
my personal baggage, and that of my six
men (Which he insisted on doing, be-
ing in the freighting business) free OF
charge, in all about 1000 pounds, from
Dyea to Lake Bennett, just for "Auld
Lang Syne." About three p. m. we start
ed for Lake Linderman, stayed there
all night, and reached Lake Bennett
| with nearly all of our outfit Tuesday
morning at ten a. M, just so hours
from the time we left Canyon City, from
which point our goods were, packed on
| horses and mules to the Scales.
| About this time they commenced
sending goods through on the tramway
from Canyon City to the summit, and
to-day they arc carrying freight from
here by way of this tram to the summit
for four cents per pound, and am cred
IDLY informed that within a week the
rate will not exceed three cents, con-
sequent1y one can easily figure on
freight from here to Lake Bennett at
this time at not over six cents, and
next spring, when rything is frozen
up and the trails are good, it will not
exceed five cents; and / feel almost
sure that within year there win be
a three-cent rate from Dyea to Under
man.
l have no word to say against the
| White pass, as [ have not been over it,
but if they could not carry freight for
| less than 13 and Is cents at profit be-
fore this tram was completed, cannot
understand why, if they had better
trail, as they claim they have, it should
cost nearly twice as much to go over it.
I have no AK to grind on this side, not
dollars worth of interest here, nor
am under obligations to anyone, have
paid cash for everything l have pur-
chased, have neither asked for nor re-
ceiyed favors from anyone, except Judge
Irwin, and, that was entirely sponta-
neous and personal, rendered after 1
had contracted with an opposition
party. 1 simply want to give my ex-
perience honestly and truthfully that
others may profit thereby, and would
readily have given 500 two weeks ago
for the information contained in this
letter, and everyone who knows me will
realize that 1 will not write line that
cannot be substantiated.
Now let us see for a moment what
the difficulties and dangers of this
route really are: In the first place
have talked with a dozen Indians and
everyone tells the same story, that no
Indian could be found on the trail on
that terrible day OF the slide, and they
(the Indians) warned the people to
stay III camp and not risk it but it seems
useless to warn people; myself would
be one of the first to try to prevent peo-
pie from going into such danger; and
yet because 1 had business that might
suffer on top of the pass, l refused to
listen to the warnings / received and if,
while facing that storm, I had been
buried in a slide, alone would be to
blame.
Parties going to the Yukon would do
we'll to write to one or two of the trans
portation companies here at Dyea, as
well as at Skagway, a month or two
months before starting, for rates and
conditions. Irving & Coburg or the D.
K. T. company are thoroughly reliable
and will give lowest rates and practical
information. The only one company
that 1 can think of at Skagway is Bart
lett & Co.
Here is one incident which I think
worthy of mention: While my goods
were being loaded here Superintendent
Hammond, of the D. K. L. company,
said to me: Capt. Jack, why do you
heavy lumber is not worth nine cents
per pound. When we unload at Canyon
City get your men to take those ma
chimes out, pack all you can in sacks,
and l will give you credit for every
pound you throw away" The result
was that 500 pounds of goods are now
packed in the Dyea Trading company's
store, where l am writing this letter.
These go free to Bennett in lieu of
boxes dispensed with, saving $45, which
is quite an item. Everything should be
packed in so and 100-pound sacks (wa-
terproof) and boxes should not weigh
over 100 to 100 pounds, so as to be easily
handled, thus saving lots of breakage
and often much loss.
We purchased four boats in Seattle,
and here is another item worth remem-
beriEg: Two of our boats, galvanized
steel. 90 feet long, in two rolls about
IS inches in diameter, 21a feet long.
weighing $50 pounds each, while the
frames weigh about so pounds each, or
400 pounds in the two boats, cost at
Seattle 800 for the two. Freight from
Seattle to Bennett, $40, making about
$3.50 for the two boats complete, while
a Bennett or Linderman the l6m Der for
one boat cost about as much as 25 cents
per foot. | could not purchase boat
for $3.50 made of poor lumber that would
be as good or as valuable as one of mine
that cost $65, hence, l say, buy your
boats knocked down or bring your lum-
Der to build them and save money