The copper country evening news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 18??-1907, 1898-04-09
The KLoNDlKE TRAILS.
A Comparison of the Various
Passes.
THE sKAGUAY ROUTE PREFERRED.
Our Correspondent Gives His Personal Fx.
perienoe of the Various Trails and Con-
tradicts Certain Stories About LawIess-
ness at Skaguay.
(From Our Special Correspondent
SHEEP CAMP March 10


(From Our Special Correspondent
SHEEP CAMP, March 10.
Just few words about conditions
4 along the coast and the various trails
n before we get any farther into the in.
4 terror.
At the outset let me say that the
\ spirit of Ananias is rampant every.
4 where. 1t broods over Dyea and Skag-
nay and fingers in the little hamlet of
\ Fort Wrangell. 1t turks along the Chill.
4 kat and will soon strike the Taku river.
Seattle, Portland and Tacoma can boast
of some famous Alaskan prevaricators,
n but their glory fades into insignifcance
4 when compared to those that exist in
Fort Wrangell, Skaguay and Dyea
There must be something peculiar in
the icy winds that whirl down the
frozen Stickeen and cavort through
White and Chilkoot passes. When they
strike the ambitious wayfarer or So
journer, they ruthlessly drive all the
instincts of truth from them, thodgh
they may resist never so hard, and the
poor fellows are compelled to make
Munchausen with envy. Much of this
finds it's way into print. / am sorry to
say. And thus the public marvels
For instance, at Fort Wrangell you
will be solemnly told that it is abso-
lutely impossible to get to Dawson City
with any degree of comfort and safety
by any other route than that of the
Stiokeen river At Skaguay they will
assure you that man must be- insane
to go to Dyea or Fort Wrangell, while
the good people of Dyea are justly in
dignant at the ISLANDERS that come from
the wicked towns farther down the
coast.
The Stickeen Route.
At some outlay Of muscle, money,
shoe leather. patience and time have
made rather an exhaustive investigation
of the various routes into the interior.
have taken no mans word, for that
would be as through glass darkly
While at Fort Wrangell about ten
days ago went up the Stickeen river
in boat about two miles, or as far as
it was open. The ice above, which in
places was piled so feet high, was COW
cred by about two feet of snow, and
some who had attempted to make the
trip were giving it up disheartened.
The ice in the river usually breaks up
about the 1st of May. and for time, or
until swollen by spring rains or melt
ing SHOWS, the water is too low for navi-
cation. Where the water is rapid the
ice has already worn away or is too
thin to bear much weight. In summer
it is 1870 miles of about as difficult river
navigation as can we'll be imagined
Glenora to Lake Teslin | know nothing
about but allowing 1t to be as favora.
BILE as the Canadian officials assert the
Yukoner has about $40 miles before
reaching Lewis river. Operations are
practically begun for railroad contigu-
Gus to this route, but cars will not be
running upon it this year, all reports to
the contrary Notwithstanding.
The little hamlet of Fort Wrangell is
thriving. counted 1875 buildings that
must have been constructed within the
past year, and the town has rather
more healthful site than either Skaguay
or Dyea. 1t has full quota of saloons,
hotels and restaurants, but it is never
destined to be great.
- Dalton, White Pass and Chiikoot.
The Dalton trail is good only in sum-
mer. While it's grades are not severe
after the first 40 or 80 miles, it is far
longer than the Dyea route, and the
snow at this season lies anywhere from
to 90 feet upon it.
! Just at the present time and until the
snow begins to melt the Skaguay trail
is the most favorable Of all for reaching
the Yukon. Miners are going over the
White pass with their outfits every day,
but before this reaches your readers the
snow may be worn away and its diff
culties increased several fold. The pass
is some 700 or 500 feet lower than the
Chilkoot. but the route is several miles