The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1898-01-16
THE PASSING IHRONG.

c. 8 Moody. former manager q The First
S1r.onsl hank az MoGns SsrDoZ. Is II t1s
csry. having come down from Alaska on
Z business trip. Es VIII return tc1noEEo~
CT TIE steamer Ros21ss- Ar. Moody Vas
one O.. party O. eight Skagii county men
10 asteIpE 20 get tnso TIE Yukon country
last summer. Finding X impossible 70 GET
the supplies Of the entire party over 10
the lakes In tine 80 allow CT reaching
Dawson before the close cs navigation
trey decided 20 pack TIA supplies OF two
Of sha party over. and they drew lots 10
choose tas TWO men TIE result was that
ex-TreasQrer James Dunlap, az sazg.s
county, and T. o. Wsits, sx-stste read
commissioner, were sent On 20 represent
the Others. Mr.. Moody has been camping
ca the SkAguay trail since n company
with several other szagit county men
Speaking OF the sll-absoroi1g question at
present On the tongues or every oas rsla-
tive To tae respective merits o. the two
trails and os TIE likelihood OF either beng
ready 10 accommodate the rush which mas
commenced. Mr.. Aoo1y said:
The wagon road over the Skaguay tran
Will certainly De ready foF the crowds 20
60 over II IL one month from today that
Il. by Feb. L. About - men are at scgE
at various points along the road. pushing
the work ahead with the greatest speed.
c. A Buiien - there with = large force
OF men putting in tas steel bridge across
the river. Denny Brogan and Mar. Kelly.
formerly OF CIausson IL Kelly, CT Seattle,
have devoted much time and energy 10 tee
prosecution OF the enterprise. not Only
while Mr. Bracket has been East, but all
along. II has been no easy task 10 over
come the obstacles which drove back so
many thousands o. men last summer. But
now the work is so nearly completed that
IL is an assured success.
'Tha road is mostly Of rock and gravel;
n muddy places there Is rock and cordu-
roy both and there are dozens Of bridges
besides. There VIII be no trouble what
ever in taking horses or dog teams over
tbs latter half OF next month. That seems
to be the best time for going over and I
should advise no one 10 attempt It before
that time. Those who start now viii be
overtaken BY those who start later. so
there IS nothing TO be gained by going
now. so far as the trails Or passes are Goa
ceFaed-"
John Bourke the veteran Yukon miner.
who was one Of the late arrivals from
Dawson. has gone to Portland on his way
10 visit his relatives In Canada. Bourke
went 20 Alaska thirteen years ago and has
been out Of the country but twice since
then. He has lived in the West for near
~ a quarter OF century and has not seen
his parents for twenty-five years. When
Bourke reached Seattle he hesitated to
either write or telegraph 10 his old home
near St. Celestin. He feared that his
parents might have died. or that, IL liv
ing. being we'll advanced in years, the
knowledge that their son had secured
fortune In the gold fields and was on his
way back 20 the family hearthstone might
come with the suddenness OK y shock.
After considering the matter for couple
of days. Bourke finally telegraphed TO his
brother, asking him 10 let him know X
the Old folks were alive and Well The
next day, the old Yukoner found a. httla
yellow envelope at his hotel. which he
tore open with tremuous haste. At first
he hardly dared 10 lock at il. but finally
summonlng up courage. he scanned the
words that elaadened his heart. fer the
message read that both father and
mother are we'll and looking FOR You
home"
Fer an hour or So Bourke, with swNll-
ing bosom. hunted up his comrades OF the
gold fields and impaired TO each the news
tina. had go pleased him. That night he
spent at the theater with an old friend
who had once been his guest IN his cabin
on the Stewart river years ago. and bright
and early the next morning Bourke was
ready with his ticket for the train TO carry
him back to the folks at home"