Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1898-09-22
UNALASKA AND DUTCH HARBOR.

the cause Of it, although we had every
thing to eat that could be secured in
Dawson-plenty of beans, bacon and
bread.
At st. Michael's.
st. Michael's is a bleak, damp, mos
quito infested little settlement, Il roll.
ing, t~rccless track, separated from the
mainland by Il narrow arm of water.
Tie town was founded by the Russians
some 60 years ago, but was soon dopop-
ulated by smallpox and exists ut pres
ent only because it is obliged to, the
workhouse and hotel Of the North
American Transportation and Trading
company and the store of the Alaska
Commercial company and a few native
huts being all there is of it, although
it is the only available part Of the
mouth of tho Yukon where passengers
and freight can be transferred. The ma
tives number possibly 200 and the
whites anywhere from so to l, 900, ac-
cording to tho number of vessels in
port. Its harbor is shallow, and passen-
gers and freight from ocean steamers
must be got ashore ON lighters. Here as
we'll rs farther inland the ground is
frozen the year round. Just how the
mosquito swarms manage to exist where
the cold winds sweep SO fiercely depon-
ent saycth not. He only knows they are
there and always ready for business.
The average temperature in December,
the coolest month, is 10 degrees below
zero-and that when "swept by ocean
brecZes'-and i'll July, the hottest
month, 81 degrees above.
In Dutch Harbor.
It is $50 miles from st. Michael's to
Dutch harbor, Unalaska island, where
we were obliged to put i'll for coal. Here
the two companies before mentioned
have established trading posts. The har-
Dor is sheltered and deep, and the island
is altogether the most attractive place /
have seen since leaving civilization. AL
though there il not Il tree nor II shrub
OH the island, the grass is luxuriant
even far up the hillsides and adjoining
the o patches, which are not worn
away until well into August. Fresh
water lakes and ripping streams abound
all over the island, and there are no ex-
tremes of temperature either in winter
or summer The harbor Is deep and
sheltered, and both fresh and salt water
fish are abundant. Some of Uncle Sans
reindeer were pastured here, and here is
the place for them rather than in Alas.
ka, where their lives will not be worth
a button when exposed to the rapacity
of the Malamute and Siwash dog. In
fact, the dog is to the inhabitant Of the
Yukon what the reindeer is to the Lap
lander, nor will tho latter ever dis.
place it.
Some Popular Errors Corrected.
Before proceeding further l wish to
make "a few observations and correct a
few popular errors concerning Alaska
which have grown out of oft repeated
statements.
Don't imagine your troubles are end
cd when you reach Dawson. They have
but just begun.
There is not work enough for all in
the country by any means. On the con.
trary, work is moro difficult to obtain
and wages are lower than ever before.
Why? Because IA large proportion of
those who have gone in this year are
Obliged to work for wages or starvo..
Don't carry any rifles, fowling pieces
or revolvers into the country. Game is
scarce, and you can buy it cheaper than
you can shoot it.
Tho Yukon is not "20 miles wide
700 miles from its mouth" 1t is about
half that distance wide.
The Yukon is shallow in spots al
the way TO Dawson, and it will Away,
be difficult and dangerous for craft OF
more than 80 inches draft to navigate
it.
The Yukon discharges less, not more,
water than the Mississippi.
The fora and fauna of Alaska are cx
tremely limited.
A good outfit costs twice rs mach c
stated in most guidebooks and dealers
circulars. You cannot afford to tai;
trash into the country.
Furs or skins can be bought ia
cheaper in New York, st. Paul or Sal
Francisco than in Alaska.
The most rapid money maker in Daw
son is II mine owner, the next is a li1
uor dealer, and the third is a tinsmith
The scenery Of Alaska is not special
ly "grand and sublime" except alon
the coast strip.
At the present time and under tn
present unjust Canadian mining law