The record-union., 1898-03-06
LIFE At SKAGUAY AND DYEA.
DR.. LOOK GIVES HIS IMPRES.
SICNS OF IT.
Chaotic Condition of Things at the
Foot of the Passes in
Alaska.
Dyea. Alaska. Feb. Il. 1S9

Dyea, Alaska, Feb. IL. 1893.
j. B. Stocker, Sacramento-Dear
Friend: We are now regularly installed
in our tent in the suburbs of this re-
markable city There are five of US
ir one tent, and our goods lie outside
safe and sound. Tom is devouring beans
bacon and coffee with a relish truly
Alaskan and l am lying en- a most re-
nuarkable bed. Under me are tarpau
lins, tents, spruce boughs. dozen pairs
CT blankets, two Of the finest fur robes
Of moose skins, and under all a bed of
ice.
We We're not little disappointed when
we cleared for camp to find that we were
located on a small stream. but as the
y hole country is ice and that it seems
to freeze from the center out, there
was no danger of thawing through. We
pitched our tent yesterday and We're
quite cozy Our bed seemed inviting,
and when | get into it after hard days
work l thought it all right, but the ice
was too near, and / consumed the night
in trying to warm it up, but without sue
cess.
1t is cold. The wind whistles down
the canyon biting cold. Water freezes
in the tent two feet from the stove, yet
we are as comfortable as people in Sac
ramento. 1t was 40 degrees below zero
this morning at Sheep Camp. fifteen
miles beyond here. but we were up early
and tugging away at our goods Many
are having their goods transported by
wagon to Sheep Camp. but / protested
until We went into camp. | wanted a
panions before undertaking the task of
going over the summit l feel perfectly
at ease now. and neither fear nor dread
the trip. We will in all probability have
our freight hauled to Sheep Camp, as it
can be done for three-quarters Of cent
a pound, which will not pay man for
his labor
1t was o'clock when we landed in
Skaguay. There is a wharf there, and
We went ashore. The city is scattered
over a level piece of ground dce) be-
tween two high and steep ranges of
mountains. 1t is the canyon and was
formerly the prolongation of the arm
of the sea which when the sea receded
became a glacier, and now Skaguay.
The mountains converge backwards
into the White Pass, which to the
Skaguayans is the only practicable one.
On the east side of the canyon is a river
whose eastern bank is high, steep and
rugged mountain sparsely covered with
dwarfed fir Beyond this ridge rises a
still higher range whose snowy outlines
looked beautiful against a pale blue
sky.
Skaguay is not a city, but conglom-
crate collection of board huts, ten by
twelve, with few scattered edifices of
more imposing character for dance
halls, saloons and other understandable
purposes. There is no Organization, no
unity of purpose. except one, and that IS
to live off the other man. No social,
political nor commercial ties bind the
Inhabitants, all of which are necessary
to make a town or city. Here are con-
gregated some of the hardest characters
cf both men and women that can be
found anywhere. 1t is an uninviting
place.
At o'clock we were 3laced upon
barge to be towed to Dyea, distance OF
six miles, the way we go, but it is only
around the western point of the Skag-
uay Canyon. The wind swept down cold
upon us. and overhead on the cold bleak
mountain side croaked coalblack
ravens ominously in the boughs of the
ravens croak in vain over a barge of
nearly three hundred passengers. re-
marked to one passenger who prosaically
said they We're crows, but / informed
him that in his country they might be
termed so. but in this region the maine
of raven is the only appropriate one
What time we got ashore / do not
know. A small boat, or rather a stanch
one, came alongside and we boarded her
and two husky Scandinavians rowed us
cut into the stream. The night was
dark. and only the faintest outlines of
ice that floated on the water and the
dimest reflection could be SEEN In the
shallower places the river was frozen
over and with breaking ice and tugging
at the oars we finally succeeded in reach
ing land.
1t was late. Our baggage. which came
ashore with us, lay q mile away on the
ice. and we went to find some shelter
succeeded in convincing an erratic old
landlord that it was necessary for us.
to sleep, and While protesting that he
was full, l took the liberty to sk;rrnish
around his rough board structure. called
the Palace Hotel, and found a room
empty. l Immediately took possession
While Tom and another man who came
ashore with us took possession of sledges
two fellows were dragging after them
and pulled the baggage to the hotel. Our
companions got stored away in a bunk
about like We did. and the first thin- l
knew In the morning was some fellow
rafting at door near us and explaining
10 them, Yukon fashion, that they had
better get up, so others could get some
sleep. 1t seemed like relay hotel. #
that would be appropriate. We were two
nights III the hotel when we moved to
cur present quarters.
Dyea is similar to Skaguay The cam
yen is about half a mile wide and ex-
tends back to the Pass. fifteen miles
The city. instead OF ibeing scattered out.
worms its way for two miles along the
trail The houses are all built OF PLAIN
boards, or logs. and some streets are
hardly wide enough for teams to pass.
1t took us the better part of two days
to sledge our things out of town. The
streets are crowded with sledges with
men trudging at them or dogs trotting
along With more than dozen men can
pull. and few horse sleighs. Every
body is busy, and all headed for Sheep