Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1898-05-05
Horrors Of the ChiIkoot Pass.

To those who are contemplating a sum-
mer outing In the Kiondike, a perusal of
the following letter, written by Earl Il.
Prince, brother OF Z. }. Prince, and q
former Randolph boy. will be OF interest.
Esrl and his brother, Lso, are members of
a party of nine VITO are seeking 10 reach
the gold fields:-
Sheep Camp, Alaska, April 5, '98.
DEAR BROTHER :-Weare here in Alaska,
IA miles from Dyea and four miles above
Canyon city, and two miles above the can
yon. This is tent town about the size of
Dyea, with few board buildings. Can
yon city is a small tent town. Four miles
above bere is The Scales, a small tent town.
From there it is one mile to the summit
where the custom officer is located.
There is no safe place to camp between
here and the lakes. 1t has cost me 2 3-4c.
a pound to get my goods to The Scales. l
expect to pay one cent to get them over the
summit. Duties for us both cost $3.50.
Weexpect to take our goods from the sum-
NIT to the lakes ourselves.
Not half the horrors OF the Chilkoot Pass
have ever been told. / have been over
twice. On a clear day you would say,
This is gTand-these splendid mountains
lifting their white peaks to heaven, calm,
serene and beautiful 20 The gentle breezes
kiss your cheeks; all nature seems to say,
"Come Stay with me; be contents; en-
Joy this delightful air; dill your lungs and
feast your eyes, The next moment all is
change. Nature frowns, then roars. An
awful gale OF binding snow hurts you to
and fro. Avalanches Of snow come leap
ing down the mountain sides, carrying de-
stI uction In their path, and all VINO have
been so unfortunate as to have been
tempted to her sides are destroyed.
They have taken from under the snow
the bodies OF 40 that persisted in Sundays
storm between here and the summit, and
as many more were taken out alive. l
started out Sunday to go 10 The Scales to
look after my goods. did not know the
full extent OF my danger, yet was told by
me. We had not gone far when we met
two men who told us that they had started
out from The Scales with so men all hold
ing to a long rope to prevent their being
separated from one another; that they had
been buried in an avalanche OF snow, and
these two alone were able to get out; that
We had best turn back as 1t would be i'm
storm. We pressed forward as fast as pos
slbie up the steep mountain, not knowing
but we might at ANY moment be overtak-
en- by an avalanche of snow and wiped
out. At last we came to eight or ten men
hard at work trying to get their friends
from under the snow. we went at IL and
took out twelve dead, two of whom wei
women, and about twenty men still alive,
some of whom have since died. took out
four, two dead ana two alive. After
plenty OF help had arrived all the fresh
hands that could work on account OF room
diu 50. We made our way in safety down
the mountain in a blinding storm, ex-
hausted and weary Of heart. / trust that
it will not be my lot to experience any
more OF Chllkoot's awful tragedies. We
had passed right over where % bodies
were taken out the next morniug-Mon-
day-and did not know 1t. Up to this time
40 bodies have been recovered. Nothing
but the July sun will tell the extent OF the
loss of life.
This country is an enemy OF life. They
are dying every day from exhaustion,
dropping in the harness. Pneumonia Is
taking many. In fact, the Chilkoot Pass
is strewn with blood from end to end.
When will the rapacious thirst OF the Chill.
Root Pass be satisfied with the offerings OF
human life
all out. Fortunately for us our goods are
safe and more fortunately we still have
our lives. l have learned much in the last
week that hope will be of value to us.
thoroughly respect the Chilkoot Pass. 1t
is not to be toyed with. / hope soon to
behold 1t only in memory as we will
make our way TO the lakes as soon as the
weather will permit. We are safely camp
ed here in our tent, sleeping in our robes
and blankets on fur boughs, with six feet
of snow under us. / believe snow is ten
feet deep on the level.
The custom officers say that % 900 people
have come in on the two trails. Many peo-
pie are returning home discouraged.
Leo does the cooking. We are both
well. / shall take only one more into my
psrty over at the lakes.
1t is reported hsre that war has been de.
clared against Spain. Should there be
war of any length, shall return home TO
join the army.