The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1898-12-05
Two-Hnndred White Pass Work
ers Quit in Body.
FREIGHT RATES TO ATLiN.
Packers PREPARING to Handle Goods
Over PASSES to the Lake-Wflt
Cost IS Cents a Pound to Take
Supplies To New DixEinEs-A Foot
Rush of Business II Coming.

TheIe IS great difficulty experienced by
the White Pass & Yukon railway officials
III keeping their employees, on account o.
the cold weather. Ali freigntsrs and pack
ers over Inc passes are getting ready for
The rush that is expected To easue in freight
early in the year.
George B. Arlington formerly OF Skag,t
county. who mas just arrived from Alaska.
where he has been for the past year or
more. conducting a hotel business al Little
Meadows, midway between Skagway and
Lake Bennett. says that cold weather has
begun in earnest Little Meadows was sur
rounded by railroad graders when MIR. Ad-
dlng,on left; but the weather was becoming
50 cold that the company was having grea.
difficulty in holding its men. 200 having
quit work in a body few days before
The inability TO obtain the employees. Mr..
work on the railway from the summit of
White pass to the lakes. There WAS foot
Of snow on the ground at Little Meadows,
and both Summit lake and Middle lake
were frozen over Travel had not. how
ever. been diverted 10 the lakes. because
the snow was soft and no trail had been
Freight for Atiin.
Mr. Arlington is here making contracts
for taking freight over TO the Atlin gold
fields, and says the prospect is there VIII
be great quantity Of freight taken over
Immediately after January !. The pack
ers at Skagway and along the route have
figured out thas they can take freight in
10 the new district from Skagway this
winter for . cents pound. They will
use the route by way OF Otter lake, which
is much shorter than the summer route by
the chain Of lakes.
Ii the canyon on the Skagway river
freezes over soon, Il is probable that a
vast quantity of freight will be taken di-
rect from Skagway on the winter trail to
Atiin. The packers seem TO prefer start
ing their trains from Skagway, rather than
from point at the end OF the railway.
winter train through the canyon is an ex-
ceilent one, with proper weather cond-
tions.
Packing Heavy Machinery.
The various companies, which purpose
building new steamers on tho upper lakes.
are busy in the north consulting with
transportation companies and packers
garding the getting Of their heavy ma
chnery, lumber and supplies over TO the
lakes. There viii be several attempts made
to get single pieces of machinery as heavy
as five and six tons over 10 Lake Bennett
the passes VIII recognize ar once the enor-
nous difficulties OF such undertaking
The Chilkoot TramWay Company on the
Dyea trail IL planning 10 commence opera
ting It's cable line January /. and other
companies are making preparations to
handle the rush OF business which is com
mencing and which VIII undoubtedly keep
the trails crowded during the winter.
Rates of packing TO Lake Bennett prom
ise TO he from ) TO cents a pound cheaper
than in the .aSt season, and many Spccu-
la,ors are already planning 10 take advan-
iage of the cheaper transportation fdcili-
ties instead of waiting until spring.
Mr.. Arlington has number Of claims
in the Atlin district He VIII return north
on the steamer Farallon. which sails from
here December IA.