Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1898-04-15

river is rather a small stream i'll the
winter, not deep but swift, but there
are indications that at certain times
during the year it might he raging
torrent.
We decided we would buy horse Of
some kind, rs the shedding up the
canyon was getting hard, and we sent
one of the party to Dyea to make the
purchase. The next day he returned
with horse, one-horse sled, two
bales of hay and three sacks of feed.
The harness that he bought consisted
of collar and names, the remaining
paraphernalia consisting of tow strings
and toggles-Otherwise rope. The
outfit cost $l36, the net cost of the
horse being Sis, and he was a horse
that in Washington a good many
would not have at any price; but if a
person wanted one real bad, he would
probably bring ten dollars, he is a
cross between a Texas pony and a
Clydesdale, with small body and very
prominant feet, legs and head. He is,
however, q faithful little fellow, and
by good usage we have managed to get
all our freight to Scales at the loot of
the summit and have hauled n little
for others. We will probably not be
out much on the horse in the end.
While two Of us are getting our freight
over the pass the other one will be
freighting for some one else. There
are not less than 500 teams in the
freighting business from Dyea to
Sheep Camp, distance of fifteen
miles. That is as far as double teams
can 60 with profit. From Sheep
Camp to Scales, about five miles, the
ascent is very rapid and single rigs are
used, such as horses. mules, burrOs and
oxen as we'll as dogs, but the dog
teams generally are not success /;
poor dumb animals you can hear their
hOwls from morning till night, from
blows received from cruel masters.
True there are few good teams, but
they are mostly composed of the
Alaskan dogs. We are now one mile
above Sheep Camp. From here to the
Scales roads have been splendid all
winter, but are getting bare now in
places. On the 30th made my first
trip to the summit. From here to the
Scales the road is lined with men and
teams. The day went up, a horse
got away from his owner on the first
steep hill and down he came among
the crowd. and wasn't there q scamp
ering! He was hitched to sled, and
to make him more frantic it would
strike his heels every few jumps, but
finally he got loose from the sled and
in trying to jump ditch fell upon his
side and slid for long distance, but
before he could get up men caught
him. He was not very severely hurt,
but the sled struck another horse and
hurt him some, but no person fortu-
nately was hurt. When l reached the
Scales took a 5O-pound sack of flour,
loaded it ON my pack-strap and fell
into line. The packing is nearly all
done over the Chilcoot pass, yet there
is another pass to the right called Pc
terson's pass, but ut the summit
merges into the Chilcoot pass. The
regular packers have stretched n half
inch rope from the Scales to the sum-
nit and have also cut into the ice
steps for each foot so that it is some
thing like going up stairs. From 10
A. NJ. to 4 p. NJ. upon any fair day there
are packers enough in line to Join
hands and reach to the top of the
summit and back to the Scales, dis