Stikeen River journal., 1898-04-02
THE ST|KEEN RIVER ROUTE.
Booming Times arc Ahead r
 This Place.
THE FACTS CLEARLY STATED
A Fine Description of the Re-. sources of Fart Wrangcl
 and Stikeen Country

Much attention will, during the next few months, be centered upon Wranyel, where there is likely to be built up i'm mediately thriving and populous town. Wrangel is the entrcpot for the Stikccn river. and the Stikeen will be d scene of very great activity during the present summer. Two companies contemplate building railways from Glcnora, d point l5O miles up the river. and in Canadian territory. One of these is the Cassair Central railway company, the promoters of which are men who have made their fortunes ill the South African gold fields They arc chartered by the government of British Columbia for the purpose of constructing from GlenOra to Dcasc lake, d distance of 1o miles, receiving as bonus from the province d :,j-year lease of 100000 acres in the Clssiar dis trlct. the lease conveying to them cer- tain valuable concessions in regard to mining. The other concern is the com pany organized by Mcssls. Mackenzie X Mann, two well known Canadian cap ltalists of very large means and great experience in railway construction This company is seeking d charter from the Canadian parliament for the con struction of a railway from Glcnora to Tcslin lake, the head of the Hoota- nT tpi I,nt ,i, ,f h., Yukon. This line will be about llO miles long, and the terms of the con tract with the Dominion government require it to be ready for transporting goods to the lake by September l. The road is not to be fully completed until sometime next year.
 river combined furnish the finest Water- way in the whole Yukon country. The streams flowing into them and the bars in the river are gold bearing. The distance from the head of the lake to the junction of the Hootalinqua river with the Le" k; river is 230 miles, and the country along the route has only been superticiallv prospccted in d few places. but with excellent results. The trail from the Stikeen river to Lake | Tcslin is easy. and there k d good deal of fodder for pack animals on the way. Both the dominion and provincial gov ernmcnts are pledged to such improve ments upon it as will make il fully available for all who care to usc it until the railway is ready for traffic. Those who know the country we'll, say that between the opening of the river for navigation and the first week in June. that is to say. during d period of from four to six W, ek-. the country travcrscd by the trail remains frozen 7u tnu; pack trains can make splendid progress. | There is t; summit to cross near the Stikccn river, but for the rest of the distance the country is comparatively | level There is no dangerous ground on the journey.
 The construction of the railways above mentioned and the tide of Yukon errv. which will select this route will give employment to q great fleet of river steamers. and several companies have been organized and are making preparations for the season s work. Two of these, the Canadian Pacific railway and the klondide mining. trading and transport corporation, will operate ocean steamers in connection with their river lines. The last men, toned company has already its fine steel screw steamer Amur, plying between Victoria and all northern points. This steamer is especially adapted for the speedy. and in every sense of the word handy ship.
 The Canadian ocean steamers are on the way out from London. They are two in number and are very large yes sels. They will take the outside route to the north, that is, they will keep outside of Vancouver island and the archipelago. The klondike corporation already has the Louise in commission at Wrangel, where she has been engaged in ferrying between that town and the ice on the Stikccn. As soon as the river opens she will be sent up to Glenora, and thus will probably be the first to ascend the river this year. This corporation is building two tirst-class river steamers for the Stik cen and they are to be ready for work by the first of May. The Canadian Pacific is building Is river steamers and will need them all to handle the freight and passengers taken north on their great ocean steamships.
 Maitland and Kersey, formerly of the White Star steamship line, are mana ging syndicate in which number of | lou ;,,ta lad