Daily capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1896-1899, 1898-04-01

in places but nothing compared with
what we expected to find. Tnen
once past this point, we file down
into the river bed again and follow
up the river bed for about ten miles
To witmn about five or six miles of
the summit where we again leave the
river and follow the trail which
winds around the bill sides.
We cross the river now and then
rocks until we are within about
three mile or so of the summit when
we leave the course OF the river en-
tirely and push straight on up to the
summit, the last portion of whi;h
termed the White Pass proper, so
named because the towering noun
tains on eiCher side Of the trail are
perpetually covered with snow. The
snow there now is from fifteen TO
eighteen feet deep.
"There is a wagon road from Skag-
way to the Summit but as it is a toll
road no one cares TO trail it so long as
the winter trail is IN good condition.
The warm Chinook winds which have
been blowing from the south con.
greatly impaired this winter trail,
and unless we soon have cold wave
to check the thaw, it will be all off for
this winter.
"We have mad beautiful weather
since coming here, which was about
March 10, and would do credit to Old
Oregon, with all of her mild climate.
II don't know how all the people
are going TO get through. There are
thousands of them on the trail and
every boat brings a new supply. Old
gray headed men and women and
young men and their wives can be
seen daily along the trail, packing and
tugging away at their sleds and doing
their utmost to move their OUTFIT
along over the trail towards the land
of gold, and at no time is any part Of
the trail without a congl lmerated
mass of animals and humanity, COM
ing and going like maggOts in a
cheese, and where they all expect to
go to find fortune, is Il problem too
deep for me TO solve.
"We will in all probability move
camp over the Pass into Canadian ter
ritory, tomorrow or Tuesday. Will
probably go to what is known as the
Log Cabin, at, the foot of Summit
Lake, as that is the first place beyond
the Summit, where we can get wood
and water for cooking purposes, and
l am told it is about eight miles be-
yond the Summit.
81 have been doing very we'll work
ing at photo work. get u cents for
6xS prints, unmounted and will fol-
low it up more or less all he way as
1 go through to Dawson, will send
you some prints soon as | .,e5 TO town
to mail them to you.
"We went to Skaguay last Sunday
afternoon and met Messrs Mulligan
and Murdoch. They came through on
the Oregon, also Mr.. Cullen but he
was billed to 90 with Mr.. Ross party
and l believe they went via Dyea and
oyer Chilkoot Pass. went to- Dyea
to look up the feasibility of this route
but after investigating, did not want
any of it.
AS to the reports from this place
concerning spinal meningitis, they
have been most shamfully exagger-
ated. While there was few cases in
Skaguay, the graveyard at that point
shows only total of eighteen persons
having been placed there during the
entire time of Skaguay's eXlstance as
a town. Having gone personally and
taken this count, l would be willing
! to take an oath to the truth Of this
statement. We only remained over
one night in the town and we soon
ascertained the cause Of these lying
and malicious statements, nine tenths
of which emanated from the people of
| pyea and vicinity.
I'VE received letter from mother
in which she expresses her fears for
our welfare here amidst this terrible
malady, but you can assure any who
may inquire that these reports have
been exaggerated to a remarkable
degree, and / do not consider the
conditions any more to be
dreaded here than in any other sec
tion of the country at the present
! tive"
Your Affectionate Brother,
L. e. ROBERTSON.