The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1898-03-17
FOR THE GOLD FIELDS.
Portland Party of Six VIII Leave Next
Tuesday.

Next Tuesday party of six will leave
Portland for the gold fields. This party
will be composed of Messrs. E. 7. Wing,
Charles L. Fuller, r. B. Lothrop, George
Hatch, John Barnham and John Stewart.
They will leave in Canadian Pacific
tourist car going over the Mountain
division of the Maine Central and then
west via the Canadian Pacific to Seattle.
From Seattle they will proceed by steamer
to Alaska. The party have several routes
in view. The usual way of reaching the
gold country Is to go to Skagway and
from there proceed over the mountain
passes about which SO much has been
written. Beyond Skagway is the Copper
river which flows south into the ocean. 1t
was down this river in times past that
the Indians brought nuggets of the yellow
metal which attracted attention to the
gold bearing soil In the interior. Until
recently the party have intended going in
by this river, but Mr.. Wing hos lately re-
ceived information to the effect that the
river is not now passable for boats and SO
the party may proceed to Cooks inlet,
still farther to the westward and go into
the interior from there. By both these
routes they would remain on American
soil. The KIondike mines are in Canadian
territory. The Canadian authorities have
established government while on the
American side there Is little in the way
of authority except that exercised BY the
| ,iv,1 fboYv,co1uoC On tho othar ham
however, the Canadian government exacts
registry fee of $;5 annually for every
claim one hundred feet square and in
addition demands tenth Of all the gold
taken out above $500. The American
territory has not been So flooded with
gold seekers as the Canadian, but along
the coast there are great salmon packing
establishments and extensive numbering
operations are carried on. Still another
way to penetrate to the interior of the
country is to make the long voyage
around to the mouth of the Yukon ant
then 80 three thousand miles up thai
river. The Portland party will be gov
erned by the knowledge gained en- rout'
as to the course they will follow. The,
will carry supplies sufficient to last then
for a year and half. Besides these the,
will take two canvas boats made IL
Michigan and SO constructed that thu
steel frames may be taken out and th'
boats, frames, paddles, etc., packed II
small packages. These boats are twenty
feet long and five feet deep. They weigh
only sixty pounds, but each is capable O
fcarrying load of three thousand pounds
AMI three persons. The party will alst
take a tent, twenty by twelve feet In size
A peculiar arrangement Of the tent Il
that it contains smaller tent designed tt
serve as sleeping room. This tent with
in tent is ten by seven feet in size ant
when not in use may be rolled up undel
the roof of the large tent. OF course Wher
winter closes in the party will erect
house, but if they go inland from Cooks
inlet they may escape the rigors OF tn
Klondike climate, for the southern coas
of Alaska is SO warmed by the curren
from the Japan sea that the climate i
not especially severe until one has gon
inland for about two hundred miles whel
he crosses the mountain range and enter
the region where the Arctic temperature
is encountered and the ground remain
frozen all the year round.