The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1898-04-19
Fort wranseI, EIaska.

PlOSpeCJS lOf d lively IUblo CITY
at Fort Wrangel are quite en-
couraging, indeed. Wrangel is
the entreport for the Stikine
river, and the Stikine will be 6
scene of great activity during
the present summer. Two com
panies contemplate building rail
ways from Glenora, a point 14O
miles up the river and in Cana
dian territory. One of these is
the Cassiar Central Railw ay
Company, the promoters of
which are men who have made
their fortunes in the South Afri-
can gold fields. They are chart
cred by the government of Brit
ish Columbia for the purpose OF
constructing from Glenora to
Dease lake, a distance of rs
miles, receiving as a bonus from
the provinces a 35-year lease of
730, 900 acres in the Cassiar dis
trict, the lease conveying to them
certain valuable concessions in
regard to mining. The other
concern is the company organiz-
ed by Messrs. Mackenzie & Mann
two well known Canadian capt.
alists of very large means and
great experience in railway con-
struction. This company is
seeking charter from the Can
adian parliament for the con
struction of railway from Glen
ora to Teslin lake, the head of
the Hootalinqua, one of the trib-
utaries of the Yukon. This line
will be about $50 miles long, and
the terms of the contract with
the Dominion government re-
quire it TO be ready for trans
porting goods to the lake by
Sept. 1. The road is not to be
fully completed until sometime
next year.
Teslin lake and the Hootalin-
qua river combined furnish the
finest waterway 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 Lewis
river is 230 miles, and the
country along the route has only
been specifically prospected in
a few places, but with excellent
results. The trail from the
Stikine river to Lake Teslin is
easy, and there is a good deal of
fodder for pack animals on the
way. Both the Dominion and
Provincial governments are
pledged to such improvements
upon it as will make it fully
available for all who care to use
it until the railway is ready for
traffic. Those who know the
country well say that between
the opening of the river for nav
igation and the first week in
June, that is to say, during a
period of from four to six weeks,
the country remains frozen so
that pack trains can make splen-
did progress. There is a sum-
NIT to cross near the Stikine
river, but for the rest of the dis
tance the country is compara-
lively level. There is no dang
erous ground on the journey.
The construction of the rail
ways above mentioned and the
tide of Yukon travel which will
select this route will give EN-.
ployment to q great fleet of river
steamers, and several companies
have been organized and are
preparations for the
work. Two of these,
Jhe Canadian Pacific railway, and
the Klondike Mining, Trading
& Transport Corporation, will
operate ocean steamers in con-
1ection with. their river lines.
The last mentioned company has
its fine steel screw steam
ar Amur plying between Victoria
md all the northern points. This
steamer is especially adapted for
he trade, being roomy, we'll ven
speedy and in every sense
Of the word a handy ship.
The Canadian ocean steamers
are on the way out from London.
They are two in number aud are
very large vessels. They will
AXE the outside route to the
North, that is, they will keep out
side OF Vancouver island and the
The Klondike Cor.
Doration already has the Louise
n commission at Wrangel, where
she has been engaged in ferrying
between that town and the ice on
he Stikine. AS soon as the riv-
'r opens she will be sent up to
flenora, and thus will probably
)e the first steamer to ascend the
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