St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1898-01-28
The Horrors of the Skaguay.

The horrors Of the Skaguay trail have
only half been tod. A number Of men
have recently returned from the White
pass (Which will hencerorwatd be
known as the Black pass with stories
fit to sicken the stoutest heart and sub
due the hottest courage. One man, /.
j. Richard, of Seattle, bright and m
telligent young fellow, with plenty Of
pluck AID perseverance, used his very
best efforts to get over the trail, but has
returned TO more friendly land for the
winter, and will make another trial in
the spring. He will then go by another
route. lie has had all Of The Skaguay
trail that he wants. To begin with, the
trail was never ready for travel, and
the promoters" who are responsible
for all the waste of time and money
should be prosecuted Richard arrived
at Skaguay on the Islander, which de-
posted its passengers on August l, and
so was among the earliest corners. lie
had an ordinary miners outfit, weigh
ing 1000 pounds. two horses and 500.
He considered himself fairly well
equipped. He helped the others cor
duroy the trail and bridge the rivers.
BY the time this necessary work had
been done crowds of wayfarers had
arrived, and soon the trail was worse |
than ever.
In eight weeks of the hardest work
he had ever done Richard managed to
get his goods to the summit of the last
hill. Then his money was gone, his
horses exhausted, and he had the choice
of wintering in the timber by the lakes,
while his food supply diminished, or of
returning to California and earning
more money to again attempt the trip
noIthward. He figured that if he
camped the winter as so many are
counting upon doing. he would have an
early start in the spring, but would by
that time have only two months pro-
visions left at the outside, and he was ,
already penniess. Richard spent his r
money for food and shoes for his horses. \
He says the difficulty of feeding horses
on the Skaguay trail is enormous. 1t 6
was necessary 10 20 all the way back A
TO Skaguay for hay, and by the time it
was brought back to the hungry ami Z
mails waiting for ii tine Other animals II
met on the trail by each taking pass
ing nip, had reduced the quantity about G
SO per cent. The horses are fond of B
birch leaves, but they soon contract
mud fever and, as they are insufficient a,
~ fed and not sheltered at all, thevsoon lie
become worthless. Not so many are lost "
On the trail as is supposed. They really IN
die from lack of care. Horses are a
good deal better on the Skaguay trail &c
han burros. although the best thing s1
u all would be an OK, which is very Ut
rood for muddy travelling and can carry
big load. The burros taken up are 10
imost failure. They are good over CT
he rocks. but no good at all in the
wamp. which forms about two-thirds
# the distance.
Richard reports the packers have lost
money on account of the mortality
mong the horses. They would start -
Ut with 20 and return with II. The .
1ost trying place below the summit has
cen fittingly named Dead Horse gulch.
instead of one short, steep hill. as at
he Chilkat. there are five long hills.
nd Richard thinks it is harder than the
hilkat itself.
Hundreds of disappointed men at OF
kaguay in September were making
arcu.eap efforts to reach the timber
lat lies beyond the summit with their
'ods, there to spend the winter and
u very early start down the river
the spring. They must make haste.
r snow had already fallen on the sum-
IT, and they must make their camp M
ID build their log huts before SOW
es' otherwise they cannot procure the 49,
oss with which to wedge the chinks of w
cir houses.
II takes a strong back and a weak
lhol 70 become successful packer,
ckard says. a