The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1898-05-29
THEY WILL ACT IN HARMONY.
ChfIkoot Railroad & Transport Conn
pany. Alaska Railway q Trans
portatfon Company and Dyea-
Klondike Transportation Conn
u.ny Come IN Terms That VIII In
terest All shippers Northward.

other iagoing Alaska travellers have been
subjected In the past are al an end and
henceforth any one viii be able to bill
his goods from any Of the large Pacific
coast ports straight through 10 Linde-
man. and what 3 more. rest easy about
their arriving az the northern terminus
promptly and in accordance with the con-
tract. The rate from Dyea 10 Lake Linde-
man viii be ten cents per pound, and It
is announced positively that there will
be absolutely no deviation from this rate.
This was decided upon at a meeting OF
the representatives OF the Cnilkoot Rail-
road & Transport Company. the Alaska
Railway & Transportation Company and
the Dyea-Kiondike transportation Com
pany. the three corporations which have
been carrying the freight between the
points named. The meeting was neid last
evening in the office Of Henry & Bach in
the Bailey building.
Every one who knows anything about
Alaskan travel IS familiar with the trouble
some state OF affairs which has existed
for some time past in the matter of trans
portation of freight from Dyea to Linde-
man, caused very largely by the fact that
there was not room enough for the three
freight lines 10 operate in competition
The companies have seen this as plainly
as any one and the meeting held last even
ing was 10 discover some solution or the
difficulty. There could be only one solu-
ton in such case-for the lines 10 work
together am.cably and share the profits
On an equitable basis. This solution was
reached and there Is no doubt that from
now on the matter OF freight transporta-
ton between the points viii cease TO be
a problem and become q simple matter OF
routine, the routine OF a freight business
transacted in a reasonable and satisfactory
way. That the companies have benefited
themselves by placing ths.r interests on an
equal footing is evident; and that the in
going travel viii gain largely by being
relieved OF the vexations and uncertain
ties that have hitherto obtained in the
matter or getting goods carried into the
country beyond the summit is not less APP
parent.
No trust or combine was formed by the
three companies: they merely agreed to OPP
crate their three lines in unison instead
OF in opposition. The fact that the rate
was fixed at ten cents is proof sufficient
that the understanding was not to swell
the profits OF the lines at an unfair ex-
pense TO shippers. Formerly the rates ran
anywhere from seven to twenty cents,
ara even at the latter high figure no one
was sure what would become of his goods
or when they would reach the destination.
IL they arrived there at all. Under the new
arrangement the companies say there not
only will be no doubt in the matter of
shipping contracts being carried out
promptly and properly. but that goods can
be billed from any large Pacific coast port
straight through to the lake with the alb
soiute certainty OF their going through as
billed. This is explained by the fact that
the Chiikoot Railroad & Transport Com
pany Ia branch OF the Washington e.
Alaska Steamship Company, and that the
Alaska Railway g. Transportation COM
pany is branch Of the Pacific Coast
steamship Company. The vessels of both
these water lines ply between coast ports
and Dyea. They will work in connection
with the DyeaLindeman freight lines and
thus establish sort of chain from the
coast 10 the lake, reducing the matter of
freight transportation to comparatively
simple state.
In the past the freight between Dyea
and Lindeman has been handled in this
way: By the Chilkoot Railroad & Trans
port Company's wagon route from Dyea
TO Canyon City, a distance OF about eight
miles; by the same company's pack trains
from canyon City 70 Sheep Camp. A dis
lance Of about three and a half miles:
from Sneep Camp TO the summit by either
one Of the three companies tramways.
There's where the trouble lay-between
sheep Camp and Summit. These three
tramways cross midway between the two
places and il was not by any means an
infrequent thing for the buckets to get
themselves tangled up and thus raise
trouble. In this way delays were con-
stantly happening. and the amount OF dis
satisfaction caused would fill volume
ana Or highly interesting tome at that
All this IS done away with by the action
or the companies at the meeting last
night In the future the three lines viii
not De operated al one and the same time
III only one line is needed at time, only
one VIII be used, fhe object being To So
cure the best service TO shippers and the
least conflict among the lines. II is prob
able that the companies VIII not contract
10 transport goods from Dyea to Linde-
man in less than three days time, n order
to protect themselves against possible un-
ioreseen delays. though with good wealth
er and no unusually bad circumstances
the trip one way could doubtless 10 made
In one-half that time In fixing the rate
at 10 cents the companies believe they are
dealing fairly with shippers and securing
enough for a reasonable profit for them
selves. Fifteen hundred pounds is prob
ably an average weight for n prospe~ro-
to take in with him il he goes provided
for one year. His freight charges from
Dyea 20 the lake would then be $50. This
seems fair and reasonable when conpsred
with the exorhitant charges thar have
been made in the past. IL Is understood
that the cable OF the Dyea-kiondike COM
pany now stretched between Sheep carnn
and the summit will be taken up and run
from the summit TO Lindeman.
IN an interview with a Post Iutaf..
seneer reporter last night. Mr.. Horace c.
Henry, vice president OF the Chilkoot
Railroad and Transport Company, said:
The whole trouble IN the three OF us
working together has been that there is
not room enough on the tfan for the three
Ines 70 operate unless extensive and
costly improvements were made By at least
two. This difficulty. which threatened
20 prove fatal 20 the business. Is now en-
tireiy doEe away with by the decision that
has been reached 70 work in cooperation.
The expenses OF the lines viii be shared
eQultahy and the profits divided on she
same plan. The roads operating the long
err lines Will. % course. bear a proportion
steiy larger share % the expenses and
come Ia for larger division OF the profits
In the eyes Of the gentlemen interested the
best result OF the cooperation is tina, goods
can TOW be billed through 10 Lake I.iuds-