The Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Or.) 1862-1899, 1898-03-18
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ALASKAN SITUATION
A CONSERVATIVE OPINION OF
PRESENT CONDITIONS.

FRESENI CONOI IoNo.
The Early Rush of Eager Go1dseekers
Having Congested the Passes, Other
Routes Will Have to Be Opened.
Special Correspondence
Although the rush to Alaska may be
said to have only just begun, condi-
tion of affairs has already developed in
Dyea and Skagway which promises to
disappoint the expectations of thou
sands of eager gold seekers. The trails
across the Chilkoot and White passes
are practically impossible because of
the frequent and severe storms, and
will not be in good condition until
about the first of April. The result is
that thousands of men and thousands
of tons of supplies and mining outfits
are crowded together on this side OF
the summit and have already reached
such number and quantity as to create
a blockade.
1t has been generally understood
that it was foolish to go up to that
country earlier than March with the
expectation of crossing the passes, and
that one who did SO would simply SUBJ
iect himself to long wait, to need less
hardships and possible sickness while
consuming supplies which should be
kept for service in the gold fields. Not
withstanding this fact, travel begun in
January and has continued through
February, an average of a steamer
day having landed men and freight at
Dyea and Skagway. Those who took
this early start did SO because they
feared a blockade and were anxious to
get over the summit, expecting to wait
at the lakes for the opening of the river
to navigation. The blockade they
hoped to escape has come upon them
and they are not over the summit.
Many have spent month of hardship
and toll and are worse off because of
it than are the newest arrivals
There are not less than 30, 900 people
in Dyea and Skagway encamped along
the trails as far as the weather condi-
tions have permitted them to advance,
only a few miles at the most. The
quantity of supplies, outfits, boats. ma
chinery, ETC., averages not less than a
ton to each man. This average will
be kept up during the month of March,
and by the first of April, when the
work of getting over the summit will
begin in earnest, a moderate estimate
of the number of men and quantity of
freight that will be assembled there is
20, e0G persons and $4,000 tons of
freight.
The only thing that has been accom-
plished on the Skagway trail to make
it more passable than it was last sum-
mer has been the building of some
small bridges, and some improvements
on the road leading out from Skagway.
There has been a tramway project there
but no progress has been made with it.
The indications are that the Skagway
trail will not be materially better than
it was last summer, when it was block
AIDED and rendered practically impas-
sable by 5000 or 1000 people and their
outfits. OF course, as long as the snow
lasts in the spring the trail will be
better one than when the traveller has
encounter mud and boulders, which
were such an obstacle year ago.
As for the trail from Dyea, which is
the one experience has proved to be
the best, two tramways are are under
construction for the transportation of
goods. One of these has a tram rail-
road from Dyea to the base of the sum-
NIT ridge, and an electric, bucket sys-
tenn across the summit to Lake Linde-
mann. The other has two tramway
cables leading from the first and Sec
ond divides and ending at Lake Linde-
mann. Connection between the last of
these and Dyea will be made with
wagons and pack animals. Neither
of these enterprise is ready for opera
tion, and the possibilities are that they
will not be before the first of April.
When in complete operation, their COM
bined capacity will not exceed 400 tons
per day. Assuming that by the. use
of pack animals 100 tons per day could
be taken over the White pass from
Skagway, this leaves the total capacity
of all facilities provided for both passes
at 500 tons per day. This means 100
days for transporting So, tons that
will be accumulated there by the first
of April. In other words, accumula-
tions could not be cleared away before