Stikeen River journal., 1898-04-02
THE ST|KEEN RIVER TRAIL
Practical Advice From One WhO
 Was There.
A FAIR ACCOUNT OF THINGS
As Found on the River Last Month Better Conditions Exist
 Now for Travelling.

| NdHtbu'ii NbrN. lN NiiTcn ISJS.
 Two letters. dated March :'rd and 1th respectively. have been received from d member of the Yercx-Mctcalf party that left here some time ago for the northern yold-iiclds by way of the Sti- keen river.
 The information conveyed as to the state of affairs along this route is very interesting. In the first letter the writer says that they were canped about i3 miles up the river and do not intend moving until the Tupper party goes ahead and breaks the road as it was too large an undcrtakin for a small party.
 :" At this time and point the letter proceeds. "thcrc is two feet of snow and six to eight inches of water on the ice. We have broken the road from the mouth of the river to here and a. mosl used up our horses and so have gone into camp.
 The Tuppcr party came np here ten days ago with 10 teams. but cannot go any further just now. They are bring ing up l3 men to break roads ahead of the teams. and expect to have to do the same for 25 miles. After that il is eX- pectcd that the ice will be much better as by that distance we will have passed the coast range of mountains.
 "tapt. Armstrong is at the mouth of the river putting together his two steam slcighs. so between them all We expect to have il good road. Outside of these two firms and Mackenzie X Mann there are about llO horses on the river, and at Nrangcl about loo men per day are passing up with hand and dog sleighS. all of them making good time. Each man hauls from 2JO to 300 pounds, and the dogs about 200 pounds each. Those fellow haul up 10 miles and then go back for another load
 "On the road between here and the mouth of the river single horses can haul l.50O pounds each. 1herc hundreds of dogs brought up here that | A only ones of any use are the huskies, which are worth from s30 to S.,O each. Some dogs -oiu for $50 down the coast are given away for nothing up here. All goats have proved d complete fail- ure.
 "The Wildman party, one of the best l ,,n h:As killed all their goats and are trying to get the Tuppcr, to take on their outfit Two ferry boats are now running be- tween the mouth of the river and Wrangel. making daily trips. Hun | drc,ls of tons of goods are bcin" put off at Cottonwood island and provisions are scattered every looyards OF so from tine mouth of the river up.
 W rting on March 1th. the same pros pective miner says: We saw Customs / Collector Turner who passed up yestel- day with the police, who are encamped al 2O-Mile Point. We made d move of seven miles today. which will i:''t us about p miles up the river.
 We may have to stop here for three be broken. as it is impossible for Us to do anything in that way ourselves. The companies have about 50 men ahead. breaking and brushing the road and are only able to do about two miles d day.
 "The company the Tuppcr company would never try to get up on the ice only that they expect that the river will be better 21 miles further up. The weather is keeping very soft. no frost for nearly d week and today two teams went through the ice into the river.
 Soon after the foregoing was written cold snap put the trail in fine condi tion. in which it has since remained.- Ed. JOURNAL.
 Ut is all guess work whether tht river will break up from now on or b good for six weeks. Old timers sa, that it is liable to open at any time Since the soft weather set in dogs ar in great demand, as the horses canno get on without d road and there is d ways Il good dog trail open.
 II write this more than anythin else to tell you that if any of you friends are coming up here do not al wise them to take horses by any means as it is not at all safe, for any day mn find party waiting on the bank for boat. and dogs can go on up the river once. Each man coming up shou have three dogs for not more than 7q pounds load that will include clothe blankets and dogs feed which is Oa meal and tallow. He should have l6-inch hand sleigh, seven or eight fe| long. Camping places can be had eve five or ten miles. We will keep