The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1899-10-18
THE EASY RIDE
TO KLONDIKE
The Present Day Trip 10 Dawson
CITY is a Very Comfortable aud
Safe Journey.
ONLY FIVE MILES BY SLED
Dawson is the Largest Wooden Built
City In the World and il Has all
the Modern COnvenienceS

Electric light, steam heat and all
comforts OF travel In a long settled
country Is the condition OF affairs by
rail and by water 10 Dawson City
and the Klondlke at the present time,
as reported by DR.. NJ. w. Bruner, an
American physician who has been liv-
Ing in the Klondike for the last three
years.
He was In Philadelphia last week ar
ranging some busines matters concern
Ing his mining claims in Alaska. He
started back last Thursday In order
to get home" before the CLOSED up
season. His story Of the Improvement
in the travelling facilities Is a revelation
and travelling facilities are 50 much
Improved that he expects TO be back in
Dawson City in twelve days from Phil
adelphla. barring long waits for boats
caused by missing connections.
There is no more use for sleds and
dogs and the dangers OF Chilkoot pass
are now over. Dawson City can be
reached from Philadelphia by rail and
by boat with the single exception Of
fye miles portage around the grand
canyon OF White Horse rapids.
The latest news from the Klondlke.
he says, that can give you is concern
ing the narrow gauge railroad which
has recently been built up the White
Pass. That little railroad has revolu-
tionized travel in the gold fields and
has taken almost all the danger out Of
the journey. 1t runs from Skaguay
up the White Pass to the headwaters
OF Lake Bennett from which place the
rest Of the journey can be made 10
Dawson City by water,
Chilkoot Pass, whose name has be-
come fearful to all travellers. has been
abandoned and with 1t the city of
Dyes across the Lynn canal from
sksgway,
At the present time 1t would cost
about S225 to go first class from Phil
adelphia to Dawson City, and barring
delays occasioned by waiting for boats
the trip could be made in twelve days.
II would take four and one-half days
to 60 to Seattle. distance OF over 5000
miles. There you would take the boat
to Skagway, 1000 miles more, and you
would then be on the boat three days,
SO that In seven days you would be In
Alaska. From Skaway by rail up the
White Pass to Bennett, Al miles In four
hours. From Bennett by steamboat tc
Dawson City, changing boats at White
Horse rapids, where 1t Is necessary tC
go by portage around the canyon fol
about Ave miles.
The next boat below the canyon car
ries you 45O miles to Dawson City and
the Klondike. This route has becGm'
the accepted one. The other is th'
an-water route to ST.. Michael, a dis
tanee Of over $500 miles from Philadel
phia. This route Is only practical from
the end OF June to the middle OF Sep
tember, while the other Is only close,
two months in the year. The TAX
Pass. Jack Dalton's Trail, the stlckin
route and the Chilkoot pass are nON
considered unfavorable.
For the last two years there has bee
any amount Of boats running from Sc
attle TO 81. Michael and Skagway. Ma
turally these boats are handsomely nj
ted up-so handsome In fact that IN
sudden change TO the dog sledge an
Chilkot pass was fearful. In thos
days transportation down the Yuko
river was had by means Of log RATS G
dugouts and many lives were lost in tn
icy waters.
But now regular lines Of steamer
PLAY between Fort Bennett, on one c
the tributaries of The Yukon, to Daw
son City. Fort Bennett is at the en-
OF the White Pass. In which the littl
Alaskan railroad runs.
These river boats are nicely fitted III
They have an electric plant whic
furnishes light; regular steam rad.a
tors which supply the heat; cushions
chairs aud benches and carpeted floor
Indeed, so comfortable are they ths
one often forgsts that he is in the
dread cold country. Alaska, which fl
teen years ago was practically unlr
habited by whites and knew nothing
civilization.
The only break in the chain Is at u
White Horse rapids. Here the rive
rushes through a canyon at the rate
sixty miles an hour. The canyon
very high. The snow never melts 9
the summit OF course, II is imposs
bic for a boat 20 live in its rapids.
the winter the water freezes With
Its narrow walls. The rest Of the VIZ
ter piles in upon 1t freezing in turn VI
Ill there is a solid mass Of Ice almO
20 the top OF the canyon.
In summer the river rushes throug
with great noise. The traveller 70 Il
Klondike changes boats here and
carried. bag and baggage, on dc
sledges or in the summer on wagol
TO the other end OF the canyon five mill
away, where a new boat just as han'
somely ltted up as the first one
awaiting him and In two days he Is