The San Francisco call., 1899-05-26
HOW LETTERS GO OVER
THE SHOWS OF ALASKA
INFORMATION GENERALLY DE-
SIRED BY THE PUBLIC.
A Statement of the Different Ways
by Which Mail May Be Sent En-
Route to the North Pole.

The railway mail service has been
flooded with inquiries from all parts of
the United States, asking for informa-
ton regarding the mail facilities in
Alaska, and in order to answer the ques
tions in a way that will reach all in
quirers has published a slip containing
the information sought. 1t will prove of
interest to all persons having friends or
interests in that almost inaccessible coun-
try. The following is a copy of the slip:
Mails originating in the United States for
Alaska and the British Yukon district are
principally dispatched from Seattle. Wash
From Seattle there are three regular steamship
lines by which Alaska malls forwarded,
viz: The Seattle and Skaguay r. T. o.,
whose boats leave Seattle every fifth day (see
schedule) and two lines known as the Seattle
and Dyea r. p. o., each having two depart
ures each month from Seattle dates Irregular.
These lines supply all southeastern coast and
island points, including Wrangex sitka, Jun
eau Dyea and Skaguay-
The Sitka and Unalaska (steamboaD r. p.
o. connecting the Seattle and Skaguay R. 2,
o. at Sitka, leaves Sitka about the 9Th of
Yakutat Valdez Sedovia, Homer Cooks In
leO Tyoonok, Kodiak and points on the south
ern coast of the Alaskan peninsula. This ser
vice is supplemented by line between Juneau
and Tyoonok Cook InleD leaving Juneau
about the 14th and 18th of each month. These
two lines together give tri-monthly mail ser
vice to points on Copper River and Cooks In
let including Homer. Kodiak Orca, Seldovia
and Valdez.
From Unalaska to Nushagak and other points
on Bristol Bay mails will be carried in charge
of a railway postal clerk, three round trips
during 1899 leaving Unalaska about the 18th
of June, July and August, in close connection
with boats of the Sitka and Unalaska r. p. O.
Steamers will depart from San Francisco
about June and 20 and July ., 1889. and from
Seattle June TO- July 20 and August 20, 1893
(sx trips in alb carrying mail to Unalaska,
St Michaels and all points on the Yukon River
to Circle Alaska and Dawson n. W. T.,
and returning by same route. Each of these
steamers will carry a railway postal clerk,
who will make delivery of mails for all points
in the interior of Alaska and Northwest Terri
tory including points which not postoffces
hut where mail can be left in charge of re-
sponsible parties such as the agents of trans
portation and trading companies and also de-
liver mail to individuals when they are known
to be the addresses. On these trips all classes
of mall matter will be carried. Addltlonai
trips will be made from Seattle to st. Michael
one way only leaving Seattle about Septem-
Der 90 1899; and from Dawson to Seattle, one
way only, arriving at Seattle about October
Between st. Michael and Tanana 900 miles,
mails carried one round trip a Honth the
The overland dispatch of mail for all Yukon
River points both in Alaska and the British
| Yukon district, is made from Skaguay, Alaska.
Malls are dispatched from Skaguay under
United States mail contract twice month,
.he route following White Pass via Lake
| Dawson City, Forty Mile and Circle to Tanana,
| a distance of about 1900 miles. The distance
! from Skaguay 70 Dawson Is about $40 miles,
and to Circle 100 miles. Mails are also car
! tractor from Skaguay to Dawson City, alter
| mating between the trips of the United States
| mail contractor Letter mail only is carried
| by the overland route. The time In transit
| is very indefinite and varies greatly in differ
| ent seasons of the year. During the summer
| months when navigation on the lakes and
warded in much shorter time than during the
| winter season.