The evening times., 1899-12-12
CONDITIONS IN ALASKA.
characterization Facilities and SUPP
plies ID the Dawson Region.

|
Transportation Facilities and Sup.
plies ID the Dawson ReEion.
| The State Department has received ad-
! vices from Ronald Morrison, United States
Vice Consul. at Dawson City. Alaska. tell
Ing of the general condition Of that country
In regard to supplies and transportation
facilities In that region. He says:
The Canadian Government Telegraph
line. from Bennett to Dawson, distance
of 800 miles, with branch to Atlin from
Bennett Of seventy-nve miles. was COM
| pleted last April and was constructed at q
reported cost Of less than $l30. 0.o0e. Con-
nection is made at Bennett with the line OF
the White Pass Railroad to Skagway. a
! distance Of forty miles, messages being
forwarded from Skagway by first steamer
to Vancouver, thence by Canadian Pacific
wire to destination. Rates as now estab-
lished for the United States range from
s4-s5 to $4.7s for ten words and from % to
"a cents for each additional word. No ar
rangements have yet been made for tho
transfer OF money by wire.
/ Navigation on the Lower Yukon River
has practically ceased for the season. The
one barge. on October Z, from st. Michaels
September !. 1899. with 1.e00 tons of gen.
eral merchandise. Masters report one
steamer to follow, being advertised to leave
st. Michaels for Dawson September Is. 1899
The up-river boats continue to ply between
White Horse and Dawson but 1t is ex-
pected that within ten days navigation will
be suspended. Large quantities of freight,
1t is reported. will be left over at White
Hcfse until next spring, and some 1,500
tons of goods and merchandise are block
AIDED at Bennett, owing TO the lack CT ia
cilities for transportation. It Is not
thought, however. that there will be any
actual shortage in any line Of goods, es-
pecially provisions. the warehouses Of the
large companies being filled with supplies
of every description.
Among the latest improvements in
Dawson is a large and commodiOus brick
warehouse, erected in the business centre
Of the town. the bricks being manufactured
in Dawson from clay found in the vicinity.
An effort is' being made to establish pub
lie schools In Dawson this winter. The To-
cal council has passed an ordinance. which
has been sent to Ottawa for ap-
proval and authority to put into
practice. II is understood that
quantity of books and other material are
now on the way. and the approval Of the
ordinance may be expected at any time.
THE work of taking the annual census
of Dawson was completed the latter part
Of September. The population is set down
as i,445 1859 male and 1s6 female) end
1853 children under fourteen years of age.
or the inhabitants of Dawson. 3.205 are
from the United States. 645 from Canada;
and 200 from England. the remainder seat
tering. 1t is estimatec that quite 2.e0o
people left for Cape Nome district from
August 26 TO September 26. 1899.
THE question of food supplies no long
er agitates the community. In addition
to ample stocks OF canned goods. there
is an abundance Of fresh beef. mutton.
and pork. and plenty of fresh vegetables.
There are also in the markets today, Wild
swan. geese. ducks, ptarmigan. grouse.
Arctic hare. squirrels, beaver. bear.
moose. and cariboo. Boots. shoes, and
are much lower in price than last
year.
Cord wood is now selling at from $40
TO s23. in 16 and "a feet lengths, delivered. |
There is some coal used. an inferior kind
the price at the yard is $50 per ton of |
600 pounds
The first snow furry occurred Septem- !
Der 2S: since then the weather has been |
clear and fine. the thermometer ranging |
in the twenties for the minimum. and in |
the forties for the maximum. one day
going as high as fifty-three degrees. On
the coldest morning SO far, the glass
marked ten degrees above zero. This is
not unusual weather for this district: ow-
ing to its sheltered position. there is little
Or no wind. and the cold weather. when it
ioes ccme, is dry and inyigorating."