Daily inter mountain. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1881-1901, 1899-03-01
MONTANA HORSES IN KLONDlKE,
HOW MONROE SALISBURY KEPT
HIS IN GOOD ORDER BY KIND
TREATMENT.

Breeder & Sportsman: Milo Knox, the
well known hOrseman OF HaywardS, who
last year made the trip to the Klondike
with Monroe Salisbury, while in the
Breeder and SpOrtSman's office last
Monday, related many interesting Incl
dents of the trip and of life in the great
northern mining camp during the sum-
mer. Mr.. Salisbury started from Seattle
will fourteen carefully selected, rugged
horses, Montana bred horses, weighing
from 1000 to 1,400 pounds. At Skaguay
nine of the horses were sold at good prices
to parties bound for the Klondike and
the remaining five, together with a Sin
gle footer' purchased at Skaguay, were
started over the White Pass wagon road.
Mr.. Salisbury's long experience with
stage and race horses had taught him
that good care and good feeding enable
an animal to endure greater hardshlps,
and he either gave every horse his per-
sonal attention or saw that he was we'll
cared for. Feed for the horses was car
ried along. The hay and grain were pro-
cured at Seattle and taken with them. All
the hay was chopped and pressed INTO 100
pounds bales, three of which could be
carried on the back of a horse. Ground
feed in the shape of three parts of rolled
wheat to one part of rolled oats was sack
ed in waterproof sacks. On the trip from
~Skaguay to Lake Bennett, about 40 miles,
the greatest lTOuDle WdS III 5ctllHS thN
freight and feed to the top of the noun
tain. Several trips had to be made before
all the outfit was landed on the summit.
Going down hill was easier and twenty
sleds could be pulled by four horses. The
horses were fed both hay and grain IN a
nose bag, and by giving them good care,
attending to their feet and liberal feeding
every one of the six horses reached DaW-
son looking as we'll as when they start
ed. Mr.. Knox says he never saw Il lot of
horses picked up in different places that
were as strong and steady pullers or as
true as were these six. From Lake Ben
nett to Dawson the trip was made by wa
ter by means of a large scow 40X12 feet,
which was built at the lake.
Az the way down the Yukon to Dawson
the feed along the river last summer was
excellent, the grass growing three feet
high, and bunch grass in profusion. On
arrival at Dawson plenty of work was
found for the horses at SO per day per
team, pulling logs from the river for use
in building houses, and the Single foot
err was hired out to prospectors and 9TH
ers looking at mines for $50 per day. Much
wild grass hay can be cut along the Yu-
kOn in the summer season, but 1t is not
very nutritious. With the rolled wheat
and oats, however, horses can be kept in
excellent condition and do we'll. There is
some trouble with the feet and legs of
~ pNS IL NiNy ~ ~ D'N.>
after. Cuts and bruises caused by the
rocks or ice will make bad sores unless
kept clean, but with close attention and
treatment they heal rapidly. Light COW
crings must be kept on during part of
the season when the flies and gnats are
bad. Mr.. Knox says he has seen horses
standing out of doors when the mercury
was 90 degrees below freezing, and If
they had plenty to eat did not seem to
suffer. as the air is so dry.
In the cold weather some of the pack
ers will not remove the saddles from the
horses backs at night, claiming that the
cold winds striking the heated spots
where the loaded saddle has been, cause
weak backs and kidney complaints. He,
however, removed his saddles, thoroughly
dried the hair, and carefully ~blanketed
his horses, and they all made the trip
without getting sore backs or suffering,
while many OF the poor animals owned by
the packers had the sorest of backs and
shoulders.
Mr.. Salisbury and Mr.. Knox spent the
summer in teaming and contracting, but
found time to locate a few claims, which
their many friends hope will turn out
several buckets full of gold dust when
worked. They returned by way of st.
Michaels in October last. Mr.. Salisbury
has been so interested in a lot of young
~trotters and PAGERS at P~leasanton lately
that he has been down to the city but
very little of his time. They say he has
been riding about forty miles a day for
the past month.