The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1899-12-01
A GLIMPSE AT THE KLONDIKE.
Capt. Abercrombie Talks About HIS
Alaskan Expedition and ALI
American Route.

New York. Nov. 23.-Capt. William
Il. Abercrombe. who has spent three
years in Alaskan exploration and who
has just surveyed an All-Amrrican
route To the klondikc, passed through
New York yesterday. on his way 10
Washington. To make his report To Sec
Rotary Root. He said
Main Feature Of the Expedition.
The main feature of the expedition
from which have Just returned, is the
completion of plans for the opening OF
the klondike region for the American
miner SO he can land at Valdez with
his pack pony, and prospect amy part
of the public domain without inter-
fer, nee from the officials of foreign
country. The trail | have surveyed is
$50 miles from the boundary, and
through the heart of Alaska. | sur
veyed about 200 miles. and ! built an
All-American trail four feet wide. with
view To it's ultimate widening. IS
miles long. through the Rocky Noun
tain divisions from Valdez To the Tom
sina river. which flows into the Cop
per river.
This road. Of course. is merely
trail and very crude, but its course is
well watcred and game is plentiful.
especially bears. goats and wild sheep.
Personnel.
THE Klondike expedition started
from Washington on March -, and |
had with me two topographers. two
civil engineers and Lieut. Babcock. in
charge of construction. We went by
train to Fort Yellowstone, in Yellow
stone park. where we picked up horses
and packers which we shipped to Seat
tie. We left Seattle on April Is, on the
steamship Excelsior, the expedition
then numbering about 35 souls, includ-
ing trail boss. a dynamiter. two shoe
saarpeners, rock men. graders and
handy men.
stranded Miners Employed.
"When we arrived at Valdez, we
found many miners from the interior
stranded and suffering. The war dc
partment directed that they be given
employment on government work, and
as result Of this no destitute miners
had To b. taken out of the country in
the revenue cutters.
Prospects for the Coming yenr.
During the coming year there will
be numerous enterprises embarked in
Alaska and especially in the Yukon
country. The country to be opened IA
settlement is fully twice as large as
the New England states. and will SUP
port thousands of people
Agricultural Possibilities.
THE water is good. the soil fertile,
game abundant except in the Copper
River valley. and all the hardy grains.
such as are raised in Siberia. NAV be
raised along The line OF this All-Amer-
lean trail One hundred and fifty miles
above the mouth of the Copper river is
dense vegetation and luxurious grasses
and three or four kinds OF edible ber-
ries
Copper River and Glaciers.
THE mouth Of the Copper river IS a
viue delta. containing sandbars aud
shadows. while so miles from the
mouth are the Miles glacier and the
Childs glacier. Finding it impossible
TO navigate the Copper river, we went
around by Prince Williams sound.
Experimental Garden Mt valdez.
in my experimental garden at Val
DEE | raised peas. carrots, turnips. let
tuce. radishes and other garden stuff.
Port Valdez was our base of supplies
from Seattle. the supplies being packed
in by pack trains"