The daily morning Alaskan., 1900-04-10
MOST IMPORTANT
 OF AL QUESTIONS When Will Navigation Be
 Open This Season.
IT WILL BE EARLIER
But How Much Earlier, in View of These Cold Nights, l. a Question Much speoulated Upon--Latest Tolegraphio Report.

The repeated reports from the interior as to the softness of the trails and the break Ing of the liver Ice In places, has brought forth much speculation as to when the rIv- CT will open for navigation, and some of the spectators have set the approximate date, three weeks earlier than last wear. which would make 1t some time the latter part of thls month. Some have placed lt at My !, and some the more conservative have made It only a week ear l Her than last year. However, all agree that the river will open earlier than last year, and before the ordinary time of opening.
 E. s. Busbv, Canadian customs agent, places the date at May [, and Assistant Chief Engineer John Hlslop says that f the weather which has prevailed the last week or two continues. the river should be open a month earlier than usual.
 lt Is conceded that with the river open Ing several weeks earlier than usual that just that much of time would be gained by those taking the rlver route to Nome, and that therefore lt Is time for those eontem- plating to travel this way to begin prepa- tlon for their journey.
 With the view of more closely draw ing conclusions In regard to the opening of the river, Mr. Busby has obtained the follows ing telegraphIe rerort from M. ". Crean, superintendent ofthe Dominion tel- egraph line:
 "The trail Is In good condition between Bennett and Caribou.
 "The river is open from Marsh lake to the Canyon.
 From White Horse to the foot Of La Barge the trail Is good for light loads.
 "From LaBarge to Five Fingers over the cut off the trail Is very bad.
 From Selwyn to Dawson the road Is yet good"
 Corp. w. Della Tore, of the Northwest Mounted Police, who left Dawson March 2s and arrived here Saturday evening. brings word that the Flitv Mile river Is open In places, and the trail bare and soft In places. He predicts that those who left Bennett within the last eight or ten days with freight for Dawson will not get through and he Is of the opinion the river may open few days if not whole week earlier than last year which he says was May I7.
 Satisfied that the river and the lakes will oPen in good time forth trip to Nome c. P. Llndahl and two companions will leave Skagway today for Bennett, where they will build bateau Tor the trip, They have three tons of provisions which they intend to take through.
 Others have lately gone through the cltv with freight for lake points which they intend 10 take down to Dawson or on 10 some other point further down the stream at the opening of navigation. He will build two Ssows ln which to con- vey the freight. |, Is predicted by some that many who are between Bennett and Dawson with freigh, will have to aban- don the trail trip eventually and take boats or seows.
 Steamboat men are busy putting river and lake steamers in condition for the season.
 J.W. Atkinson, who arrived last eve nlng. thirteen days from Dawson, says he believes the river will not open earlier than usual. The Yukon river proper Is solid and he thinks there Is no reason to believe 1t will break soon. He met White & Adalr's biz party half way over the C. D. cutoff.
 E. B. Brigham, who arrived last eve hing, eleven days from Dawson, coming as far as Hootehlkoo by bicycle, which point he made In four days, reports 1t almost lm- possible for teams to now get through. He saws lt Is the common opinion near Daws that the river will be free from Ice at that point about May I2. He states that Janne Lamare and party, who intend to make the trip to Dawson with auto vehicles, were still at Bennett yesterday.
 John H. Bomholdt, who arrived yesfer- day from Dawson, says 1t has been ob- served that the temperature has grown colder all along the river during the h. crease in the moon, and that It would not be surprising should the weather now turn colder. and the river become suffer and re- main so until the usual time of breaking. He says that In places 1t Is really danger ous to travel the river, especially between between Selkrk and Five Fingers.
 It was reported at Caribou yesterday I