The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-01-23

~ HE two full days that elapsed be-
tween the time the City of Seattle
left Juneau, bound north for Skag-
way, and the time she should have reap
peared there on the return trip, have been
taken as a basis for theory that the
overdue steamer has met with disaster In
Lynn canal.
To one familiar with travel from Alas
Ia and the customs OF vessels in Alaskan
waters In the winter or stormy season.
this conveys nothing particularly omi-
nous, even though the City of Seattle
usually makes the run from Juneau to
Skagway in from seven to eight hours,
and the return trip In the same length
Of time Steamers not infreQuently lie
over at 5kagway from one to three days
for passengers from Dawson. and this Is
particularly the case when the White
Pass q Yukon railroad trains from Ben
nett or the summit are delayed. 1t is
we'll known that the trains had been run
ming very irregularly prior to the time
the Seattle was due at Skagway. In adj
dition to that. the City of Topeka had
gust left Skagway, bringing south all pas
sengers who were not purposely waiting
for the City OF Seattle. For these rea-
sons 1t may be considered probable that
the Topeka left Douglas island for the
south.
However, the fact remains that even
Skagway two days. she is long overdue
here, unless delayed by unusually foggy
or rough weather. II the latter is the
behind her schedule. This is giving the
vessel the best of the situation, and bad
weather its full due:
stretch of water on the Alaska run. and
one of the most dangerous, Old Boreas
let's himself loose there as he does in no
other place on the face of the globe. The
yuvfn
swoops down from the mountain tops.
There are reefs on both sides Of Shell
se an r Shelter up ant II the sser
OF Lynn canal. At the north end are
reefs extending long distance out into
the eana Of Point e Res4sa s she sorT
most point of Admiralty island, and right
here, also. Chatham strait, broad and
naa to the
the most dangerous place on the run from
the head of Douglas island to Skagway.
The wind will blow there from every
ments of time, and come down from the
masthead by way Of additional variety.
Northbound ships usually pass to star
port, as there is wider passage than
between Point Retreat and the island.
Point Retreat takes its name from a
dams on one of his voyages of discovery.
The natives attacked him in such num-
berS that he had to put about with his
ships to escape capture. 1t Is long, low
point, extending out in to the water, with
numerous hidden reefs. 1t is a calm dav
indeed when the sea Is not restless there.
Shelter island is situated about halfway
between Juneau and Skagway.
There are only two harbors; one in Ber-
ners bay and the other at Haines Mis-
sion. In this same locality of rough wat
err and terrific winds is Eldred rock,
on which the Clara Nevada struck and
went down, leaving not a soul to tell the
story. The reef ON which the steamer
Humboldt struck and had a narrow es-
cape Is a little farther south. The stretch
Of reefs which made wreck of the
steamer Detroit last winter Is on the east
side of Shelter island The Cottage City
passed within d few ships lengths of the
Detroit and did rot sight her, owing to
the thick weather.
The Cottage City goes from Skagway
to Sitka, and in coming from Sitka rounds
Point Retreat out of Chatham strait,
There are about forty miles of water be-
tween Shelter island and Skagway which
the Cottage City does not touch on the
return trip, and 1t is barely possibly for
this reason, and on account of fog as in
the case of the Detroit, that the former
may reach Seattle without a word OF
news. .t
But there are other stormy and danger
GUS places on the inland passage, where
the City of Seattle may have met with
accident. II accident has befallen her, and
1t Is considered improbable that either the
Tees or the Cottage City will arrive with
out word of her