The evening times., 1900-06-09
ON THE YUKON TRAILS.
Interesting Report From Consul Me-
Cook Mt Dawson City.

COOK Mt Dawson City.
J. C. McC0ok. Consul Of the United States
at Dawson City, las furnished to the State
Department an exceedingly interesting re-
port as to the conditions prevailing at
present in aud ca the way to Yukon gold
fields. 1t includes references to prices and
other details of life in both British and
United States territory. Mr.. McCock
writes:
Bennett. British Columbia. the starting
place for the winter route to Dawson, is a
small town of some 500 inhabitants, and is
the present southern terminal of the
White Pass and Yukcn Railroad. BY next
August the railroad will be completed to
White Horse. seventy miles nearer Daw-
son. In the winter season one has TO
spend couple Of days here in getting
luggage through the custom house and in
arranging for conveyance.
Prices at the best hotels are $3.50 TO
81 per day. according to whether you oc
eupy an upper or lower bunk At Ben
nett. most travellers purchase horses.
sleds. and harness; horse sleds being much
more comfortable than the small basket
sleds hauled by dog teams. The price Of
horse, sled, and harness averages $50
They can be sold at Dawson early in the
season at profit. Some 500 horses came
over the trail this winter, freighting and
carrying passengers. One has 10 take
along enough horse feed to last him on
the trip. which can be made easily in ten
to twelve days. l, with four others, elect
ed 10 go with the Canadian Development
Company, which carries the mail and ex-
press matter and also carries passengers
to and from Dawson at $3.50 each. TFav-
elers board themselves. They are carried
by horses half the way, and 20 by dog
sIeds the other half.
we started out on March "a. about mid
day. On account OF the very warm weather
during the early part Of March, the snow
on Lake Bennett got very soft. and the
trail was made worse by the freighter
sleds. 10 which is attached a traiIed sled
. loaded heavily. These trailers cut up the
regular road badly and one gets spilled out
occasionally by the sled upseoting We
Only went as far as Cariboo Crossing that
day-twenty eight miles from Bennett.
CaFibOO Crossing Is the commencement OF
the Yukon territory. On arriving al Carl
boo We put up for the night al the hotel
or road house. We were asked IL we had
our own bedding. Some Of US had blankets;
Others. fur robes. Each was allotted a
bunk in a room where the hunks wer.
in tiers three high anG consisted OF can
vas nailed on boards Two to three dozen
are put In a room about six by twelve feet
without ventilation. Those not getting m
early generally lie on the floor and tables
Prices for such accommodations are Sc per
day. On the trail. one sees all manner and
styles OF conference.-the freighter with
his heavy sled teams, taking merchandise
to Dawson: OK sleds. dog sleds bicycles.
and sleds hauled by the owner. Some trav-
eiers have their belongings strapped on
T. hrrn al-l- G-n Earrr #fnsnf-
sleds. when going over the lakes. rig Up a
sail so that the wind may help them.
Prom CaribOO the tra1 leads over a
! cutoff. shortening the distance some hfJy
miles. The road from CariboO 10 White
! Horse f0rty-iVe miles is covered In one
day. White Horse is TO be the terminal OF
I the railroad next August. The road viii
i be finished then and in summer steamers
| will leave there for Dawson. the run being
made in q couple OF days.
white Horse will in time be the centre
OF a great copper mining district. COmpa-
nies are organized 10 put up smelling
works and the Canadian Bank OF Com
merce has established branch there
From White Horse. the road passes over
Lake La Barge the trail being good 10
Lower la Barge. and from there is anOth-
er overland cutoff 10 COrmack. shortening
/ the distance 70 Dawson some seventy-fye
0
/ post. some twenty-five miles. the trail is
over hills. and at this late season the
snow has disappeared from most Of the
way. and one is obliged to walk I have
seen six horses hitchcd 70 an ordinary
one-horse load.
AT Mackays We are supplied with dogs
| and from there to Dawson-soIne go miles
/ more-one is tucked into basket sled
! hauled by FIVE or six dogs. and can keep
I on day and night. as relays are TO be had
/ at every post. There are Engiish-speaking
/ dog drivers as far as SelWyn. from there
/ on they are French Canadians These G-iv-
/ ers have remarkable endurance; they run
/ steadily along holding on 10 the handles
/ Of the sled in rough places to keep it from
| upsstting. for forty 20 fifty miles al q
/ hve-mile-arI-hour gait. and have no chance
4 10 rest on the end CT the sled fer hal
/ an hour altogether during the whole run
! On the last day We made forty-eight
4 miles in a binding snow storm. the trai
/ being entirely obiterGted We made i
/ in thirteen hours including a one-houl
/ stop FOR dinner. The trip should not b,
/ undertaken at this season: from the Is
| to the 10th Of March is as late as on.
! should come in over the ice In the months
OF December. January and February II.
! trail is always in good condition. and fas
| time can be made
| Dawson is beginning 10 present a NOR,
| substantial appearance Claims are uoy be
| ingprepared for sluicing: that is for wash
ing the geld from the large humps Of eartl
\ taken out Of the claims during the winte
| months
Residents are very much gratifed at III,
excellent mail service. the mail c-mirg an,
! going regularly every week all through tn,
! winter; letters cnly. however. from th.
| United States. Mails were brought in thi
| winter from Bennett In seven days. mex
| season il viii take five days from SkagR ay
| Provisions are a ht+le cheaper n som,
lines this spring. There is, however. 7,
| change in cost of living-$1OO per mOntl
| for board in a fairly good hotel ani $40
I PeT month for a bedroom. Eggs frozen
! cost $3.50 to 50 per dozen wholesale Or
/ snges cost $50 per case OF 11G and retail
at 81 each. and apples (nOt very good COS
80 cents each.
The license on saloons has been reduce
from 1880 per anrum TO 81 800. Two dol
lars a gallon duty is assessed on wines
liquors. and beer brought into the Yuko
Territory.
''An kinds of boats are being fitted up
convey people 10 Cape Nome. but as man
people came into Dawson this winter a
went out. There are reliable reports as {
the richness OF the Koyuk section. Sew
eral parties have left here in the past te'
days for the Koyuk, going over the ice I
below Fort Yukon, then overland som
rs miles,
HRS DEwEYs JEWEL RESTORED