Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1901-10-26

is owned by a private company and the
supply, which is naturally filtered and very
pure, is derived from several ineXhaustible
wells fed by seap water from the Klondike
river. The town has a very efficient fire
department equipped with two engines, two
hose carts, two chemicals and hook and
ladder. 1t is Illuminated by modern cleo
trio light plant, which also furnishes pump
ing power to the mines for miles in every
direction. 1t costs from 81 to s. call to
use the telephone system which connects
the town with the different mines
The Oldest Families.
The census taken last fall shows the
resident population of Dawson to be 5,400.
OF this number 1900 are men, G5O women
and $50 children. The floating population
during the summer will more than double
these figures. Among the business enter
prises of the place may be mentioned two
banks, five assay offices, six newspapers,
three express companies, one telegraph
company six sawmills, two planning mills,
three brick yards, three machine chops,
eight coid-Storage warehouses, five dairies,
two breweries one bottling establishment
and twelve laundries. Ample provision has
been made for entertaining the transient
guest within the city gates. There are
forty restaurants, thirty-three hotels and
twenty-three saloons. There are two public
three theaters three hospitals and
five churches. The new Presbyterian house
of worship cost 1000. The government is
spending 100000 on public buildings in
Dawson and 100000 on roads leading into
the place.
The Yukon Council.
Dawson is not incorporated, but is gov
erned by what is known as the Yukon
council" consisting of the senior judge of
the Yukon territory, the gold commissioner,
the legal adviser. the registrar, the COM
manding officer of the northwest mounted
police and two members elected by the
citizens. 1t is claimed to have the best
order of any mining town in the world.
The northwest mounted police govern the
territory proper. and their administration
is also very successful These officers are
stationed at the various points throughout
the district, and constitute the entire law
of the community. Each man is empow-
cred to act as assessor, collector, marshal,
postmaster, coroner, justice of the peace,
sheriff and judge. 1t might seem that this
is too much authority to vest in one man,
but their administration is said to be much
more satisfactory than would be the case
if the officers We're divided among a half
dozen more officials as they are in the
states. In order that their rulings may be
free from personal interest, the Canadian
mounted police are not allowed to own any
property in the community they govern,
and are not stationed at one post long
enough to form associations which would
tend to influence their administration.
Their decisions are seldom questioned and
they get along with very little friction.
Dog Team Power.
There are many peculiar things connected
with life in this metropolis of the Upper
Yukon. The laundry wagons, vegetable
carts and all small vehicles used for deliv-
ering provisions are drawn by dog teams.
The animals learn their routes, and with
out any direction from their drivers pull
back and forth across the streets to the
proper stopping places after the habit of
well-trained delivery horses in the cities
of the states. A good, husky dog COM
mands higher price in the Klondike mar
ket than an ordinary horse. When the sun
goes away to the south, and leaves the
country locked in the embrace of the long
arctic winter, the native dog pulls his mas
ter swiftly over the long stretches of ice
and snow that separate him from civiliza-
ton. The dog is the only domestic animal
that can venture into this m-ridden
wild and liye-hence its value. There are
no five or ten-cent pieces in Dawson, and
there are only a few articles that can be
purchased for quarter. Such things as
newspaper, an orange or a very poor cigar
can be had for % cents, but -four bits is
the popular price for the usual 10-cent ar
ticle in the states. 1t costs 80 cents to
have a shirt laundered, and half-dollar's
worth of postage stamps is the least that
can be purchased at the post office And
yet they are beginning to call Dawson u
cheap town. 1t is cheap according to the
old regime, but it is still expensive enough
to give the average tenderfoot a feeling of
dizziness when confronted by the prevail
ing prices During the summer months
there is no darkness at ALL Base ball and
lawn tennis are frequently. played at mid
night. Photographs can be taken at any
hour, and one can see to read a book or
paper without the aid of a light at any
time. Il is veritable land of the midnight
sun.
But if the summers are a delight, the