The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1901-04-22
OBSERVATIONS IN ALASKA.
4 Government Agent Reports Upon
Agricultural Conditions There.

\ Government Agent Reports pom
AgricuIturai Conditions There.
Mr. 9 c. Georgeson. special agent Of
the United States Government in charge
Of agricultural Investigations in Alaska,
gives an interesting account of his obser-
walton and experiences in that country IL
a pamphlet which has just been issued by
the Department of Agriculture We
left SIzag way, June q, on the morning
train says Mr.. Georgeson, land reached
the Canadian boundary at the summit OF
the coast range about two hours later.
The road leads by a somewhat tortuous
ascent over steep grades along the rug
Sed sides of the mountains to the sum
nit. where the international boundary lire
is denoted by two flags. the American and
the British, planted only a few yards
apart. Here the elevation is 2.SS5 feet.
the highest point along the entire route
OF the Yukon. between Skagway and St
Michael
There is no agricultural land on the
american side, along this route except
few hundred acres in the Skagway Val
ley. near the town. But, on the north
81, , of the mountains, especially be-
/ tween the stations known as Log Cabin
and Bennett, there is q tract OF land,
much of which can be brought under
culture.
AT Bennett a town which has sprung
up at the south end of lake Of that
name, We were delayed day in order to
get our freight passed upon by the Gus
toms officials. The railroad had not been
completed around the lake at that date.
Passengers and freight were transferred
to a lake boat at this point and carried to
a station called Caribou. at the north enc
of the lake, twenty seven miles from
Bennett, where the railroad again takes
them up. The track along the lake shore
has since been laid and trains row ran
from Skagway to White Horse without
interruption We left Bennett at 2
o'clock in the afternoon of June % and
arrived at White Horse the same even
ing. Bennett has an industry peculiar 70
itself which has, up to the present, been
quite profitable 1t consists in the b lid
ing of scows ard occasionally more pre-
tentious craft for the conveyance OF
freight to Dawson.
Most of the early DrOSpectOrS built
their scOws here, but the mountains Dor
dering the lake soon became deuuded Of
their timber, and as scOws were still in
demand they had to be built of lumber
brought in from Puget Sound. According
to the statement OF the builders lumber
costs now. laid down at Bennett, SO per
thousand feet A tWenty-tOn ScoW would
require from 3, 600 to $500 feet for Is con-
structiOn, and 1t sold the past season at
500. 1t is merely n large trough made
water-tight. In the paiIny days Of the
early rush to the klOudike q similar Scow
sold for from S1,.,39 to 81 800. But even at
this figure il might be considered a good
Investment. The freight rate from SkaS-
way TO Dawson IS something like $3.50
ton As Dawson was the destination OF
nearly all the scOws which started down
the river there would naturally be sur
plus of this class Of water craft at this
point, ana L found that ScoWS which SOLD
for 400 at Bennett could be bought in
Dawson for from go to SO, according to
the kind Of lumber employed in their con-
struCtiou-
The railroad traverses a stretch Of
country between Caribou and White
Horse which contains much fine agricul-
turaI land Some Of it is wooded and
other portions are covered only with
bushes with now and then an opening
which yields a rich supply OF rank grass
now going TO waste ] may remark here
that after leaving the summit. where
there was still some snow in the gulches
1 saw no snow or glaciers on the entire
trip. There is no snow IL the Yukon Val
ley in summer. from one end to the other.
not even on the mountains The notion
that snow and glaciers confront one on
every hand in Alaska is erroneous.
White Horse IS at present the terminus
of the railroad. II Is located some two
miles below Miles Canyon, the most dan
gerous portion Of the river. 1t was TO save
the traffic from this canyon and the
trpacheTOuS rapids just below it that the
railroad was built. Here the river steam
-erS stop and take on passengers and
freight carried down by the railroad
From this on there is but one mode Of
overland travel in summer. and that is to
walk In winter when trails are broken,
dog teams and sleds are the usual means
Of conveyance.
White Horse at the time OF my visit
consisted Of collection of log cabins and
tents. though some better buildings were
IN progress of construction and large
town site was laid out 1t was designated
As q 'red-hot town. which means that ga
looms. gambling houses and dance houses
we're doing 4 large business Aside from
these, bunk houses and restaurants. with
about three general stores, were the only
business places. E1Ondike prices were in
force here for everything. We had to pay
a dollar each for the privilege of sleep
ing on piece of canvas stretched be-
tween two poles and without bedding
These hunks were built three stories high
and there were about thirty in the same
room, nearly all Of which were occu-
pied.
we were delayed here two days before
We could get our freight aboard d boat
We should not have gotten off then had
1t not been for the assistance Of T. NJ.
Irwin traffic manager OF the railroad,
who directed the agent to load our goods
on an outgoing boat Apparently the
freight came in much faster than the
boats could take II away. as 800 tons of
7 freight were piled up on the bank of the
river awaiting shipment to Dawson.
fine stretch Of valley land which can be
utilized for agriculture, and there are
rich copper mines Just opened I'D a few
miles from White Horse