The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1903-09-19

the sIllondike basin. Horses were, en- 7
ployed in great numbers on this trail, |
and cruelty unspeakable was visited upon |
these faithful beasts. Insufficiently fed, |
they often staggered under their loads |
of 200 or ESQ pounds, lost their footing on
the narrow, icy path and We're dashed
to death below while hundreds of others
met a more cruel fate in wicked deser-
ton in midwinter by their owners on the
wind-sWept waste of the northern slope.
MR.. BRACKETS pluck and enter
IVA prise blazed the way, for when
men of larger capital saw that ne
could find a route over which wagons
could travel across the White Pass they
concluded that it was possible to build a
railroad and British company did 1T by
the aid of an American engineer and an
American contractor. This road has done
a splendid business since Its completion.
Complaint is made that rates are eunreas-
able, and perhaps they are. The. 1mposl-
ton Of heavy rates at the outset may have
been justified, in part at least by the
apprehension the part Of the builders
of the road that the traffic for which 1t
was constructed might not prove perma-
nent The Klondike gold fields might not
hold out and it was necessary that they
should get their money, back before the
traffic had played out. They have done 1t.
Doubtless cheaper rates might now be
afforded If the competition Of the lower
Yukon were more effective.
Skagway complains that this road dis
eliminates in favor of Vancouver and Vic
toria and sound ports, because the rate Is
the same from these ports to the interior
as from Skagway. No relief seems to be
obtainable because the, road Is an inter-
national line and neither the American nor
| the British authorities are able to con-
| troll the matter of rates beyond their own
.. thA ASooo pNfhnri-
| ties are asked to interfere blame is thrown
on the Canadian end. When the Canadian
authorities take the matter up 1t is the
American end which Is found to be the
| offender. The refusal to make q better
rate from Skagway than from Seattle or
Vancouver, not only places the Skagway
| jobber at g. great disadvantage, but the
action Of the British authorities In adding
the cost of freight from the sound or Van
couver to Skagway and taking It into
! account In the valuation of the goods
| at Skagway for purposes Of GUS
| upon, the Skagway = merchant, SO
that he is seriously handicapped and
practically cut out Of the jobbihg trade
with the interior, except upon short orders
which there is not time to fill In Canada
or the states. ~
a FTER long, hard pull Of about
| ~ twenty miles and lasting three
! hours, the violent pumping Of the
engine suddenly ceases and the train
comes to halt at the summit, where two
flags float from tall poles set about
| twenty-five feet apart Between them,
| driven into a crevasse in the rocks Is
an iron stake, the inscription on the top
of which tells us that here is the boun-
Diary line between the United States and
Canada. Every one Is out of the cars
lan Oh %1> 1or efo Iyn
his mind occupied with thoughts Of the
controversy which centers along the line
of which this stake is one of the visible
indicators, and while the crowd Is thus
grouped between the two flags the man
with the camera gets busy. He makes a
snap but grumbles because no suitable
place has been provided from which to
take the daily picture in which every
. American who travels this way is ready
to figure.
The remainder Of the journey down the
northern slope of the coast range Is grad
ual and devoid Of interest, and further
thought Of the beauties and grandeur OF
the scenes thru which we have just passed
gives place for a time to a discussion OF
, the boundary question, introduced by the
| episode of the flags. Here, at the very
outset Of our journey thru British terri
tory to the great mining camp of the
north are found those representatives Of
Canadian authority%wflose presence brings
) sense Of security$;to the law-abidine
man and a feeling Of terror to evil doors
!, the Northwest naountsa police. We shall
, meet with them frsat1sntly and learn more
{ of their organizatio END It's wonderful
. efficiency, but thai they are here holding
) the first foos Of territory to which theil
s government can lay valid claim is a:
z significant as the fact that there are nj
3 representatives Of American authorit,
: within twenty miles.
3 The first stop is at Lake Bennett, nov
5 merely a station and watering place
. once the site Of a city of tents. At tn,
: head Of this lake in the spring Of ,9s
j 5000 men and women camped waitin,
flfor transportation down the lake OF