The daily journal. (Salem, Or.) 1899-1903, 1903-04-21
TERROR
OF THE
TRAIL
Struggling Through theSnOw
to Reach Tanana
Snow is Deep. Trail Narrow,
and Trouble Plenty

interior ana tne uall II hneo WIN
horse sleds, dog sleds. man sleds. and
a few pack horses. The heavy snow
fall last week and the wind afterward.
almost completely destroyed the trail.
During the storp, however, sleds
were sent out by the larger outfits to
keep the trail broken. and Tuesday
many outfits began moving again,
though the trail was anything but in
good condition.
The heavy snowfall extended far
into the interior and down on Copper
river and now there is from four to
six feet OF snow where ten days ago
there was glare ice. Late advices
from Copper state that the river is
overfiowing in many places. Just
what effect this will have on Copper
river and what condition OF the trail
will be up that stream when the out.
fits reach II is hard 10 tell. Although
there are many parties yet on this
side OF the divide. the main camp of
the Nizlna crowd is about eight miles
this side OF Copper river There Is
also n large camp just beyond the
summit. It is estimated that there
are between 400 and 500 men in these
two camps.
A trip OF only a few miles out on
the trail will quickly demonstrate to
the INITIATED that freighting TO the in.
terror IL not what Il is cracked up 20
be. The great depth OF snow and the
very narrow trail causes many din
culties. and more or less serious &C.
cidents. Every time a horse sled is
met. the one returning empty must
necessarily put his horse of into the
soft snow to let the loaded one pass.
and each time a horse goes on the
beaten trail he goes out OF sight, so
to speak They cannot reach bottom
so great Ia the depth Of the snow,
and In most cases they continue TO
struggle in their efforts TO get back
on solid footing. Horses hitched TO
loaded sleds also frequently get on
the trail They plunge through the
soft snow. probably oyerturning the
sled and getting further from the trail
with each effort TO gain footing. II
may take an hour TO again get them
on the trail and ready TO start. and In
the meantime all those behind have
been compelled TO wait until the
blockade is raised, This is very try.
ing on the horses They not only cut
themselves with their sharp shoes,
but become exhausted plunglng in the
soft snow.
There has been considerable trou-
Bile with sick horses On the trail. es-
pecially those. brought up this spring
from Seattle Many OF them were un.
loaded from the boat and started out
on the trail almost Immediately. The
sudden climatic changes caused them
10 catch cold and many OF them have
the distsmper. A number Of horses
have been killed along the trail. some
OF them with broken legs and others
because they were too sick 10 travel.
There Is no small number OF men
pulling in their outfits by hand or
with dogs These people also have
their share OF trouble, The many
"chuck holes" worn out by the horse
sleds make travelling very dificult and
slow Quite number Of "cheecha.
cos" are on the trail this year, and
they are experiencing no end OF trou-
BILE Que party which started out this
week caused no little amusement
They had an extra large horse with |
two sleds and with the loads piled at
least four feet high on each. The
horse could barely pull the load on
the level and so often did they come |
10 grief that they were half day get /
ting a mile out OF town. Among the
other things which they had as "out.
ht" was a heavy set Of iron bound
tent poles. and a foundation on which !
TO set a campstove. consisting OF a.
platform OF inch boards SKA feet with I
heavy wooden blocks for legs and a
number OF tin cans on top BY the
time they reach the diggings they will
probably be content TO string their
tent on clothes line and set their
stove on the ground
There are but few women on the |
trail at present though quite a mum
Der expect TO start in later.-Valdez
News