Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1906-01-04
Old Mississippi River Pilot Re-
turns From Summer Spent
on Northern River
TELLS OF CONDITIONS THERE
Describes Picturesque Trips From Sc
attic to Dawson City by Steamboat
Two Years on tho Great Yukon
Something About the Gold Fields
Other News.
Special to Times-Republlcan.

dubuque, Jan. 4.--lupl Ill lbeeulc,
one of the best known pilots on the
Mississippi, has returned from Alaska,
where he has been working on the Yu-
kon river.
Mr.. Beedle is veteran Mississippi
river pilot and riverman who has
piloted all kinds Of steamers the
whole length of the Mississippi begun
ming his career on such famous boats
as the Gem City and War Eagle in the
earlier days before the railroads dis
placed the best boats on the river and
wrecked its large commerce. Mr..
Beedle has spent two seasons on the
Yukon, one in 1902 and this year, re-
turning last week.
The trip from Seattle to Dawson
City, LOO miles up the Yukon river by
steamer and steamboat is about as
beautiful and picturesque a trip as you
can imagine" said Captain Beede.
From Seattle up the steamers follow
the coast line very closely and It's
mountainous, wild scenery and glaciers
is all anyone could ask for continued
the captain, land the Yukon only adds
different varieties
To appreciate the situation the read
er must understand that the distance
from ST. Michaes to Dawson City is
a trip almost. the length of the tMssis-
sippi valley. MIR. Beedle's boat the
Sarah, Is about the size of the Dubu-
que, trifle smaller to be accurate, and
carries both freight and passengers.
Only four trips to Dawson were made
last season, besides two short trips
from Dawson to Tanana, about 6O0
miles. The season opened early this
year, commencing June l, which is fif-
teen days in advance of the usual time.
The upper portion of the river which
is farther south than the mouth opens
May l. and steamers begin as soon as
possible but the Ice is dangerous OH
the eastern part until the opening days
of June,
st. Michaels the sea port, is located
on Norton Sound, an arm of the Boring
sea, sixty-five miles north of the
mouth OF the Yukon. The river boats
are the usual fiat bottom affairs and
make this short trip for their cargoes
but it is attended with considerable
danger even though they keep close to
the shore. Winds rise very suddenly
there and the heavy seas are too much
for these frail craft.
The trip up the river is slow even
with the powerful machinery with
which Yukon boats are equipped. The
current is seldom slower than seven,
miles an hour and in many places 1t
md
even the most powerful boats must
travel at snail's pace. There are but
few stops, seven important ones, and
they are composed of the transporta-
ton companies warehouses and log
houses for the agents and employees.
The steamboats, are all equipped with
oil burners and use oil only for fuel,
burning five barrels per hour. This is
all shipped from San Francisco IN
specially designed ships and stored at
st. Michaels. Here a fleet of steam
boats that do nothing else take 1T and
tow it to the supply stations scattered
all along the river. At the mouth Of
the Koyukuk and Tanana rivers SMALL
er steamers meet the Yukon boats and
the transfer of freight is made. About
$40 miles up the koyukuk Is BATTLES
station, where one of the most promis-
ing gold fields of Alaska is to be found.
This is said to be a good big river and
navigation is easy. Up the Tanana
river 800 miles is Fairbanks, the center
of the most recently discovered dig
gings in Alaska. Fairbanks now ex-
cells Dawson in Importance because
many of the mines at Dawson have
l.. ci
hydraulic and dredging methods have
driven out the fellows of limited
means This class find Fairbanks their
mecca and their withdrawal from Daw-
son has given that place a severe set
back.
Between Fort Yukon and Circle
City the river reaches it's fartherest
northern point and it is said the former
place is twenty-five miles. inside the
Arctic circle" says the captain. 1T is
this stretch of 100 miles that is the
worst on the river and is known as the
Flats. Here the mountains disappear
from view and the river seems to spread
out over the whole country, making
thousands of islands and bars which
are continually changing so that the
channel of one day may be bar or
dry land the next. The company keeps
a man at this point all season and The
travels over it in q gasoline launch
locating the best channel. 1t is also his
duty to meet boats and pilot them over,
but his territory is SO large that he
often misses, but leaves instructions to
pilots. one boat, the Evans. grounded
there and had to be abandoned. You
see the current is so fast, being worse
than the upper rapids on this river,
that if you happen to start down the
wrong slough at ordinary speed and
strike bottom there is no use trying
to get off. Here the bottom is sandy
gravel and at depth of seven inches
solid ice is to be found We are always
glad when we're safely over the Flats.
The Yukon flows in every direction
and is very crooked. Some of the turns
will be twenty-five miles long while
others are decidedly short and keep a
pilot busy The trip down river is
three days at the shortest because OF
the current and in places at Dawson
for instance boats going down stream
under full Roadway seem to be going
thirty-f five miles an hour. The cargoes
on the return trip are practically MOTH
ing but gold.
II liked Alaska better this year than
the first time went up. and business
is increasing al every point The trip
becomes lonesome and monotonous
E..