Seward weekly gateway., 1907-03-30
SNOW AND SEVERE GOLD
 CHECK INTERIOR TRAVEL
Trails Filled by Drifting and Mushers Wait for Fairer Weather Before
 Going Farther.

Kahiltna. March l--The heavy fall of snow on February l3-l4 and Subse- quent drifting wiped out all trails, and there has been no travel since that date. About twenty-five men are at Susitna and Tyonol now, coming this way, some of them having gone down for supplies since the first of February. The next trail up the river will be shorter, and permanent for the winter. The first trail was broken while there were water holes and overlows, and necessarily had many bends and turns which new trail can avoid.
 Bill Hughes, with part of the machinery for the King River Mining Company of Lake creek, has been tied up this side of Susitna station by the extreme cold weather and deep snow of the past two weeks, and is waiting favorable weather. One of his horses died near Alexandria while hauling feed from cache near that place.
 This will probably be the last oppor- tunity to get mail out from here until navigation opens. I understand the last mail leaves Tyonok about March l5.
 February was a very cold month, the mercury going below zero on sixteen days, and touching that mark twlce as the minimum. On ten days the mini mum was above zero, although on the l4th with a minimum of 10 above a blizzard was blowing. The lowest temperature was 5 below zero on the 18th. Other low temperatures were the following: l7th-5O below; 18th AS below; 2Oth-47 below; 2lSt-45 be- low; 23rd-43 below. On other cold days it varied from zero to 3S below. On the 27th it was 5 above and thaw- ed little but the next day it was 20 below.
 R. R. Jones and J. c. Snyder, who have been trapping on the Kechatna river since last fall, came down the Yentna February ? on their way to Knik. They intend to return later in the winter and will work their claims on Peters creek next summer.
 J. Rimmer and George Grinnell, who came up river by boat last fall with their outfit bound for the Kusko- kwim, reached a point about thirty miles up Happy river, where they cached and returned for additional supplies. They passed here on their way back February 8. When they reach their cache they intend to con- tinue up Happy river and over the divide into the headwaters of the KuS- kokwim river. They say Ward and Stagner, who were ahead of them up the river, have probably crossed the mountain and by this time are on the ! Kuskokwim. Newcomb and Rooney, also on their way to the KuSkokwim, relayed past here February 9.
 Tom Haudmore, with four natives pulling his sleds, is going as far as ! Cottonwood creek, a tributary of Peters. Mr. Handmore will make a study of the topography of the country around the upper tributaries of Peters creek taking the grades for probable ditches for huming purposes.
 G. Keller, one of the men who pros pected at the head of the Kechatna last summer, passed up the Yentna return ing to that country with his outfit February l3.
 R. c. Richardson got his last relay by here February l5. He will operate principally on Peters creek next sum- mer.
 I am going up to the Skwentna country about March 20 and expect to be back here about June l5. -cg s
 H. P. GALLAGHER.