Baxter Springs news. [volume] (Baxter Springs, Kan.) 1882-1919, 1909-10-07
MdJ77NG f0R TfE SIEA17ER 70
LA/XD AT ELH L4hE

It was a sunburned and well-sea-
SOned Buffalo man that blew into the
city a few days age, after a trip
through the wild mining lands Of
northern Ontario. He was so full of
his experiences that he could scarcely
tell where to begin or where to end
the tale. But it was interesting Just
the same-the Office mans impress.
siOns Of the hardships Of the miner.
"Latchford is the real starting
point" said he. "Latchford? Oh, it's
way up beyond Muskoka The Mon.
treal river runs all through that coun-
try, and it's the lake expansions and
rapids Of the river that give all the
\ variety to the trip. But really though
It's surprise to find people travelling
that way right here within a couple
of hundred miles from Buffalo. You
think OF the luxury of our railroad
lines and steamboats, that carry you
straight to the point you want to
reach, and then-no, there isn't a
way to get into that country except
ly canote and portage.
las far as Elk lake you can make
1t by the little steamers. We started
out about seven o'clock in the morn.
ing. there were four little steamers
on the first section of the way, and
each of them carried about rs passen-
gers. We steamed up the lake and
arrived at the other end. There we
unloaded everything and the cargo
was loaded on to the trucks that wait
ed there for 1t. It was all rocks and
woods of the widest kind, and
through this we walked and carried
our grips. The trucks mentioned were
hauled by horses on corduroy roads
with tracks on them. At the end OF
the tramp we took another little side.
wheeler and proceeded up the second
little lake. Scenery? oh, yes, 1t was
beautiful-wild and rugged of course,
with woods on each side Of the lake,
and good fresh air. But the black
files were the worst. I'll tell you
ydore about them afterward.
I Aud so about noon we landed
again to make our second portage
There was tent In the woods here
a kind of inn where we had dinner.
We enjoyed It too. Afterward we
went on again and took the next boat.
The longest Of those portages was
about half mile. It's IS miles they
say, from Latchford to Elk lake, and
the round trip costs $5-such as It is.
There are three companies offer
ing to transport you from Latchford
to Elk lake. The whole trip through
to Gowganda this way costs $50 for
a round trip. Freight Is tx cents
pound. To give some idea of the cost
of things up there, gasoline sells for
50 a gallon in Gowganda. What do
they use It for? Launches. There are
little launches on the lakes beyond
Elk City that carry passengers and
the canoes to the first portage, II
miles; the balance Of the way to Cow
ganda is by canoe only. We had our
own canoe. There were two Of u.s.
, We left the first portage and started
into the wilds for Gowganda portag.
ing across the rocky narrows be-
tween the lakes.
Imagine narrow road, just wide
enough to get through the bushes, and
rather awkward at that with a canoe
on your head, with rocks jutting up
everywhere and trees and underbrush
blocking the view on every side. Then
take your canoe, put the paddles
across the seats, and hoist 1t on your
head so that the paddle blades rest
on your shoulders and the body Of the
canoe Tits back so that you can see
as you walk.
There are no less than IL por-
tages between Elk City and Gowgan-
da. The whole distance is about IS
miles, so you may suppose how bro
ken the journey is. The longest Of
the portages is about I y miles. But
there was one about half way across
that was the climax Of the whole trip.
i never saw anything like It. When
we landed and looked up that grade,
and thought that we had to get our
stuff up there-well. we knew we had
something before US. They say it's
three-quarters Of a mile across that
one. nut l never knew a longer
tkree-quarters of a mile. II winds
everywhere, and at a steady up grade
EXACTLY like a rock staircase-and
hats Why It gets fits name. They
ran It The Golden Stair. Why Golduni
Oh. / suppose because its 80 nice and