The Nome daily nugget., 1914-06-20

fSe. ..eisuans de the 6aesain Whsrs- | by. J the, watts Pass tAkss ever tho Northern Navigation efrects the busi' naas on the Yukon and gives the White Pass the longest and most continuous transportation service in the North.
 Recently the White Paas put on line of steamers from Portland and Puget Sound ts .Skagway. That linss wito the raiiMiaay from alragway to White horss. end the 5000 miles of steamer
 lines on the main Yukan gives the
 cosnpany s,0oo miles of straiKhtsway
 tsrsstory. To this misAt b. added ths
 Tanana, the Koyukuk. the Iditarod
 and one or two other aide streams
 where the Northern Navigation has
 maintained . service on the lower Yu-
 kon.
 With ell the spisndid craft of the
 Northern Navigation company and the
 nne boats of the original White Pass
 on the Yukan. the new owners should
 be enabled to give a good, if not Il
 better. service than ever. It usually
 is contended by companies which
 merge that by eliminating competi-
 ton and the consequent waste that
 they can operate more economically
 and thus render services to the people
 at reduced costs. It is to bs hoped
 this will prove the case in this in-
 stance. Of course. 1t is not to be ex''
 pected the war rates of last year or anything near them will obtain. as all the trafac companies lost heavily. but
 with competition obviated the com-
 pany in the Held should be able tV operate to much better financial ad vantage, and thus let the public also participate.
 President Dickson has proved one of the most progressive transporta- ton men ever fin the North. and doubtless be will work to ca cate trsfac on the Yukon as well as be provided to accept that which naturally comes this way. It is a well known fact he has boosted the Yukon route for the tourist business. and with the increas- ed advertising the American railway project is giving the North, he should now be able to get far more new busi- ness for his lines, and to make the Yukon the great scenic route of the land of the midnight sun-the route that eventually will become . world favorite because of being a vernal mid- summer route out of the range of heat while the rest of the continent sweiter.
 The freighting of supplies into Dawson by the lower river route has meant long haul. 1.eo0 miles against the current. It may now be that the new company will find 1t more econ omical to ship practically all the Dawson supplies via Skagway. The chief offset for the Skagway route is l the added handling in the rail trans ters.
 It is not made plain whether or lot the White Pass is to acquire the Northern Commercial holdings. and the mail contracts held by the Sloss | people. Should the White Pass take 1 ,ver all these. 1t will be a mighty actor in the North. Even with only l the river trafic in control 1t Is a 'ast concern, and Yukon must calcu- ate on taking the transportation com oany and its tariffs and services into l in every transaction. It | g impossible for anyone to forsee all he results of the change. but as AL aska is bound to advance rapidly with | the assistance of the national rail- ways. the Yukon basin sees new chances. It. therefore. is to be hoped | hat the policy to be laid down by the | in this field will be one | which will in every way encourage de- ,elopment. Only by such a policy will general prosperity follow and the people will be the first | o share the benefits.-Dawson News