Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1916-06-25
INTERESTING SIGHTS
ON THE UPPER YUKON
River, Ono of the Worlds Largest.
Winds About Like Huge
Snake.
NAVIGATION VERY DIFFICULT
Rapid Changes in Scenery Noted.
Steamer Selkirk Burns Wood and
Stops Several Times Daily to Take
On This Fuel.
ny FRANK &. CARPENTER.
Dawson, Yukon Territory

5 for 5oO-nilc trip on the headwatcrs
cf the Yukon. Within the past fifteen
Gays I have made most of the Journey
On foot. on rail and steamer. and
: can point out the sights as we go.
We begin in the coast range Of noun
(. tains only fifteen miles from the Pacific
= Ocean. Here the river has one of its
: sources. 1t starts as n triCkling stream
l. of ice-cold water and winds its way
:. down the hills and pours into Lake
r Bennett. We take the White Pass
: Railway and ride twenty-five miles
along the cas-, shore Of that lake Ia
caribou. and thence AN hour SO
farther TO the town of White Horse.
W.. are now at the head OF the steam
navigation OF the mighty river. and
can sail for more than 1000 miles to
where it pours into Bering Sea. not
far from the Arctic Ocean
But before we take ship at White
Horse lot look at the size of the
YUKON. The river is one of the largest
of the world There are only four on
the North American continent that sur
pass it in length and in the area OF
the basin il drains. These are the> Mis-
siss;ppi-Missouri. which rise far up IN
the Rockies and is lost in the Mexican
Gulf; the Winnipeg Nelson that begin.
with the Saskatchewan. in Southern
Canada. and pours its waters into Hud-
sons Bay. the Mackenzie that flows to
the north and empties into the Arctic
Ocean and the 81. Lawrence. the down
spout which carries the waters OF the
Great Lakes into he Atlantic.
The length Of the Yukon. from the
source OF its longest tributary TO Her
inE Sea. - great as the distance
from Boston 10 Salt Lake City. and the
naviEable streams which flow into 1t.
IL tcsmtcd toecther. would make
canal Il; for low-draf steamers that
would reach as far as from Seattle to
Shanghai
The volume OF the Yukon is about
half tina; of the 81. Lawrence and two
thirds that OF the Mississippi Missouri
II is three times long the Rhine.
500 miles longer than the Danube. and
OF jus; tho same length as the Volsa.
The basin OF the Mississippi- Missouri
takes in one-,hrd of the United states
and the basin of the Yukon has an
area equal TO one-tenth or once eleventh
of Al the lands under the American
nag
DIFFICULTIES PRESENTED
IN NAVIGATING; RIVER
Tho navigation Of the Yukon com
pnres in it's difficulties with that Of
the mississippi. II makes YOU think OF
Mark Twains description OF the great
river. which he knew so well as a
pilot. He said; IF you will peel an
apple in one long pairing and throw
il over Your head. the shnp II Will have
when ii falls on the floor will repre-
sent the ordinary curves of the river"
We shall find this true of the Upper
Yukon. The stream winds about like
nal a
II is only n few hundred feet from
bank TO bank. and now almost lake
The river is full of sandbanks. and
there are rocky canyons through which
the boat shoots. almost grazing tho
cliffs
our shin = the little steamer sci
kirk. 1t Is of only 400 tons. ana il
draws but four five feet Of water.
nevertheless II is well managed
that II twists and turns with the cur
rent. believe II could turn in its
own length, for al times IT swings
about as though on pivot Now the
pilot throws ths boa, across the stream
and lets the current do the work, and
now shoots II through the rapids. nut i.
ting on steam 20 make the paddles go
faster
In addition TO tho boat itself we hnyo
great barge 10 care for Tho mos, or
the freight which goes down tho
YUKON Is carried on barges which are
pushed along In front Of the steamers.
me ioad or to-day consists largely OF
Va't'e' Inc barge is Enclosed in Il high
"o"ro renee within which are cirh,
s'eHt co" pens and double deck
shaep fold al the back There are l5o
IN