El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1916-06-10

loaded hut were unable 10 bear the toll OF
the Journey The year before the road was
built more than 5000 dead horses were count
ed on the trail. Some had lost their foot
ing and been dashed 10 death on the rocks
below. Others had sunk under their bur
dens in utter exhaustion ana mad TO be
thrown over the rocks. while still others
lost heart and actually committed suicide by
throwing themselves over the cliffs
one miner driving mule team got the
animals az last 10 the top when the leader
Jumped over the precipice. dragging the
other animals with him. All were killed
as they fell on the rocks in the valley be-
low The leader had been twice over the
Not FAR from Dead Horse canyon. and
along il. are the remains Of the old road.
built by George A. Bracket. before the
steam road was constructed Bracket came
from Minneapolis TO Skagway and built
toIlroad I'D the mountains. He had tollgstes
here and there. and the charges ranged
from 50 cents each for foot passengers 10 3
railway put him out Of business. and IL Is
said that he then sold out his route FOR $40
o00 in cash
$1,000 Go Over Trail in 1897.
During the winter Of 1897 $4,000 men and
women came up the mountains. over the
trails on their way 10 Dawson Most OF
them carried packs on their backs some
making numerous trips during which they
took from 50 TO loo pounds al time Soma
had sleds. which they pulled up the noun
tains. a single sled carrying perhaps zoo
pounds
about ton. 1000 pounds. ana the cusE
Of getting this over the trail was enormous,
Mules and horses were used Indians were
hired 10 aid in packing the outfits, and tbs
charge by them was cents and upward per
on the Dyea tran the Indians got 10 or i
cents pound for taking an outfit 50 miles,
The Indians went in families man would
pack from 100 TO 40 pounds. squaw from
so 100 pounds and girls and boys from
. TO 50 pounds apiece some OF the white
men went into packing ana teaming as a
business one man is said 70 have made
$500, 900 by transporting the baggage and
supplies Of the goidseekers- Another threw
log across A stream and charged 90 cents
toll Tor the use Of his bridge
White Sees Queer sights
During my trip over the White Pass road
had as a seatmate Elmer J. White; who
was long our American consul al W hita
Horse and who has been in this country
since the gold rush His stories OF the
queer sights on the trail are interesting.
said he
The men carried goods OF every descrip-
ton 1 remember one prospector who packed
a grindstone up the hills on his back Every
one wondered-T what he was going 70 do with
it. He brought It 10 White Horse and I'm
ally Dawson There he had carpenter
make him a frame for the stone When this
was completed he let the miners sharpen
their axes and picks a. p cents apiece:
They did the work while he sat back and
took in a dollar or more an hour FOR the
rent Of the grindstone-
Another man was loaded with window
psnes- He had sheets OF glass seven by
nine inches in size When he got to Dawson
he sold them for s. a pane Glass was sa
scarce At that time that Beer bottles brought
a price as window lights for log cabins
They were piled up lengthwise or set end
wise into the windows. being chinked round
with mud"
Tent City Of Waiting Thousands
Some OF Mr. Whites stories related -
the towns along the line There were set
Elements OF log huts and cities OF tents
The town Of White Pass contained thousands
Of tents. occupied by men and women walt
ing for RATS and boats 10 be completed 10
carry them down through the lakes and ~
way or the river 10 Dawson IN the spring
Of 1885 there were 10000 persons camped
at the head OF Lake Bennett at the time
OF the breaking Of the ice. and on ths
shores OF the lake you can stiu see the re-
lumber at the rate q $50 per thousand and
upward for the making Of boats TO 90 over
the lake
.'AIl OF these settlements couptiuued Mr..
White. had their saloons and dance halls
and games OF chance Of one kind or an
other The men were crazy for amusement
and did all sorts Of strange things I re-
member one night coming into a saloon az
White Pass where a dozen miners stood
goddess Of fortune was the wee insect tnat
Bobby Burns immortalized in one Of his
poems when he saw il creeping on young
Iady's bonnet. This kind Of wee neastie
was very common in those DAYS and lha
miners had no trouble IN finding one for
their sport The insect was placed on ths
bar nd the gamblers laid their right hands
a bout il 1T equal distances away. Then
they waited to see upon whose hand tbs
beastie would crawl first That unfortunate
man paid for the drinks