72 Frofegsor Henry A. Miers [Feb. 28, 



WEEKLY EVENING MEETING. 



Friday, February 28, 1902. 



George Matthey, Esq., F.R.S., Vice-President, 

 in the Chair. 



Professor Henry A. Miers, M.A. D.Sc. F.R.S. 

 Gold Mining in Klondike. 



My visit to Klondike took place at the end of August 1901, at a very 

 interesting time, and under most favourable conditions. The journey 

 was made at the invitation of the Hon. Clifford Sifton, Canadian 

 Minister of the Interior, and in company with Professor Coleman of 

 Toronto. Mr. Sifton provided us with a most ef&cient military escort 

 in the person of Captain Strickland of the North- West Mounted 

 Police, who possesses an intimate knowledge of the far North- 

 Western Territory and its inhabitants. Consequently, we were able 

 in a short visit to see a great deal and to become acquainted with 

 the leading features of the mining industry. 



The time was particularly interesting, because in 1901 the con- 

 ditions of life were still to a large extent those of a young mining 

 camp, but were undergoing rapid transformation into the social and 

 political conditions of an organised and civilised community. 



Access to Klondike is now practically confined to a single route 

 available for the ordinary traveller. It is true that a considerable 

 amount of merchandise is taken in by the sea and river route which 

 consists of a voyage (from Seattle) of 2700 miles by sea to St. Michaels 

 at the mouth of the Yukon, followed by a voyage of 1370 miles up 

 that mighty river to Dawson City — a total of about 4000 miles. But 

 the ordinary passenger route is the following: — a sea voyage of 

 900 miles, up the quiet waters that lie between the islands and the 

 mainland, from Vancouver to the little American port of Skagway ; 

 a journey of 112 miles across the coast range, by the newly con- 

 structed White Pass and Yukon Railway, to the little town of White 

 Horse on the Yukon ; and a voyage of 450 miles down the Yukon 

 from White Horse to Dawson City in a stern-wheel steamer: — a 

 journey of only 1460 miles in all. By this route the sea voyage 

 occupies from three to five days, the railway journey about twelve 

 hours, and the river voyage from two to three days. 



The railway climbs the icy precipices of the coast range, and 

 crosses into Canadian territory at the summit of the famous White 

 Pass which earned so uuenviable a reputation as the sceue of disasters 



