THE FUTURE OF THE YUKON GOLDFIELDS 119 



Let us allow two trips for each of the old companies' steamers, 

 or, say, twenty -four loads, and one trip each for ten independ- 

 ent steamers. The total amounts to thirty-four loads, or less 

 than half the number required to keep the assumed influx of 

 people on a next-to starvation basis through the winter of 1898- 

 '99. I cannot emphasize too strongly that no dependence is to 

 be placed on the rare beds of inferior lignite which occur on the 

 upper river, even were any attempt being made to work them, 

 which is not the case. The lower river affords plenty of food in 

 the shape of salmon ; but this must be caught, dressed, and dried 

 or salted in the height of the season, July and August, when the 

 very men who may need it are straining every nerve to reach 

 the upper river, where there is very little fish. Once the ice 

 sets in, transportation over it of any large bod}^ of food, such as 

 would be required by the assumed population, is impossible. 



Enough has been said to show the impossibility of feeding 

 50,000 people by means of supplies carried up the river under 

 present conditions. 



We may now turn our attention to other routes of supply. 

 We are told that the Canadian government proposes to give a 

 monopoly of transportation over the old trail from Glenora, on 

 the Stikine river, to Lake Teslin. No reasonable person familiar 

 with the conditions of the region will believe that a railway 150 

 miles long can be built and equipped for traffic over this route 

 in four months. No such person in his senses will claim that 

 provisions could be taken from Lake Teslin to Dawson for a 

 population of thousands, in the winter season, over the frozen 

 river. It is wholly impracticable. There is, therefore, no hope 

 of adequate relief by this route. 



By the short route over the passes, if an immediate start is 

 made, it is just possible that provisions might be rushed through 

 before the close of navigation ; but that this will be accom- 

 plished there is little reason to hope. While legislators are 

 wrangling about special privileges, precious time is being wasted, 

 and many lives will pay the penalty. Unless the rush of in- 

 comers is checked and the influx of people rigidly restrained, I 

 see no escape from the conclusion that the winter of 1898-'99 will 

 see starvation on the Yukon on an unparalleled scale. Every 

 instinct of humanity calls aloud for the promotion of every pos- 

 sible transportation facility at once. Nothing but the fullest 

 freedom in putting through every possible means of transport 

 while there is yet time, regardless of private greed and the not un- 



