Dateline: March 3, 2024.
Spokane Review, Thursday, March 3, 1892
THE YUKON VALLEY
A Region of Wonderful and Varied Resources.
Victoria Colonist.
Captain William Moore is one of those men whose wonderful endurance and indomitable energy have made them pioneers twice over. Not content with being one of the
earliest settlers of the province of British Columbia and working hard for several years toward its development and growth, the captain, anxious for new fields to discover and
explore, pushed forward into unknown lands for the second time in his life and, though a comparatively elderly man, finished another long and arduous period of pioneering as hale as when he started, Since the year 1858 he has been in the region surrounding the big Yukon watershed, at short intervals, and naturally has much to say regarding the wonderful things that exist in that strange western land, where he has spent so much of his later life.
Speaking to a Colonist reporter last night, Captain Moore said: "Away up there, surrounding the headwaters of the Yukon, 2,000 miles from the mouth of that noble
river, there is a grand and beautiful land, barred, however, at present to all but hardy, strong men, on account of the lack of trails or roads into the region. The difficulties experienced in reaching it are very great, and none but those eminently fitted to undergo hardships and rough travel should venture in there. For many hundreds of miles, I am not exaggerating when I say that the country is one series of navigable rivers and lakes, picturesque beyond all conception, and for six months of the year easy for traffic of any kind of steamer.
"Nature has done everything for that portion of the continent, and man nothing. You must understand that when I speak of so many streams and rivers I do not mean
creeks, but broad, fine waterways, and, where these are not found the country is anything but thickly timbered; it is covered with fine feed and bunch grass. As soon as one gets over the summit of the coast range into the interior of the country he reaches a healthy, dry climate where the snow falls light and where the atmosphere is clear and bracing always. In winter, of course, it is cold, and the summer is often very warm, reaching at times to 96 degrees in the shade.
"The Indians, throughout the whole region, are a most peaceful and orderly race. They welcome the presence of white settlers and are only too anxious to become friendly whenever any disposition is shown by the new comers.
"During the past winter about 150 miners have been wintering in the Yukon district. Many have been getting all their stores by way of the river, and I believe have been badly pushed for provisions lately on account of their inability to make use of the watercourses for more than a limited time in the season.
"This brings me to my question, the one subject that I hold above all others to be all important in relation to the northern land we are speaking of - the question of a trail into it through this province. I advocate most strongly, and every
other man who has been in the country will advocate with me, the making of a road from British Columbia to southern Alaska and along the lakes of the Yukon. It is an actual necessity that this should be done if the region is ever to be worked to any extent profitably and thoroughly. You have no idea what a godsend such an innovation would be to the men who are trying to make a living there. It would mean the reduction of prices on their stores by about 300 per cent. of their present selling values and I need not tell you what an enormous item this alone would be.
"Then again, the existence of a good trail would enable men to go into
the Yukon at the earliest possible season of the year and leave very late, giving them some months more time in there than they have at present. If we once get the trail
established the whole section of the country between the Yukon and Cassiar lies open and easy of access to our prospectors.
"I may tell you that the government of the province now have under their consideration a proposition to construct such a trail under toll charter rights. This scheme would cost the government nothing at all.
"You ask me if I think the future of the northern country will warrant much expenditure in this direction. I can assure you that there will soon be a time when you will see 30,000 miners in that place, all prospering steadily, and all content to live there and develop the land.
"You have very little idea of the enormous extent of the fur trade that even now exists there between the Indians and the Alaska Fur Company. As things are at present this big volume of merchandise, together with the profits accruing from it, finds its way invariably into American territory, but by the establishment of a good trail it could by very little effort be diverted through British Columbia. With this trail on the one hand and the splendid river and lake system on the other, I look on the Yukon as the easiest mining camp that we ever had or ever could have in the province.
"There is coal in that country equal to any in America, and there are petroleum deposits of great extent and value. In the rivers and streams are the finest
salmon in the world in countless numbers and over and round and through all is the charm of unbroken solitude, of a bound up treasure box waiting until some master hand shall turn the key and disclose the wonderful gems within.
"I have probably been in the Yukon region more than any man here today. It is not to my personal advantage to speak in glowing language of the place, for land is
there for the asking and I have nothing to boom. But I know of no other part of the world in which exist such boundless possibilities for young men."
