When the whistle at the shipyard in Whitehorse went "off the air" Wednesday (Nov. 16) this marked the closing down of the shipyard for the year. The workmen left the following morning for their homes at Vancouver B. C.
The management were happy in the knowledge that with the departure of the last steamer and barge for Dawson on October 6th there was no freight left on the Whitehorse docks destined for the north. With the arrival of the str. "Keno" and barge "Onekeno" at 8 p. m. October 19th at Whitehorse, navigation on the river closed for the season.
The management reports that this River Division of the White Pass & Yukon
Route has had a very busy year. A total of six river steamers, two motor ships and eleven barges were employed in river navigation and one lake steamer "Tutschi" which operates on the Atlin Lake between Carcross, Y.T., and "Ben-My-Chree" (Indian for Girl of My Heart) a
lovely resort operated by the W. P. & Y. R. in connection with its steamer service. This year 4000 tourists made this round trip whilst 1700 passengers were carried by the steamers plying the main Yukon river. During the season 13,000 tons of freight was carried to points north from Whitehorse, 7,240 tons of ore and concentrates were carried from Mayo on the Stewart River to Whitehorse for trans-shipment Outside, 300 tons of freight brought to Whitehorse from down river, 1,050 tons of coal was shippd from Tantalis mine to Dawson, 1,510 tons to Mayo and 75 tons to Whitehorse. 5292 tons of fuel oil have been stored in tanks at Stewart City for transmission to Mayo next year.
Quite a number of additions and improvements have been made to the service this year including a new steel barge named the "Teslin" built by V.M.D. in Victoria, B. C., and fabricated here, a 10-ton portable refrigerator, gasoline driven, for
handling fresh meats in Dawson, complete mechanical refrigeration on all steamers replacing the old ice boxes, and installation of hydraulic jacks for placing the steamers on the ways. In connection with the handling of gasoline and oils, it is pointed out that the transfer of all facilities to the new plant site in the refinery area immediately north of Whitehorse was completed early this year. Certain improvements to the existing plant, as well as new additions, have also been made. The pipelines for diesel, fuel and stove oil now extend to the river for bulk loading and stems for tank truck and barrel filling have also been provided. A complete barrel washing plant and modern pump-house have been completed and is now in operation. The railway spur has also been extended to the plant area. In addition two four-inch pipelines of approximately 1600 feet in length have been laid.
