It was 11:15 o'clock Monday night [June 30] when a special train carrying one hundred and fifteen visitors, excursionists sent on a tour of Alaska, Yukon and the Siberian coast by the Alaska Bureau of the Seattle Chamber of Commerce, arrived in Whitehorse.
Comprising the party, which was composed of men and women, young men and young women and a few children, were several representatives of the leading publications of America, among them Scott C. Bone, editor of the Seattle Post-Intelligencer, and Mrs. Bone.
William D. Boyce, editor of the Chicago Ledger, and Mrs. Boyce.
Edgar Allen Forbes, managing editor of Leslie's Weekly.
J. C. Gotatowsky, managing editor of the Atlanta Constitution.
E. H. Hamilton, special representative of the Hearst publications.
In addition to the above there were a few "penny liners" without which no
party is complete.
Probably the most prominent member of the party was Seth Mann of San
Francisco, who is making the trip as special representative of President Woodrow Wilson for whom a careful report of the country as it appears to Mr. Mann, will be made.
Fully half the party were Seattleites and the Seattle spirit was quite apparent. Many of the substantial business men of the "Spirit City" were in evidence and, from cards presented around town, it was apparent that all mercantile lines from steam boilers down to ginger snaps were represented.
Immediately on arriving here, all the members of the party were escorted to the steamers Casca and Dawson, where they were quartered, it being one of these excursions where the transportation companies receive the excursionists at the starting point, travel, board and lodge them while away and deliver them back to the starting port at so much per.
The visitors were around town all day Tuesday [July 1] and all seemed to enjoy their visit lo Whitehorse, and it is hoped the latter will profit by their visit here. In the late afternoon nearly all the party went to the rapids and witnessed their shooting by Dr. Sugden and Selwood Tanner in a common small boat. At 9:30 the steamers pulled out for Dawson, which place it was expected, would be reached late yesterday afternoon and where excursions would be made to the creeks to witness the operation of dredges. From Dawson the party will start early this morning for Fairbanks. The steamer Dawson will make the trip on to Fairbanks, but the Casca's passengers will be transferred
at Dawson to the elegant new lower river steamer, the Yukon, of the White Pass company.
The party of visitors was entertained by President and Mrs. O. L. Dickeson in a very elaborate manner at Skagway Sunday, a reception being held at the Dickeson home from 4 until 6, a banquet at which Mr. Dickeson was host being held later at the Pullen house.
The special train Monday went on to the Pueblo mine before coming to town, an excellent dinner being served the party there at from 6 to 8 o'clock. Those who cared for inspecting the extensive property were shown over it by Manager Greenough and all who saw it were delighted and surprised at its magnitude.
The excursion is in charge of J. L. Macpherson, the mining engineer who
spent several months in Yukon last year and who is thoroughly posted on both Yukon and Alaska, he having spent a dozen or more years in the latter district. Mr. Macpherson was the man selected by the Seatttle Chamber of Commerce for the position of custodian and pilot of the party and he is demonstrating that the trust reposed in him was well placed.
From Fairbanks the party will go to Nome, later visiting the Siberian coast and stopping at Valdez, Cordova and other west coast points on the way back to Seattle, which they expect to reach early in August.
President Dickeson accompanied his guests to the Pueblo and this place, returning to Skagway in his private car on a special train which left here at 4 Tuesday afternoon.
