"The tourists needed something to cross the river at Miles Canyon so we built the bridge."
Those were the words of the late Herbert Wheeler who was president of the White Pass & Yukon Route from 1928 to 1945, as he told the story of how the White Pass designed, provided material for, and built the Robert Lowe Bridge over Miles Canyon.
V. I. Hahn, Superintendent of the Rail Division, designed the bridge and Nick Hanson, foreman of the White Pass bridge gang, built it.
The used cable was supplied by the Territorial government and the White Pass shipyard crew straightened, oiled and prepared the cable to carry the weight of the structure.
"Except for the main cable, the White Pass donated the labor and material", said Mr. Wheeler, who spent sixty years of his life in Canada's Yukon.
Later the bridge was dedicated to Robert Lowe and was officially opened by Lord Byng.
"Those were great days," Mr. Wheeler reflected. "The river was a sight to see with steamers going and coming. There was always lots happening on the river and lots of excitement.
He spent much of his time on the river and built many of the steamboats which now are part of Yukon history.
"I built a lot of boats, including the Tutshi and Tarahne, Keno and many more but the best one of all was the Klondike", he said with feeling. "She was 212 feet long and had a beam of 42 feet. She was the biggest on the river but she handled best of them all".
Times have changed since since Mr. Wheeler was president of the company. The ships he loved so well no longer knife through the waters of the Yukon, tall and prod as they glide along.
The bridge at Miles Canyon, however, still is there and has, over the years, become a popular sightseeing spot for visitors to the Yukon.
