TAKU RIVER AREA.

Juneau Gold Mining Company to serve their mining-development operations up the river.
Gasoline-launches can also be hired at Juneau for a moderate fee for special trips to the mouth
of the Taku river.

At Taku point transfer is made to a shallow-draught, 60-horse-power gasoline river-boat
and freight-barges of the Taku River Transportation and Trading Company. This equipment
runs from the mouth of the river to the proposed townsite of Tulsequah, B.C., at the junction of
the Tulsequah and Taku rivers, about 26 miles. Between seven and eight hours is required
for this stretch of the journey. The International boundary-line is crossed at about 20 miles
north-east of Taku point. If an overnight wait is necessary to catch high tide for the crossing
of the bar at the mouth of the Taku river, comfortable accommodation and good meals can be
procured at De Vighne’s camp, 6 miles up the river from Taku point.

A United States Customs official is located on the float-house at Taku point. No Canadian
Customs port has as yet been established on the boundary. To facilitate Customs matters
during the 1929 season, however, a Canadian Customs official was located at Juneau, Alaska,
and attended to the clearance of passengers, freight, boats, and aeroplanes bound for Canadian
territory up the Taku river. Meals could generally be procured for 75 cents at the Taku Point
float-house and for $1 a meal at Tulsequah, where general supplies can be procured from the
Taku River Transportation and Trading Company’s store, operated by William Strong.

From Tulsequah, B.C., the Manville group, situated about 3 miles up a winding slough, is
reached by small river-boats powered with outboard motors. Freighting and transportation by
water up the turbulent Tulsequah river needs special equipment. For the United Eastern
Mining Company’s operation on the Tulsequah Chief, 834 miles up the Tulsequah river, freighting
is handled by the Taku River Transportation and Trading Company. This is accomplished by
a 86-foot open river-boat powered with one 10-horse-power and one 12-horse-power outboard
motor. It is stated that the United Eastern freighting costs 4 cents a pound from Juneau to
the warehouse on the Tulsequah river and that of the Alaska Juneau Mining Company $15 a ton
from Juneau to the Manville camp.

For prospecting parties and extended exploration trips a small shallow-draught river-boat,
powered with not less than a 6-horse-power outboard motor, is an essential part of the equip-
ment. A boat specially designed with a movable frame for the motor that can be hoisted
and lowered to conform to the depth of water is constructed at Juneau for $60 to $75. A suit-
able river-boat embodying the same features could be manufactured at one of the many boat-
building establishments at Prince Rupert for probably less money. To avoid customs duty,
provisions and other equipment can be procured at Prince Rupert, the nearest Canadian port at
rail-head, and taken through Alaskan territory in bond.

PHYSICAL FEATURES.

Steep wooded slopes rise abruptly from the valleys to bare, precipitous peaks from 5,000 to
8,000 feet in altitude. Sittakanay mountain (7,050 feet), on the south side of the South fork
of the Taku river, and Mount Lester Jones (8,000 feet), south of King Salmon creek, are
outstanding on the landscape. Detached remnants from the receded ice-mass fill several glacial
cirques of the higher altitudes. On account of the steeply abrupt rock-slopes to the peaks,
timber-line is low—2,000 to 2,500 feet altitude.

W ATER-POWER.

No appreciable sources of water-power were observed in the area. Several small streams
would, howeyer, offer seasonal sources of power. There is a possibility that the upper reaches
of some of the chief streams may, upon investigation, produce sufficient power for all-the-year-
around utility. The United Eastern Mining Company has applied for a power concession on the
East fork of the Tulsequah river, and the Alaska Juneau Company is contemplating utilizing
the power from a waterfall on the east side of the Taku river.

Taku RIVER.

Taku river are typical of the larger glacier-fed streams of the
their way through the Coast range to the sea. Large quantities
n from the upper reaches, have resulted in numerous bars,
at high water, and a network of channels. This condition is

The physical features of the
North Pacific area that have eut
of silt, continuously earried dow
sloughs, low-lying islands flooded