The Daily Intelligencer

The Fort Hope Route. A Tacoma man, who went to Ruby Creek by way of Fort Hope, writes as follows of the route and his experiences:

'After a long siege we finally reached the objective point sought on the above creek. The many difficulties that we had to overcome upon our line of march, I believe surpassed those of Napoleon in his historic passage of the Alps. We left Fort Hope on the morning of the 2d of March, and floundered in the snow (varying from 6 to 15 feet in depth) for 41 days before we caught sight of Ruby Creek. It was one continuous snow storm for the first three weeks. The weather was not cold enough to freeze a crust on the snow and thus assist travel, and we were compelled to break roads on snow shoes the entire distance. I am satisfied the road from Fort Hope to this point is nearly double the distance represented. On reaching Skagit river, about forty miles above Ruby Creek, we sawed lumber, built a canoe, and tried navigation for that distance. We were compelled to make nine portages, some of them two miles in length, owing to the falls and rapids in the river. At such times we had no very desirable task. It was impossible to cross the driftwood, and we had to cut a path through the timber and break road over the snow. After transporting our supplies, all hands turned in and dragged the boat from the head to the foot of each rapid. At last we got through in good condition, save sore hands and feet.'