Buck and Howard
In November 1898, the Yukon Council passed an ordinance granting Messes. Howard and Buck the right to build and maintain a tramway over the divide between Hunker and Sulphur.1) Buck and Howard had their rope and cable hoist in operation at the head of the left fork of Hunker by the end of December. They were pulling sleds up to the head of the divide between Hunker and Dominion making the freighters happy to save a day in labour. The elaborate plant was pulled up to the top of the summit under great difficulty. They had a ten-ton horse-power boiler and upright marine engine. The early capacity was one ton, but the men planned for a later increase. There was 9000 feet of rope reaching from the foot of the hill 4500 feet below and the men were engaged in the tramway to Lombard on the Dominion side. That would provide an endless rope-cable 13,000 feet long.2)