Dateline: June 27, 2024.

The Whitehorse Star (Whitehorse, Yukon Territory), Thursday, June 16, 1966

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    The crew working on moving the Klondike river boat were hoping today that it doesn't rain heavily during the next few days, or there will be enough soap suds splashing about to launder the whole of Whitehorse.

    The reason is that they are using eight tons of Palmolive Princess Snow Flakes, slightly dampened, to grease the wooden pads as the giant steel runners are pulled along over them.

    A mechanical "fork" will lift the pads from behind as the boat moves, and place them in front along the route.

    Two TD 24 Caterpillar tractors will attempt to pull the 700 ton boat on its steel cradle, and two more will be on standby. They were equipped yesterday with rubber treads. It is estimated that the weight per square inch on the city streets would be 247 lbs.

    Moving of the giant sternwheeler was delayed when a new route was proposed and approval awaited from City Hall and utility companies.

    The trail of the "Klondike" will now be down First Avenue, across the Taylor and Drury Motors second hand car lot, across the lawn in front of the old hospital residence to Second Ave, and on to the site. Eight men are woking now, and 12 are expected to be in the crew by the time the boat gets moving. Foreman Chuck Morgan says he hopes the boat will be in its new home in two days. "We plan to work around the clock" he said, "and keep going." It looks as if Friday is the moving day.

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The Whitehorse Star (Whitehorse, Yukon Territory), Thursday, June 23, 1966

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    Tourists are having more fun than ever these days, flocking down to the river bank in Whitehorse, and residents seem to be finding all kinds of excuses to skip out during working hours.

    The reason is that they are becoming sidewalk superintendents - watching the "Klondike" sternwheeler being moved.

    Supervisor Chuck Morgan said today that the boat had gone approximately 800 feet by noon. It is over the White Pass tracks, and has fifty feet more to go before it's over the hump of ground, It is being turned on to Front Street, and is expected in front of the Regina Hotel by night time.

    Mr. Morgan said that the only unexpected trouble the movers have encountered has been the breaking of two steel cables pulling the boat. The plans of the Klondike list the weight as 700 tons, but it is now estimated closer to 1042 tons.

    One cable broken Tuesday night, and another was cut yesterday when the boat was being turned. An additional cable was obtained from D.P.W., which was spliced together for today.

    Mr. Morgan explained that to turn the boat, they must slack off the cables on one side and speed up on the other side. The cables, 600-700 feet long, are not stocked in that length in Whitehorse. The crew, however, have a spare, and are obtaining another from Edmonton.

    He added that the soap flakes, greasing the skids, are working fine.