Strangely, few dog teams were employed on the Trail of ’98, although they were used extensively for inter-camp communications. It was mail contractor William Moore and his team of dogs who carried out Ogilvie’s report to Ottawa containing details of the discovery of gold in 1896.
When the frantic rush to the Klondike subsided during 1899-1900 there was a rise in the standard of community living as well as the establishment of a highly visible social order. As a result, it was not long before many citizens were using dog teams for hunting and recreation.
While the driver in the picture above is not known, it is clear that he is not dressed for the trail, but rather for a social outing in that he is sporting an overcoat, collar and tie.
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