In his book “The White Pass” by Graves, the first 1/3 of the book deals with the intrigue and planning that went into creating the railroad from Skagway to Whitehorse. British investors had for many years researched the task and had sent various engineers and financiers to Skagway to review the situation. In the famous meeting of Michael J. Heney with the British investors, they came to believe that with the right men the task was possible. In 1897 there were actually 32 proposals to the Canadian Government to build the railroad. By the start of construction there were three companies that were organized to build the rail line. But on this day, July 30, 1898, the charter rights and concessions of the three companies were acquired by the White Pass & Yukon Railway Company Limited, a new company organized in London.
So, when I worked at White Pass (in marketing) I discovered that the true name is actually White Pass & Yukon Route Railway (note the use of the ampersand, not the word “and” ). But the legal name is still the Pacific Arctic Railway and Navigation Company, often referred to as PARN. Now I am sure I will be corrected here, as it is confusing.
Stories and Folklore from Skagway, Alaska
Fascinating…I wonder why the legal name is so different.