The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1896-10-25
EASY TO GET AWAY.
EXCELSIOR PARTY OF INLET MN
Egs NOT TO BE LEFT Al sITKA.
Capt. Higgins TeIegrsphs to San Fran
~ss~o That There IL No Means OF
Transportation to This Port, but as
q Matter Of Fact Three Steamers
VIII Go TO snka to Bring Back All
who want TO Come-Tne Carrying OF
Malls on the Pacific by American
Steamer.

After earring 30 miners from Cook in
let 10 Sf.ka the steam schooner Excelsior
IS now on the way 10 San Francisco. THIS
Information comes from tgo sources, first
by sailor gho left the Excelsior al VIC
toria and come here, second, by teiegra m
cent from Nanaln1o 10 San Francisco oy
Capt Higgins.
Tho telegram as printed by the san
Francisco Call was as follows:
''%araInao r. c., Oct. 9.-~We arrived at
Gftka on the 18Th with 20 passengers and
much treasure aboard. There vas no
steamer for Seattle anc no accommoda-
tons. and as the Excelsior would not De
allowed 10 take tho passengers on there
81 great Indignation. A petition TO the gov
ernor vas got up, but he refused 70 inter-
fere.
Cook inlet IS freezing UP and al the
miners, save a few who will go down on
the Dora. are out The Marion sailed Sep
TENDER IS with sixty passengers. We have
had nothing but heavy gales for the past
fortnight VIII load Goa! al Nanaino for
home"
The Excelsior was 10 have left Cook H.
let October 5, ana the expectation was she
would arrive at Sltka near the sailing time
of the AK. Willapa or City Of Topeka
Cor Seattle. That the connection vas not
made Is evident from the telegram, but
tina, the miners should feel IN consequence
sutfic.ent anxiety TO inspire petition TO
the governor ls somewhat remarkable.
The three steamers mentioned, which run
between Seattle and Alaska. almost in-
variably call az Sitka. and since IL was
known a number OF miners were 10 be
brought out on the Excelsior they nave
had special instructions from the agents
here 10 do so. The next boat due from
Alaska IS the Al-ki. about November 5.
Steamships Wnlapa and City OF Topeka
H.. T.. .H4~x
OF these facts the following comment,
which appeared in the Can with the tele-
gram, Is amusing:
some months ago the steam schooner
Excelsior vas chartered TO go 10 Cook inlet
and bring a large party OF miners 20 the
Sound IL possible: If sot. 10 Sitka- On ar
irving at the latter port the miners found
that the City Of Topeka and the Queen had
been taken off the route for the winter.
and that unless they could get away on
the Excelsior they would have 10 remain
in Alaska for several months longer. II
was then that they petitioned the COVER
nor for permission to leave on the Excel
sior but for some reason he refused. The
only chance for a few Of them will be 10
get down on either the Dora or the rev.
enue cutter Bear. Those who fail will
have TO remain in Sitka. unless a special
boat is sent up to bring them down. The
talk on the water front Was to that ef
feet yesterday, bat the chances are that
nothing viii be done until Capt. Higgins
gets here from Nanaimo and brings full
particulars"
The excursion steamship Queen was
taken off the route at the close Of the tour
Est season. The City OF Topeka still re-
mains. as do also the AK and Willapa.
The some reason" which actuated the
governor in his refusal was probably his
knowledge that with a steamship service
every two weeks or so the anxious miners
would have no difficulty In getting out.
The Excelsior has had no end OF trouble
aimee first going 10 Cook inlet. Readers OF
the Post-Intelligencer will remember her
coming here last spring with a large and
thoroughly equipped party aboard which
thought Itself tr!fe greater than any
rh.ng In the same line which had We.
passed this way. When asked for infor-
NATION regarding their destination. source
or equipment the Leaders simply "winked
the other eye" They earned the title OF
''the mysterious Excelsior party" But
their subsequent operations are matters of
Newspaper history. and mysterious has
been changed as the qualifying adjective
10 "xutlfble''