The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1896-03-16
HUNTING FOR GOLD.
Close-Mouthed Argonauts En-
ter Seattle HarbOr.
ON THE WAY TO COOK INLET
A Ship Load of Supplies, With Hor.es
and Machinery Not a Word
for Publication.
ON THE WAY TO COOK INLET

Clothed with an air OF mystery and heir
mouths sealed. party Of a-gol1uIs sssied
into the harbor yesterday in the steam
schooner Excelsior, su ron.e 70 the gold
neits OK Alaska. With almost as much
mystery as prevailed IN this p5rr. was the
party born n Oakland. across the bag from
San Francisco. their prime object SEEM
ing 10 be secrecy. II MI De that they lave
maps showing the ex;lcr lJcaticns of b.
nanZas on the Yukon, or perhaps have a
stock Of new divia.ng rods. which when
pointed on the Earth, or snow, direct the
operator 10 the precious metal. There is
one thing certain, however and that IS the
success with which they personally keor
news from reporters. When 4 member Of
the party or one of The crew OF the steag.-
er was approached with 4 request for iI-
formation. invariably the answer would
come: Tho Inan that attends to these
things is away. ard will not he back Until
late" 1t was learned. however. mol fIom
any one c0nnec.ad with tie steamer, that
the party consisted of a number C PIC
fessional men Of Oakland and soV,ral
representatives, Of Eastern capital. They
are equipped fer an e1Shtc n months stay,
and have aboard the schooner hydraulic
machinery, twenty-opo head OF horses.
lumber, and, in fa,t. everything needed
for season IN Alaska. The destination
Of the party is Cook inlet.
As part OF The proGranne OF scc-scl.
the steamer arrived IN port early IN ,he day
and steamed 70 the south SIDE Of the Cre-
gen Improvement Compl7.'s blnkcis. 50
as TO be out OF sight Of water 'front.' ,oUrg-
ers and the general public. They would
have been successful had il not been fer
the eariy-rising whariinser. who spread
about the docks the neHs that steam
schooner heavily loadei hal arrived and
ted up to the bunkers. This w..s enough.
AID during the day Il gr.a. many took q
look al the stranger. Very few were al
lowed aboard the boat. though. and when
reporter OF the Post-Intelligencer made
his way up the gang plank. he Was met
by Capt. Higgins. and asked what was
wanted.
Il represent the Post-Intelligencer and
would like some information about your
proposed Alaskan trip"
Il have none TO give you The man that
gives out informa ZION is up town. and will
not be back until late" was the gruf re-
ply.
Wen. isn't there some one else that can
give me the desired Information"
NO. there isn't. Come around tomor-
row. and you will find out everything"
The Post-lntellisencer is a morning
paper. and doesn't print news that is old"
Well | can't help ii. l have nothing
for you said the Courteous skipper
You have no objection TO my walking
along the dock. ard taking the name of
the vessel or breathing a few times. have
your"
This brought d slight smile from the
bronzed seaman. who answered. "oh. 1
guess not"
Unfortunately the head OF the party, or
the man that gives out the information. did
not have as good control over the live
stock as he had over the crew of the boat
or his companions. for the horses kept up
a constant stamping.
Nill!onaircs to Re.
The party was organized several weeks
ago. and up TO the time of sailing attempt
ed TO keep the papers OF Oakland and San
Francisco in the dark as 10 their real oh
ject, as the following from the Examiner
OF March viii show:
ut is the intention TO have but thirty
men in the party. and all of them expect
to return from Alaska as milionaires.
Headquarters for the expedition have been
opened in the Office of DR.. c. II. Walker
the dentist. on the corner of Tenth ard
Broadway. Today there was a busy scene
at the headquarters. Supplies have been
purchased. and each man has been given
explicit orders To what he viii need
Some members of the party viii remain
away but six months. and If they do not
strike fortune by that time they will re-
turn.
''Dr. Walker ard Homer Pannock are
at the head Of tho expedition They have
interested such men as Or. r. X. Dunn.
dentist; Or. Rodgers, of the board of
health. and Alfred Dution. artist The
managers of the expedition have been
conducting their negotiations in a very Sc
crrt manner In order TO gain informa-
ticn regarding the exact destination Of
thu party one must have signed for the
trip. and then he Is told the secret on con-
dltion that T. must no; be given out. The
reason FOR this : that the managers OF
the eXpedi ION believe they have located a
place in Alaska where they can pick W
gold galore. and they are afraid that L
their secret IS given out some people
might get here before them and spoil
ali their well-iaid plans, Dr. Walker holds
certain claim in Alaska. and this IS the
basis Of the trip The expedition VIII have
the hacking Of a regularly organized com
pany.
The party VIII take NJ a great GUAM
lily % supplies and materials with which
20 operate. They vii proceed under an en-
t,rtiy different plan from that Outlined
10y capt. Johnson. who took a parry Of
ff,v men - Alaska last THURSDAY. The
Walker expedition viii have uloacy lack
q H. and the professional mea VIII not
want for comforts iE the North. The full
details g the TIP VIII rot De given out
ur-l the managers are ready - set - ].
s
hydraulic msriaE. ard considerable ma
ch'rerN VIII ne shipped on Their vessel.
'' The professional men have got the
go,l fever. said ur r X Dunn fodtl- I
am one Of hem a1i have deci3 d 20 quit
business fsr y htie ard trr and ce,pnae
q millionaire Fl short order. IL Ak a
'orE t.ne fo= dentist - make a million
at his business W. expect 20 make The
start either Monday or Tuesday Or
Wake has a cain IN Alaska maj n ne
gong - work We are rot going OF any
Nis1-soose chase Our expedition Val te
entirely different from ;he one thar left
MS csty untsr command % capt Jona-
ON"
The create number e enc party Is 60
a- Tor an Eastern syndicate aad is In
charge e E-aEa~i 51slyehault. Hihsr mem
e4ts ars Clark Wee r H. WISE. George
A'-Har-f,r A y Touhy Moss Rudolph
ana PhH3qs There are also a number az
practical fuine-s.
OF Tor ths, Cold Field Fields
Two ara seventy people from this ror-
ara a number % others fron rereat
points Ga The sand viii take passage on
the ru;-rate steamer Mexico this morning
Tor Jgn~4l snt y rlrgsl % toin 10 the mad
IRISH f1r th= elusive nugget. Many % TIE
pass arrrs are uea u family from amer
ent ,.ous ~ the country. drawn Aithe.
by ;hr gov re stories = fhe untold
w-ai.a ~ mat far - land. and i1c low
rates of this steamer some nave o-tNts
ana are p-erArs8 70 brave TIE iee FIELDS
q the hope ~ striking g. Day viA*fs
hA0c orlE t.flk~is ard A liffle mere iiaA
eYauea means - AXE them 20 'heir ifs-
iinaf 1n na1 't~ -fritai 81 tAls 'Aa ~
humanity -~e hrtle toNr - Juneau,
wr.ch ts aErsa ss csertlN~i H-fh pfopis.
Vtll hate ID make scun- arr arg e iitnts 20
house aa4 fsea the ueN cosrers. The Mex