The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1897-08-30
ADVISED TO STAY OUT
BLEAK, BARREN, DESOLATE
None But the Most Hardy Can Live In
Alsska-A Crime to Permit Anyone
to Enter This Fall Without
Provisions.

Rfatti'F gus -. f,AaiIfNs wa
went to st. Michaels for the associated
press returned To this city on the
steamer Portland. He says: u have
been seven weeks at the mouth OF the
Yukon. at the st. Michael. where saw
nearly all the miners coming out and
interviewed them. As a result. I feel II
my duty to advise everybody To stay
out until next spring. Wild and in
many cases exaggerated reports have
been circulated since the first discoy-
cries were made The strike. however,
was. and is. one Of the greatest IL not
the greatest. in the worlds history.
Probably s2.0O0.000 WAS cleaned up this
spring. and next spring I look for S.
900. 900 to s. 100000. The field has hardly
opened up as yet. but those going In
now must bear In mind that everything
In that region was staked long before
any report reached the outer world.
and that those going I'm now must
prospect for themselves. buy claims
from the present owners or work for
the owners.
mo new strike ad been reported up
TO the time of my leaving. and another
may net be made for five wears. al
though Alaska is an enormous country
and will yet l believe. produce more
gold than We dream Of. But II is also
in many ways a bleak. barren. desolate
country. "A country incapable of sup
porting any great amount of animal
life and a country Of such rigorous ell
mate. both winter and summer. that
none but the most hardy can possibly
live In II.
Il am aware that there is a popular
impression that supplies can be
bought in the vicinity of the mines.
They may at present buy at six times
Seattle prices. but they are taken at
. even those prices. and before winter is
half over there will be actual starva-
tion. Last summer. when $500 tons Of
provisions went up the river the popu-
lation Of 1900 to 2.50e suffered from
want OF this probably 500 tons was
rum. tools. furniture and supplies other
than provisions. This season. allowing
the most favorable circumstances. not
more than 500 tons Of supplies can 20
up the river. nearly half OF which is
rum and tools. az well as supplies other
than food. There are more than three
times as many people I'm there than
| last winter.
Grub was completely cleaned out
this spring, and IL last winter there
W az EuSu tIlMt tlsN,Ef u0ttif
sold for $50 each. -four SO per hundred
and bacon 81 a pound. what win not
happen this coming winter? A. tn shell
ter. 10 per cent of the people Of Daw-
son City were living I'm tents In July.
| Timber is scarce and houses cannot be
built. How are several thousand peo-
pie to Withstand the rigors OF Y nine
months winter Of semi i-darkness when
the mercury goes 20 below zero?
Il am also told that there In plenty
OF food at st. Michaels. SO there may
I've. but after Sept. Is II might as Well
be in New York City for to transport
IL by pack train or dog sledge over 2.00C
| miles of icy river is absolutely hrpos-
sible There is not nor will there he
a dog train that can take enough 10
fed itself over LOO miles. Relief IL
therefore impossible. To determine Ia
draw provisions for the trip from Dyea
TO Dawson City any time before the
spring breakup Is an impossibility "
Relief for those caught In the klondyke
after winter sets In is equally impos-
sible and in the name of humanity
ask that a stop be put TO this whole.
sale transportation OF people without
supplies. Let no man be allowed 10
enter the region unless he carry enough
| food and clothing To last him a year.
There are women and little children
| I'm there to-day who should be sent out
as far AZ 81. Michaels before naviga-
tion closes. I hear much of ,i.s boats
that are building To 20 up the river
but aside from one steamer ready on
Aug II no new boat can be added IL
the carrying crop this fall. The Klon-
dyke is land Of ice and snow as well
as land Of gold
Let II not be made land Of gauni