Union County courier. [volume] (Elk Point, Union County, D.T. [S.D.]) 187?-1913, 1897-12-02
FAMINE AT DAWSON.
FEAR OF STARVATION CAUSES
DREAD ALARM,
Officials on the Yukon Urge the Peo-
pie to Flee from Certain Suffering
and Disease Notice with Startling
Words is Posted.
Must Go or Die.

~ VI ~
Famine and starvation are threa teniny
the people of the Yukon River between
Minook Greek. Alaska, and Stewart
River. Northwest Territory. There are
over 1000 persons in Dawson City with
out provisions. An equal number, in
Guiding women and children, are lying in
tents, and Il heavy snow has fallen. Men
are arriving at the rate of seventy-fiye a
day, many of whom have less than half
enough rations to last through the win
ter. Beans, flour. rice, bacon and other
provisions are selling from $1.25 to $3.50
Il pound. Jack Dalton of Juneau and one
or W other stocknen arrived lately with
IL few hundred head Of live stock and tenn
porariiy relieved the situation.
Adviccs from Dawson City via Seattle
say that no power on earth can prevent a
famine. The people appreciate it to the
fullest extent. Caches are being robbed
nightly. One man was detected in the
net Of stealing food and was shot. He
was driven to desperation by hunger. 4
dozen men have been arrested for robbiny
caches.
The gold commissioner could not get
enough provisions to feed his Office force
E'i' We ~ yin r. titIhS
and assistants down to Fort Yu-
kon. where 1000 tons of food is stored.
The winter has commenced. On the Alas
ka side of the Yukon River there are fully
5000 people. and there is less than 1900
tons of provisions to feed them. The
Dominion police are sending. scores of
men down the river to Circle City and
Fort Yukon TO relieve the local situation.
In Circle City a week or two ago two
steamers, the +. Il. Weare and the Bella.
We're stopped by thirty men armed with
rifles and relieved of thirty tons of pro-
visions. There is no conccaling the true
status of affairs. Before spring thou
sands Of men and scores of women and
children will he suffering from the pangs
Of hunger and disease.
Provisions will be needed in February
and March to prevent great suffering.
The commercial companies are doing
what they can to relieve the situation by
equalizing the division of food supply.
Hundreds Of mon arc in camp with Il sack
Of flour each, forty pounds of bacon, TWEEN
ty-iyc pounds of beans and five pounds
OF coffee to last until next June. No man
tan perform hard work on such meager
soUa.
The situation cannot be ovcrdrawn or
exaggerated. The Canadian authorities
have issued bulletins urging the people
20 20 TO Fort Yukon for provisions. 1t is
a sad prophecy to make that by May |
hundreds of new raves will fill the little
cemetery back of Dawson City. but it is
3einG heard frequently. Hundreds of val
liable claims which could not be bought a
month ago for any price are now being
traded for provisions. and men with any
amount of property or money are sacri-
ticing nearly all of their worldly possess
sions for food.
Following is a notice posted in Dawson
City by the Canadian mounted police:
OFFICIAL WARNING-LEAVE DAWSON
OR STAItNE.
The undersigned. officials of the Canadian
Government, having carefully looked over
the present distressing situation in regard
TO the supply Of food for the winter. find that
the stock on hand is not sufficient to meet
the wants Of the people now at Dawson. and
san only see one way out OF the difficulty.
and that Is an>immediate move down the
river or all those who are now ~unsupplied to
Fort Yukon, where there Is Il large stock Of
provisions.
Within a few days the river will be closed
ma the move must be made at once. 1t is
absolutely hazardous to build hopes upon
the arrival OF boats. 1t Is almost beyond a
possibility that any more food will come to
this district.
For those who have not laid in a winters
supply to remain here any longer Is to court
death from starvation, or at least a certainty
or sickness from scurvy or other troubles.
starvation now stares every man In the
race who Is waiting and hoping for outside
Teilef. Little effort and trifiing cost will
pace them in comfort and safety, within
u Few days. at Fort Yukon or other points
below. where there are now large stocks of
Ioou. G.. G. CONSTANTINE,
Chief Mounted Police.
d. w. DAVIS,
Collector Of Customs.
THOMAS FAWCETT,
Gold Commissioner