Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-10-13

the Skaguay of August 49, The tents
have given place to about a hundred and
seventy-fve frame buildings. some mere
huts. others very pretentious two.story
buildings. There are some tents still left.
The streets are laid out with some at
tempt at regularity, and the place begins
to present the appearance of a real town.
There is a population Of about 1900. OF
these about 200 are merchants. There are
a dozen regular saloons and a number of
whisky peddlers. Nearly all the saloons
have gambling annexes, which run all
night, and at the faro layouts many thou
sands of dollars change hands in a few
hours. There is a three-shell game in
operation just this side of the bridge. The
manipulation is said to be the "slickest"
man in the business, and is said to have
run his game all over the world. He
has a crowd of what are known as cap
pers." These cappers are men among the
by. stop and bet on the game. They are
allowed to win and their success lures
many victim to his ruin. 1t is said that
this man has feeced hundreds of pros
pectors, and has cleaned I'D between $40
600 and $4,000. The authorities consist
Ing here of the commissioner and deputy
marshal-have taken no steps to break
up the gamblers or saloons. though all are
operating openly and in fragrant violation
or law. There is very little drunkenness,
and except for few fights, disposed of
by the commissioner as assault and bat
terry, and the gambling there is little vio-
crimes would doubtless be punished by
the prospectors themselves.
An instance of how they would take
matters in their own hands is furnished
by their action in the case of the drown
ing OF the young man in the Skaguay river,
mentioned In previous letter. When the
pody was recovered teamster put it into
his wagon and hauled it to town. For this
service he attempted to charge and collect
$40, which SO outraged the communities
sense OF decency that a hurried melting
wa, was held which resulted in the Transfers
immediate departure from town under
threat of hanging. But the selling of
ilqt or and gambling they look on as MANY
people look on smuggling, merely the yio-
ation OF the lex prohibita wherein the
only crime consists of being caught
Ihe town lot craze here has gone to an
extreme that has never been equaled out
SIDE OF oklahoma. Every one who has
IN town or back in the woods, and has
talo no attention to the protests of Mr.
moore, mat the land is his or to his de-
mands for rent.
Indignation Against Com. Smith,
United States Commissioner John N.
smith, and surveyor named Reid, who
lor some time posed as a government sur
Veyor, have reaped a harvest on accoun.
OF this location business. While Juneau is
the proper recording place for this district
Commissioner Smith has persuaded every
pody tnat the lots should be surveyed by
Mr. Reid and the locations recorded by
hlmself in order to make the title valid
ne ana the surveyor, after locating lots for
themselves, laid out streets, and the sur
Ieyor began to survey the lots fifty by one
hundred feet, ard the commits sioner began
10 record. Each man charged fee Of IS
per lot, the surveyor for surveying, which,
by the way, he did with a compass and a
rope. and the commissioner for recording
II Is said here that after the original sur
vey 1t was found that the lots claimed by
the commissioner, the surveyor and d num-
Der of their friends We're not we'll located
as to streets, SO one night the stake. the
initial point of the survey was moved sew
eral feet. The rext morning the surveyor.
disclaiming all knowledge of the removal,
declared that he must make a new survey
which he did, much to the betterment of
the lots of himself and friends. This new
arrangement of streets left many people
right IN the middle of the street. Some
moved but many refused to he bulldozed,
and as consequence there are today
tents and houses built In the streets
There have. been great number of
sales. so 1t is easily seen how much this
commissioner has cleared. In addition to
all this he has been charging defendants
and civil Htigants extravagant costs In
cases where the legal costs average &c. he
mas charged from $25 to 800. For all the
recording Of lots no title here is respected
except squatter's right The moment a
man leaves his lot another man jumps it.
and go'-s through the formality of having
inai locator return he finds his certificate
OF survey and record not worth the paper
1t is written on.
AS have intimated, the people here are
laW-ahiding, but their patience has almost
reached its limit in the matter of Commits
s1oner Smith. There have been several
reetirgs held at which his actions were
the subject of discussion, and a petition
has been circulated and signed by nearly
everybody in town asking for his removal
L would not he surprised to hear at any
moment that he has been ordered to leave
town.
Business here among the storekeepers
and restaurant and saloon men is good
One can buy anything here, within reason,
that could be bought at Seattle and quite
as cheaply. One of the stores is built en-
tirely of the lumber of the abandoned
boats, spoken of in a previous letter. While
mary are leaving here and many will WIN
ter on the trail, there will, no doubt be
large Settlement here all winter. ]. S. r.
THE CHARGES DOUBTED.
Secretary Bliss Says That MIR. Smith
Was Highly RecOmme nded