The state herald., 1897-08-20
BIG CROWD AT DYEA.
SUPPLIES CAN BE BOUGHT
CHEAP.
Many Prospectors Becoms Discouraged
and Abandon tho Attempt to Reach
klondyke-Grsat Dangers to BE En-
cOuntered

San Francisco, Cal, Aug. 15.-A
gruesome chapter of the difficulties
and the accidents with which the ad-
venturers who are rushing to the Klon-
dyke are met on every hand Is related
by the Chronicles correspondent ut
Skagaway, under date of August 2nd.
He advises all who intend to go to the
new gold fields to stay at home until
spring. Three San Francisco men,
who started out on a boat up the river,
were upset on the night preceding the
date Of the letter. remaining on log
all night, and were rescued with diff
Guilty by an Indian. Three other men
lost skiff. good part of their goods,
and all but lost their lives in the
treacherous current.
Men are abandoning the route over
Chilkoot pass. and many will now go
by way of White pass. The original
charge of is cents pound for carrying
freight over ChilkoOt pass has been ad-
vanced to 30 cents, and another ad-
vance of cents Is expected before the
week ends. There is a creek which
has to be crossed many times, and
many have lost their goods in these
crossings by insecure packing. More
men are coming into camp daily. -Four
arrived Mt Dyea on the evening Of Aug
ust 1th, after rowing In an open boat
from Juneau, n distance of 100 miles
Harry Hunt, the Chronicles CORE
spondent, says: THE rush by all reg
ular lines of transportation is simply
enormous. What the consequence will
be dare not think. There are con-
fiictlng reports of the state of the trail.
Some people claim that whole outfits
are being packed through to Bcnnct
lake, while others affirm with equal
confidence that no one has yet been
through and returned. The usual
method of landing freight at Dyea is
by lighters at high-water mark. Last
night the Islander discharged a large
amount OF freight NJ high water. and
as the canon In which Dyea Is located
is very fiat, n scow had to 20 quite n
long way. with the result that she was
stranded high and dry and did not get
off till high water to-day.
1--WE formed a company of thirty
men who We're stranded on a sandbar
and doomed to wait for the flood tide.
as the river between us and the main
land Is ten feet deep. Our plight was
nothing compared TO that of the pas
sengers on the Queen. Mexico, Al-Ki
and Islander. There is no wharf at
Dyea. The passengers and freight are
landed among the rocks. Navigation
from Dyca by canoe to the end of the
creek Is blocked. Above there are
more packers.
''Dyea Is n very small place. situated
In a narrow canon, the bottom of
which Is very level and through which
two streams traverse. The sides of
the canon are very steep and precipi-
tous. and 1t is impossible for one to
walk the sides or even to climb them
The vessels | have named cannot get
very far up. For three long days some
of these passengers We're there without
food and water. am told incidentally
1t raincd near Dyea all the time. and
men and women were alike without
shelter, but when You tell this 1t Is not
believed outside of here.
1T Is possible 10 pick up entire out.
fits here much cheaper than what they
could be purchased in the states. A
number of men started with 1000 to
1000 pounds of goods. and the price
now asked for packing caused them
to come 10 the resolution to pack their
own goods. Now one ton of groceries
in n wagon does not seem a very large
affair. but when you see II In pile at
Dyea and realize that the only way to
remove II Is by packing 1t upon your
back In lots from fifty to 100 pounds.
you have no idea how large Is the
amount and how heavy II seems.
The George W. Elder Is here with
200 plsspurprs hound over chIlkoot
the rest being put on at Skagaway
bay. The Danube Is expected To.
night, and daily small steamboats, and
scllooners, canoes. row boats and ev-
ery'thlng In the shape Of a boat that Is
capable of taking the trip are coming
from Juneau. one has 10 be on the
ground TO realize what this stampede
means Men. women and even chill
arcn are on the trail, and how II will
end ! cannot tell