The daily morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1883-1899, 1897-08-13
NEWS
FROM ALASKA
The Geo, ". Elder Arrives with let
ters and Messages.
STAY AWAY UNTIL SPRING "
Is the Cry. but More Steamers Are Leaving
Daily ANorians All Sell-AayiloSef
Sais-NeS Steamer Lias.
STAY AWAY UNTIL SPRING

Another Rlondike day Win ono steam
cr departing Tor Alaska ana anoilEr re-
turning from there. yesterday all Interest
centorcd In the far.aSay gold nolds bs-
tween bidding friends farewell ana eager
IS reading huorr received from those
already In pyea and skaglay. Astorinns
we're IN fever Of excitement all day
At 1910 yesterday afternoon the little
steamer Mayilowrr, Captain John Pinck-
ernoll. and passenger, with a large barge
loaded with fright In tow. turned her
nose 10 the north and set sail for pyea.
An tho steamers IN the harbor siiuted
her as she passed to sea and hundreds
on shore shouted last fhrcweils 10 thosc
on board Hardly had tho excitement
of the departure Of the Mayflower sub
sided before the report was received that
the George W Elder. which sailed from
this port Sunday morning, August /. for
pycl. wa rc-entcring tho hATbor on her
return voyage.
Al O'Clock In the evening tho Elder
made fast al the o. Il & y dock. and
was Immediately bcnloged by reporters
hnd hosts Of friends Of the Astorians
who had taken passage on her to thc
new Eldorado. all anxious 20 go, the
latest ncws from their friends \ few
paAaongcrr. who wen, up simply FOR the
round trip, r-turncd with the Elder and
after reporting at the custom house she
lrft up for Portland at Z =. m. Many
letters to Aajorians were delivered by
,he Elder lui others were received ny
yesterdays post \ number OF letters
wvrc handed to the representative OF tn
Astorlan. few oi which are published.
Captain Jensen and Chif Engineer
smith said that they bad nne pas, age
from Astoria. arriving AZ SkasuAy at
5;l5 p. m. August 9, and at pyea at
a. m the 7th. leaving again Tor Astoria
az o'clock Sunday night the sth, touch
Ing ON the return trip Monday morning
At Killlsnow and at Sitka IN the after
noon. They reported that the weather In
sknruay bay Is just the same as It Is In
Astoria-mild and pleasant At skaguay
IL looks very blue Tor the thousands
already there. Not ono-halt can get over
the White Pass, This route Is more level
than Chlkooi pass. though considerably
longer, and has tho advantage OF land
Ing tho prospcetor on Btnnctts lake, or
tho second lake in tho chain from LIN
German, where prospcctors first reach
water VIA Chilkoot pass. The srst six
miles out from skaguay h fine road,
then comes six miles OF marsh which Is
almost impossible. one thousand men
have volunteered their services to coriu-
roy this place. ana viii have 1t COM
pleted In short time. Both passes are
blocked by horses and men. and the otii-
GERS say that more are arriving daily
Horses are at premium and almost
worth their weight In gold. Two OF those
taken up on the Elder got mIred at
skaguay and had to be shot. There is
still good grass Tor stock
At Dyea there are over 9.ccO men en-
eamped and hundreds arriving on every
boat. Nearly all OF the Astorians landed
there, The steamer could only get with
in a mile and a half OF the shore, Freight
and passengers were llghtered by barses
and small boats at q cost Of about so
per ton. The country Is Wild and pc
turesquc. No snow has yet fallen. eN-
ctpt a little In the mountains, II is
thought that not over half OF those now
there will get through this winter. Two
Seattle men, ono named Fowler and the
other unknown, who went up on the
Elder, were drowned at Sleeps camp,
about six miles up the river from Dyea.
The present rate for packing freight over
the pass is % cents per pouHd, and at
that figure all the pack animals are kept
busy and more are demanded