Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1897-12-03
HGNIX BRATTLEBORO, FRIDAY, DECEMBER 3, 1897.
STARVATION AT DAWSON.
A Stampede Took Place When
Provisions Began to Run Low.

stories Told ny Men who Left the Gold
Fields Oct. I4---FIour selling at 81 Per
POund---GOv. Brady 60 Appear Before
Congress.
The steamer City of Seattle. which
arrived at Seattle, Wash, Sunday, from
Skaguay, had on board % men who left
Dawson City, Oct. Ia They came out
over the Dalton trail and brought $50, 900
in gold nuggets. All tell stories of a food
shortage in Dawson which is almost a
famine. The last steamer which reached
Dawson in the fall brought no provisions,
its light cargo consisting of whiskey and
billiard balls. The Canadian government
mounted police chartered the steamer and
gave 200 men free ride TO the Yukon All
the men talk about at Dawson is the food
famine. The miners gather in groups each
night and the new corners who arrive with
small supplies of provisions are roundly
cursed
The mounted police were Offering free
transportation TO the grub placers further
down the Yukon to Fort Yukon but TO the
hundreds who had labored hard all through
the summer accommodating a grubstake the
prospect was uninviting
The men figured that it would take all
their earnings in gold TO pay their living
expenses at Fort Yukon during the winter.
and that in the spring they would not have
enough left TO pay passage money back TO
Dawson. To these poor fellows the offer
OF the mounted police was no better than
the prospect at Dawson of being compelled
10 live on half rations until the supply
boats could reach the diggiugs in the spring
John W. Brauer, the United States mail
w o laft navuaop ~, Ga,t
There is only one salvation for the miners
who are now at Dawson City that is, for
them to undertake the awful winter trip
from Dawson 10 Fort Yukon a distance of
400 miles. There is no food at Fort Yukon
there is none at Dawson, and Just as sure
as the stars shine, terrible suffering will be
the fate of the Dawson miner unless
he leaves there before spring. When !
left Dawson the men who were there had
on an average four months food supply
Some did not have a months supply, and
some had four or five. The restaurant
closed the night left Ii had been selling
nothing but beefsteak, for which the hungry
paid So When the people realized that
the boats would be unable 70 get up the
river, they knew that starvation threatened
them, and the great stampede began
One miner said The situation at
! Dawson was relieved by the exodus %
! Fort Yukon doubt if there will be any
actual starvation there, but there will be a
shortage. The old-timers have provisions
enough 10 carry them through The stores
are practically cleaned out All they would
sell was five pounds Of sugar 10 man
Flour could not be bought at all One or
two sacks were quickly picked up at $500
sack. Wages are still Slj day. but they
are sure TO 60 down % s. next summer,
and s. day there Is no more than : ~ IA
day outside
Thomas Magee, the san Francisco CAPT
tAlist, says -four was selling at 50 per
pound, and no sale Of less than 30 pounds
was made No plans have been formu
lated 70 prevent the starvation of those
who are short Of provisions Those vel
supplied have not much sympathy with
those who are short. because of the fact tina,
the majority of these latter went IN with
little food, although abundAntiv warned al
Lake Bennett in advance
Dysentery and accompanying feature.
were general at Dawson last summer
caused oy miasma from the swamps on
which the town Is built, poor drainage and
sewerage.
The steamer City OF Topeka arrived al
Seattle, Saturday, from Sitka and Juneau
Alaska Among her passengers was John
Il. Brady, governor of Alaska, who is on
his way 70 Washington to attend the com
ing session Of Congress for the purpose OF
urging reform in the government Of Alaska
The Topeka brought down $40. 600 in gold
the property of the Treedwell and Newell
Mining companies. +. c. Otis smith.
editor of The Alaskan" published at
Sitka, who came down on the Topeka.
says he has bonded marble mine located
in Sitka Basin to some Eastern capitalists
for $500, 600