The times., 1897-07-22
AMERICAN SIDE HAS COLD
New Fields May Eclipse Those
of the Klondike.
JUST ACROSS THE BORDER
Craze Seizes San Francisco Women,
who Seem More Eager Than the
Men to Get to the Diggings
Passage on Steamships Engaged
Weeks Ahead.

San Francisco, July 21.-The office OF
the Alaska Commercial Company was
packed to suffocation yesterday with n
tostling throng OF men and women who
wished 10 engage passage to klondike.
Every berth on the steamship Excelsior,
the last to leave via the Yukon hivef
route. had been taken several days ago,
but still people came, some offering several
hundred dollars for tickets, The women
seem more eager than the men. Many
will go To the Yukon.
Miss Bessie Thomas, pretty woman
of twenty-four has engaged passage Oh
the Excelsior In order TO augment Tue
cantal with which she purposes 10 CHI
bark in business, she yesterday ordered the
sale of her furniture and jewels.
She intends to start restaurant on the
Klondike or speculate in mining Claims.
When the steamer Excelsior leaves FOR
St Michaers next Sunday she win carry
all the miners supplies she can hold
The Excelsior viii be the last steamer
To sail this year from san Francisco to
| connect with the Yukon steamers, but
there is already talk OF chartering another
steamer to take up crowd OF miners.
F G II Bowker, one of the returned
| Yukoners, who brings hack nearly $4,000
| in gold dust, the result of six months
| work, is authority for the statement that
| on tile American side of the International
boundary placer fields have been found
which even put those OF the Klondike into
| the sha de.
When his party was descending the Yu'
| kon on The return from Dawson City the
| steamship was intercepted by a man who
| desired to send letters and papers pack
to civilization. This man was one OF
| party who had gone down the river from
| Dawson in the hope or locating rich beds
| OF which indians in the vicinity had been
| telling The members OF the party were
| well known to the Yukoners aud full Gre
| dence is given to the story.
| Sowker and lis associates were told
| that lust across the Alaska boundary, on
| the American side, the party had founh
| placer fields rabulously rich in gold. They
| had staked out claims and begun to work
them
Every one of us has taken out thousands
| Of dollars in dust and nuggets alre eady."
| said Powker's informant, land there seems
no limit to the gold in sight. 1t is more
abundant than on the Klondike and easier
| to work, the gold being very near the
surface of lbe ground. We are all rich
already, hut we are going to stay through
| next winter
Further information was conveyed that
| there were only white men in the new dis
| trict, and they had the field practically
| ah tar a M
his companions to forsake Klondike claims
on their return from the States and take
claims In the new diggings.
The point at which the fortunate treasure
hunters are working is northwest OF Daw-
son, and but few miles west OF the
boundary Their claims are in q valley
| of one of the numerous creeks empt ying
into the Yukon.
The returned Yukoners place great faith
In the information given them concern
ing the strike" and several have an
nounced that when they return they will
stop at the new dggings.
Seattle, Wash, July 21.-The rnsh fol
accommodations on steamers going to
Alaska continues mahated. The Port
land VIII leave Seattle today with 15C
persons. fifty of whom viii go first-class
There was only room for five steerage
passengers left last night, and all first
class passage had been taken The Port
land will try to make two trips before
the rivers close
The steamer Mexico sails next Sun
day, and already has a full passenger list
The City OF Topeka sails July %, and shC
has no room left The Alki leaves Auglis
2, ard many applications have already beer
received. Eastern and local capitalists ar.
forming company in this city for tn.
purpose CT building an going steane
that viii sail from Seattle to st. Michael s
and connect with a light draught rive
steamer, which is to be a part of th'
company's property. The capital stock o
the company is 100000 Twenty fiv,
thousand dollars were subscribed last night
All the boats which sail from seattl
this month arc full, which means ~ an,
one who wants to 20 to the Klondike mus
wait for the August boats.
People talk about the journey OF Z ,0o'
miles as if it were walking across tn
| street. They don't realize what the Yu
kou is They will need a map to convinc
|