Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1897-09-03
A SOLEMN WARNING,
THE EXACT CONDITIONS At
KLONOIkE.
No New Strikes Made-COnditiOn OF
tho Masses tho are Rushing TO
the Miues-Stnrvation Will He
tho Fate OF Many G0id-seekers.

tho Masses Who are Rushing 10
the Miues-Starvation Will He
tho Fate OF Many GOid-seekers.
H. "A. Stanley, of the Binghamton,
N. ", Evening Herald, who under
date of June 80 sent out the first AS
sociated Press dispatch of the great
strike on the Klondike, returned to
Seattle on the steamer Portland, last
Saturday night, and on being inter-
viewed by an Associated Press reporter,
said:
al have been seven weeks at the
mouth of the Yukon at St. Michaels,
where / saw every miner coming out,
and interviewed them. As result,
feel it my duty to advise everybody to
stay away until spring.
"My first dispatch as to the dis =
covery was absolutely true, and while
exaggerated reports have been circu-
lated since, no one, however conserva-
tive, has thus far disputed that story.
The strike was and is one of the great
est, if not the greatest in the worlds
history. Probably $2,OOO,O0O was
cleaned up this spring, and next spring
l look for from $5,OO0,OOO to N,0OO,-
600. The fields have hardly been
opened up as yet.
However, those going in now must
bear in mind that everything in that
region was staked long before any
reports reached the outer world, and
that those going in now must pros
pect for themselves, buy claims from
the present owners or work for such
owners.
"No new strike had been reported
up to the time of my leaving and
another may not be made for five
years, although Alaska is an enormous
country, and will yet, l believe, pro-
duce more gold than we dream of. But
it is also in many ways bleak, barren
desolate country-a country incapa-
BILE of supporting any great amount OF
animal life, and a country of such
rigorous climate by winter and sum
mer that none but the most hardy
can live in it. Even they must have
abundance of food and warm clothing
1t is, therefore, simply suicidal to 60 in
without years supplies.
"I am aware that there is a popular
impression that such supplies can be
purchased in the vicinity of the mines
They may, at present, at six times Sc
attic prices, but they are taken at even
those prices faster than they can be
got in, and before winter is half over,
if even the present population stays
in, there will be actual starvation.
"The average man requires about
one ton of carefully selected food and
clothing for a years supply. In the
summer of 1896, about $500 tons Of
supplies went up the river and the
population of 1900 to 1000 suffered
from want. OF this $500 tons, proba.
bly, 1900 tons was rum, tools, furni.
ture and supplies other than provisions.
This season, allowing the most favor
able circumstances, not more than A.
200 tons of supplies can be got up the
river, fully half OF which is rum and
tools, as we'll as other supplies than
food. There are more than three
times as many people in there rs last
winter. Figure it out for yourself.
"Grub was completely cleaned
out this spring, and last winter there
was such scarcity that moose hams
sold for $50 each, -four for $l20 per
hundred, bacon for 81 q pound. That
will not happen this coming winter.
How can the people help actually
starving to death?
GAS to shelter, 10 per cent. of Daw-
son was living in tents in July. Tim
Der is scarce and houses cannot be
built. How are several thousand peo-
pie to Withstand the rigors of nine
months winter of darkness, when the
mercury goes 70 degrees below zero9
GAS to labor it is true that last win
ter, the winter succeeding the great
strike, when men were scarce, wages
were SIS per day, but if no new strike
is made, what is to keep wages up this
winter?
"There are but $40 claims on
Bonanza, Eldorado and Hunker creeks
that will probably be worked this
winter. An average of eight men to
each is, think, liberal. If but 2,7OC
men are employed, and there are
5000 or more seeking work, what must
be the result? Wages must 60 down.
"I am told that much grub has
gone over the divide, yet from wha'
l know, I would wager my last dollar
that not to exceed 500 tons of surplus
over and above what the carriers ea'
will reach the diggings. No man 60
ing in can arrive with more than foul
months supply.
al am told that there is plenty il
st. Michaels. So there may be, bu
after September Is it might as we'll bt
in New York city, for to transport i
by pack train or dog sledge over tina
1900 miles of icy river is absolutel.
impossible.
! "There is not, nor will there eve