The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-09-02
NEWCOMERS OILED"
ExtOrtiOnate Charges for Services
Imposed on Gold Seekers.

NEW YORK, Sept. 1.-The Post prints
the following extracts from private letter
sent from Skaguay, Alaska, Aug. z, and adj
dressed to a man in this city:
This is the first moment I've had for a
week to get by myself and am taking adj
vantage of 1T by writing few private let
tiers. The excitement here reminds me of
Panama days, only here it is more so.
Passengers are landed on rocks and sand
bars several miles out to sea, and cinched'
everlastingly by boatmen and Indians to
get ashore. Their baggage comes later,
and next their freight and outfits for win
tering in Yukon. The company have it re-
duced to system, so that one is safe on
figuring on finding each and every package
on different landing, and the trouble and
expenses of collecting them, to say nothing
of getting them ashore, are outrageous.
Horses, lumber and cattle are dumped over
board promiscuously to get to shore or be
lost as the case may be- and the loss in
that direction is also great. Saloons and
dance halls and gambling dens are begin
ming to show up.
When on shore then the fun begins.
Wagons haul a mile or two for So a load.
Then comes ferry to cross a swift stream,
for which 81 for horses and men and 80
cents a package for baggage and freight is
charged. Then come pack mules for four
or five miles, with the tariff accordingly;
then native Indians Tor a Few miles nOres
then more ferries to the landing at the foot
hills, where the hard work of crossing the
mountains begins. Nearly every day some
fellow refuses to pay ferry charges ana at
tempts to swim his stock across. and either
browns his horses or himself, but others try
in canoes and lose their entire outfits
Day before yesterday / was appointed
United States marshal TO take bad man
who started out to blum his way over the
trail by pulling his six-shooter on men,
rode an Indian pony most Of the way, and
caught the man nearing the summit, which
is the British line. l showed him the war
rant and ne dropped his pack and said he
WAS ready for his medicine, and wanted TO
know what L expected to do with him.
took him back nfteen miles to the. port.
where ,he was fined $780, which he paid, and
laughlngly said If he had only mad lew
moments notice that L was on his trall
ne would have been over the line, and then
he would nave liked TO see me take him.
Last night an American was drowned
in the river in front OF the office, and TO-
day l am selling his outfit and Dury1ng
his body. L found several hundred in gold
in his pockets and letters showing him to
be a married man with four children; and
that he borrowed the money on his home to
come here; also that his life is insured for
several thousand dollars. He was a fine
lifted te and several hundred dollars more
will be realized out of his effects.
Every man in camp has money, and
every one is making from $40 to $50 day
that wants work. Some turn back when
they realize the difficulties; others work un-
til they can buy an outnt TO go on TO tne
have cleared up $500 just buying and sell
ing odds and ends. There are two trails
and two portS-only five miles apart-and
run back and forth on a steam launch.
There are no houses or accommodations,
and cold damp rains all the time.
''One earns all he gets, and is liable to
make breaks and lose it occasionally.
lost one canoe with $3.50 worth OF provisions
the second day l landed by upsettng, and
yesterday small canoe l had rented got
washed out to sea, and 1 suppose I'll have
to settle for that at about five times its
value.
Horses are worked almost TO death and
then shot All that are not dead when snow
comes are killed and used for dog food.
too much, and they are no use in winter.
Good dogs are worth as much as horses
from S55 to 800 each.
Il am deputy United States marshal for
this district Dyea and Skagaway) The
United States commissioner came on the
same boat with me, and we tent together
and work together on everything. | am
trict covers both the passes to the Yukon.
There is also a deputy at the mines. Some
thing exciting happens every few hours,
and all is one grand rush. I'll have lots
of fun Gf l don't get killed., even if / don't
make anything. If l continue to do as well
as | have 50 far III have no cause to kick.
Prices for packing are going up and it is
pie over at any price before snow falls.
The rush is so great l have not been able
TO exactly get my SOundings, but every
body moves on I'll soon be an old-timer and
dead on TO the game. There are a thou
sand and one ways to make money here,
and the thing is to get in on the ground
floor this fall and winter and be ready for
fHta crtri11 r1IS