The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1897-09-06

I ham0H-ffffeffHE Oh SoppneS ans
Money Constantly Going Or
Guard. Are Recommendation hips
| Men TO Give Up in Despair.
On the excursion steamship Queen.
/ Capt. Carroll. arriving here yesterday
morning at O'Clock. was George r. Kit
finger, OF this city, the manager OF the
/ Addicks expedition TO the KIondike. via
skaguay bay and the White pass. Mr..
Ktttlnger'S unex pected return was due 20
his desire 70 attend 10 some business ar
engagements here. connected with the trip
his party Is making 20 the Yukon. lie
expects 20 return on the Queen. sailing
Wednesday next
Ar. kittlnger confirms the gloomy re-
ports received concerning the Skaguay
trail, and emphasizes the account given
IN yesterdays Post-TnfeIIigencer by
Harry Frederick. by sta ting his belief
that not more than $50 Of those now on
the trait will get through this winter.
Even those who succeed in accomplish
Ing the almost impossible task OF getting
across the summit Will have more trouble
at the lakes. where the boat-builders are
hooded with orders. But few viii sue
coed In getting boats IN which 20 continue
their journey down the Yukon.
Mr. hittingsr sailed three weeks ago
for skaguay on the Utopia. His party
had gone IN advance OF him several
days and had landed their freight and
horses on the beach al Skaguay. With
seventeen horses and twelve men, the
party has succeeded in getting only as
far as the summit, or. more correctly
speaking, az the last ford OF the river
beiaw the summit. They have been
stuck there for the past six days, unable
70 make further progress toward the
hlondike because of the congested condi-
ton OF the trail.
Before leaving the trail Mr. Kittinger
offered two men 500 per thousand for
whipsawing lumber at the lakes for two
boats. The men refused the job and
Mr. kitunger finally contracted TO pur-
chase the boats at $3.50 each.
Dir. kittinger thus describes the situa-
ton at SkAguay:
The feeling is most intense between the
miners on the trail. Trouble OF the most
serious nature is likely to break out at any
minute. A miners committee, impelled BY
tAe wholesale stealing that has been going
on Tor weeks past, held a meeting and an
nounced that the first man caught in theft
would oe strung up without the formality
This action Of the committee was taken
FRIDAY last week. 1t was made neces-
sary by the continued pilfering of supplies
and money that has been going on for
weeks. There are more hard characters
70 Tue square inch In Skaguay and on the
tran ton any place / ever saw. Things
had come TO such pass that men were
obliged 10 leave guards wherever they
seacned their provisions. Davidson the
Seattle man VINO was robbed had pitched
his tent short distance from us He was
caled away suddenly TO attend to dis
abled horse or some other business Be
TORE ne could return or make provision for
the care OF his property a thief entered his
tent and stole 81. 40 in money.
The men on the trail guard their food
as II IL were gold, and they are as sparing
OF II as II IL were indeed coin of the realm.
met young man on the trail who had
walked oyer from the other side of the
oiNioe- lie begged me for something TO
eat. saying that he had left the lakes the
day previous and had not eaten a bite
small nfa Of o fooS b az b hsh b as s. for
by ail OF whom he had asked. / took him
pack TO my camp and gave him enough for
his immediate wants
Words are inadequate TO describe the
True condition at the Skaguay trail The
hardships that these people have had TO
Plate. There Is sure 70 be severe suffering
OF tile part OF the thousands OF men now
there. a feeling Of desperation and reck-
less obiviousness to consequences has
taken possession OF them They fear MOTH
ing, and they dare 10 do anything as long
e. hope Of getting into the Yukon hangs,
dhe = VII o the wisp. before their en-
Men OF superior nerve under ordinary
clr.up'siunces have given way under the
trying ordeal. and now they hang around
and woncer where they are going 10 win
ter IL there were only 800 men instead OF
49,, waiting Tor the first opportunity to
push past the Instructions on the hill and
get into the lakes IL woul be an easy mat
ter But as fast as one portion OF the trail
~ ~, t.soe passa pie hundreds crowd to II and
yh 20 the next place, and those following
blockade the path until further progress IL
out OF the question
The tran is absolutely the worst | ever
saw IN my life. / cannot dasprfh., ~ 70 x.c,s
nor give ar Ineligible picture OF n as n
really IS. The road leads over a rock for
cred with a thin blanket Of moss. The
eass y a succession OF steep hills and be-
tween them in the creyices OF the rock, Is
lodged mud and mire as deep as a mans
waist. You think YOU can step around such
places. bat In a minute, plashl YOU go. up
10 your neck in mire and water
camp life on the tran is not one unal-
loyeo dream OF pleasure. You eat in the
rain. work in the rain and sleep in the rain
ana mud. The chill fogs and rain are
ming awful 20 men and horses Up
on the heights there IS a cold meme "a ting
fog much Of the time. and 1t rains contin-
uaily. These hardships. combined with
against insurmountsble obstacles. have
broken down the spirits OF many a strong
man. | have seen great. strong fellows
sitting by the side OF the tran. utterly ex-
age utterly vanished one poor devil who
had gotten his goods and hls single horse
para way up the hin. came 10 the place
where he found he could not get a step far
thcr He had no feed for his horse. and
stolcaAy led BIN TO the edge OF the blufr
shot him and watched the dead carcass
roH down the hill. Then ne quiz
Instances - this kind are many. One
81 The mos, unfortunate experiences was
encountered by a plueky. determined fell
low. whose name did not learn. but who
has gotten 20 The lake with his 20 pounds
% provisions He buiit or bought a boat
loaded his outfit on and prenared 20 start
down the lakes. he wa- com aislelv *
bsustHd with what ne rad eoue through
mentally and physically. and threw him
self down on The beach 70 get few hours
steep. While re lay thus some rnisercart
camo along and. getting into the boat
rawea off When the man awoka he had
neither boat nor outfit. he was Left
stranded on the lake without an ounce 81
food
.-cur party Is doing wau. We have been
unusually lucky In escaping accidents We
have rot lost a horse nor 4 pound % food
Wherever we have left : part OF our out
~. man was placed there - guard r.
I 1hink we viii reach ,ns lakes ~ Sspteal-
her i and wi @a w day - rwarG
wNl So or our way down the Yukon
'tfue oe me few VITO have rotteu over
tne White pasa Tss NaTshsl R0ns and his
party Saud employed svvt nfeen packers
and had ten or a 1n@eu horses They
tain side 1850 ar three nll a&v. ard
Woaid MAKE camp fhars- Ira tsts w4e
TaYatrr steadily ahead. trey made tha
Lakes The operation Was ga extensive one.
ii roet + ua e .&a
Fer gran Rsth only enc or tpyo h-rs+z
thfre Is absolutely no show 10 get over
the Waite pass unless he has rf-ntv ~
reaaev Many are So .irE p1rt ~ thelr ont
90 and With fGst e0aaEe food 20 taxa
tkeD ln-c the co1~ -ry, usually tsN 60 WIT