The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1897-07-24
FEVER HEAT
Has Been Reached by the KlOn-
dyke Excitement.
Every Available Vessel Is Being
Bought Up.
THOUSANDS ARE GOING
Telegraph and Telephone Line
Already Projected
Thousands Cannot Get Trans
pOrtatiOn to the Gold Fields.

san FRANCISCO, july z4.-1n spite OL
the warnings that have been given out
by returning miners concerning the
possibilities of starvation in the Klon-
dyke country during the coming fall
and winter, thousands of people here
and elsewhere are bending every nerve
and energy to reach the land of the
golden fleece. Most of the available
steamers and yachts have been char
tered by private individuals and specu-
latOrs, and there seems to be no doubt
that they will have a full complement
ing arrives.
The gasoline steamer Chetgow has
been purchased by an English syndi-
cate for $4,000. 1t is the purpose of
the syndicate to take 100 men who will
put up 81, 900 each. They will work on
the cooperative plan.
The gasoline steamer Hattie B. has
also been sold to- a company of adven-
turers. On the water front the ex-
element over the wonderful stories
told of the KlOndyke company has
reached fever heat. The schooner
James A. Garfield has been chartered
by the Alaska Commercial company to
take load of merchandise to ST.
MichaelS.
Every day new schemes are being
proposed for financial investments in
the land of the yellow metal and busi-
ing many plans for the profitable in
vestment of money in the northern
regions. One of the latest enterprises
formulated is that of the Alaska Tele-
graph and Telephone company, which
proposes to incorporate very shortly for
the construction of temporary tele-
graph line from Juneau to Dawson
City. The capital stock to be subscrib-
ed is $4,000 and the company is to be
incorporated under the laws of the state
of California. At the head of the en-
NriE T-0n1
estate dealer; c. w. Wright of Lark
spur, and d. E. Bohannon. The last
named is to act as the advance agent
and chief constructor for the COM
pany.
of the construction of the new tele-
pie" he said. The line is to be con-
structed on the same plan as the ordin-
ary military line used by armies for
war purposes. We have a wire quar-
ter of an inch thick and covered with
Kerite insulation, which has proved
thoroughly able to to stand the rigor-
Gus climatic conditions prevailing in
Alaska. The wire is wound upon large
reels, the same as an ordinary tele-
graph wire, and these reels are to be
placed on dog sleds and dragged over
the ice and snow. AS we go along the
reels will simply pay out the loose wire
and run it along the ground, and thus
our line will be through in something
like six weeks, the time consumed in
the ordinary tramp over the country"
Mr.. Bohannon expects to leave for
Juneau in the very near future and will
commence operations Immediately upon
his arrival there.
There is every probability that Wells,
Fargo & Co. will establish an office at
Dawson City during the coming spring.
L. F. Rowell, assistant manager of the
company, said today that nothing would
be gained by establishing an office ear
lier than that. The present rate of
transportation for gold from Seattle to
San Francisco is So a thousand and So
from Seattle to Philadelphia. If an
Office is established in the Klondyke
district, the rate per thousand, includ-
ing insurance, will be $S.40.
Tacoma, Wn-, July 24.-The Klondyke
excitement here has reached fever heat.
People of all classes are making hur-
ried preparations to get to the gold
fields, and every day adds to the list
of those bound northward. The latest
move from the city is reported as COM
ing from a few well known capitalists,
who have purchased a steamer to carry
them and the outfit they will carry
They are said to have purchased the
steamer Rosalie, now plying on the
sound, and are preparing to equip the
boat with provisions sufficient for two
years for several small parties. The
scheme is pool proposition, each man
interested paying his share of the ex-
penSeS, and the results of the expedition
to be equally divided between those ad-
vancing money for the trip and the men
making it
This is the biggest grub stake'' prop
osition yet attempted from the Sound
country in the KlOndyke. The project
ors refuse to talk of their plan.
Washington, July 24.-Secretary of
Agriculture Wilson believes congress at
it's next session will authorize the estab-
lishment of experiment stations in Alas
ka. He said today that he had no doubt
the people in some parts of Alaska
would be able to produce their own veg
etables and to some extent the cereals
they will need. The hardy classes of an
imals, he said. also could be grown
there. The cattle from the mountains
of Scotland he believed could be raised
successfully in Alaska, but so far as is
rrEs-nown now the mining regions on the
| headquarters of the Yukon river are
over a thousand miles away from any
point in Alaska in which agriculture
could be successfully pursued.