The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1897-09-16
ITS GOLDEN STREAM.
SCHOONER voLASTE BRINGS MORE
GOLD TO SEATTLE
Eight Men with e5o.0o0-The Code Of
silence n to Each Mans Sack
Food Prices Go Cp-The Bench
Claims Promising Large Returns.

Alslllh- i1Sl summer SHOWS no sign Of
approaching cessation. Add tire golden
cargo Of the schooner volante which ar
rived yesterday from St Michael 10 the
imperial sum which has been brought
dcw1 from the Yukon by other steam arl
sailing vessels since July and the round
total IS 300. 0ea This estimate is base.
on the most reliable figures TO be OBJ
tanned and IS stretched toward consarva-
tism rather than In the opposite direction
The Nolante brought eight Klondlkers
and s5ae0 in gold dust and drafts from
the trading companies at the Kiondfke
THIS is a departure from the ordinary
methods followed by the miners in bring
ing their wealth to civilization. Not
more than s95.0o in the real yellow
was aboard the Eolante. but some OF her
passengers sold the products Of their
claims at Dawson City, prefsrring to
carry company and bank drafts than 10
be encumbered with the heavy sacks OF
gold. !.
Iaese are the volante's passengers:
Alexander Wilson. Theodore Mitchell, J.
s. Wall. John Parrot, r. ". Scribner,
b H. HAYWARD. James Aver and Andrew
Haag. All Of them had money.
The passengers on the Voiante tell the
story of famine and suffering that viii
be the portion of those In the Klondike
this winter, much as il has been told by
the passengers on the Cleveland and
South Coast They emphasize the fact
that very bitter feeling exists in the
klohdike against the men who spread
broadcast over the country the stories of
the princely riches of the Klondike They
do not blame the newspapers, at least
those that have not printed exaggerated
accounts. but they are severe in their
criticisms of Clarence Berry, whose
statements they hold responsible for the
stampede Of tenderfeet from every state
Tn hA arrztA
provisioned men TO Dawson City.
These gruff, hardy miners, who have
battied with nature in her Egliest moods
with health. happiness and life itself on
enc side and fortune In gold on the
other as stakes in a splendid game. have
code among themselves which crops out
In everything they do They hold that
no one of their number should do any
thing that win injure the chances of the
! others. They expect each man to keep
silent as TO the wealth or poverty OF his
fellows, and when one Of their number,
under the persistent questioning Of a re-
| porter, tells the true story Of the great
gold fields of the upper Yukon. they look
| upon him as one who has abused his
trust. They are sore on Berry, for they
! believe his statements have caused more
| people TO rush franticaIly into the coun-
| try than these Of any other one man.
IF Berry was in the Klondike they
| would string him up" said one of the
| men from the Noiante today. THE feel
| Ing against him is very bitter"
The Exee,sfor's Gold.
| j. S We'll who went to Alaska eighteen
| months ago. and who was q claim owner
| on the Klondike early last spring, was
| asked how much gold was On the Ex-
| eelsioT. This was before he knew of the
/ dispatches sent out from San Francisco
| YESTERDAY His reply was.
| saw with my own eyes eight boxes OF
| gold put on the steamer that brough: the
Excelsior's passengers from Dawson City
Al Munook creek two more boxes were
| placed or board Al Dawson The heaviest
box weighed 1ss pounds and the Hghtesi
lS4' There was not dollar over $500, 90
| on the Excelsior"
Another Dawson man said that there
were twelve boxes filed with gold all told
| on the Excelsior. They would average
about $50 pounds each. This would make
| about sSeo. coo. Making the estimate Of
the probable amount carried by individ.
nals on the boat, say sil0e0a. and Walls
| figure as 10 the value of the steamers
cargo.
Wall is a Milwaukee. Wis. man. III.
told a straightforward story OF the condi
| ton of affairs on the Klondike. He said
THE miners Of the Klondke regret Il
see so many lily equipped men coming int
| the country. They know that provisions
! vlll be scarce this winter. II is true tina
| there is enough there for present needs
but with only three feet OF water on TIT
river bars and winter coming on fast. tn
! chances Of the three supply boats gettin:
70 the diggings from ST Michael befor'
the ice stops navigation are too slight Z
take any risk OF starvation.
while Il IS true that a man can secur
enough food 20 keep him golng, the trad
ing companies have raised the prices A
least 50 per cent, and In some cases more
| Flour that ordinarily brings 81 per sack
now worth sl2. at least Wesre ard tn
other trading people are demanding ::
Bacon rules as high as 3 cents and 81 pc
pound and canned fruit a. 3 cents to 81
The miners organized % prevent over
charging. but they have been powerles
so far"
From Mr. wan Il was learned that n
( bench ground on either side Of Eidorad
creek, has been staked out this summe
ard every foot taken. Up Till July n
only bench claims that attracted attentio
IN the kIondike were on Bonanza creek
| Since July 80 bench claims have bee
staked out on Eidorada creek and nav
| proven fully as rich as those on Bonanza
Y. Mr.. Wall himself Is the owner OF a benc
claim on Eldor8do creek. which ne Ia
q
or: sum rot less than 81 600 from simp'
sinking two prospect holes % bed roc
and drifting less than 100 feet lie said;
ION the tvo creeks there are about .
bench claims. These viii average bette
than any placer mining region knowr
and I have been euga Sed IN The bushes
au my ne TIE old California miner
estimated taat 81 the placer fields on IN
coast one CAR - ter claims would prov
eNrra The bench claims on T4Fo~aSa q e.
Bonanza % better than this They III
one In SIX. and sorn etinles on IN fouI
This last IS the estimate p7It on them b
many who are familiar with the d1strisf
OF course In the creek beds Of Eldorad
and Bonanza very few blanks have bee.
found The pay gravel runs through a
Ct me claims.
The beuca blessings have been worka
ali summer and have paid well from Nttl
more than prospecting. On an averag
three men have been employed On each c
The hench cIslms They have taken oU
from SIS 10 80 per day per nan. They vs.
/ ere aI8-Fss Afonrd rocker ard even r. mi
primitive fashion Shey have ava~aEed e
wages F!fty dollars per day was NOT Ut
common"
sherry before the steamer Bella lef
Dawson Cstv for 81 Michael a drove c
ten cattle were brought dowa the riv.
from Dvea- They we're killed and read
/ uv sold for ss50 each.
Poet Joaquin Miller had arrived fn cam
/ ana wss being taken through the dis
xInEs ~ some old California friends q
his. lie vas made nueh Il hy every ons
BE READY FOR HARDsHIPs.
Letter From Dawson Tells OF Goo