The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-09-12
Twenty-Seven Miners Gladly Leave
Dawson, where Men VIII stnrvc
with GOId-Lined Pockets.
YUKON RAILROAD SURVEYED
ENGINEER PRATT BELIEVES 1T CAN
BE BUILT AT SMALL COST.
transportation Company Denounced
for Enttcing Gold Hunters to the
Fields This Winter.

PORT TOWNSEND, Wash, Sept IL
The steamer South Coast, which left ST
Michaeps on Sept. l. arrived here to-day,
bringing twenty-seven passengers from
Dawson City. The exact amount of gold
brought down could not be learned. but it
is believed to be about s350,00O. The re-
turning miners We're not disposed to talk
of their fortunes but j. p. Light of Chi
cago, admitted having accumulated $4,000
in dust and nuggets during two years stay
In the gold fields.
All of the South Coasts passengers are
loud in their condemnation of transporta-
ton companies for urging men to rush
north without due preparation for a winter
of hardship. They say people will starve
surrounded by gold in Dawson City be-
fore the Yukon river opens for navigation
next spring. Among the passengers was
C. T. Rupel of Tacoma, VINO went to Circle
City two years ago, and later to Dawson
City He brought down $1,000 in dust and
nuggets. He has several claims and will
return in the spring. Rupel went in over
the Dyea pass and says that the trail from
Dawson City to the gold fields is just as
hard to travel as the Chilcat pass. Ru
pei says not one man in a hundred who
have gone in this season will get claims,
as all the country is staked off, and unless
new diggings are found the newcomers will
get nothing.
]. p. Light, of Chicago, is returning after
two years in the gold fields. He has about
$Is 600. He brought out six Eskimo dogs,
which he will take to Chicago. Provisions,
he says. are very scarce at Dawson City,
and it will not be a month before flour and
bacon cannot be purchased there at any
price The river steamers. Bella, Alice and
Weare, were all at st. Michaers loading
for their last trip up the river this sea-
son.
The story of the effect that the principal
cargo of the river steamers from st. Mi
chaeTs to Dawson City is whisky is con-
firmed by Light, who says he would
not have come out this fall but for fear
of starving. He came out from Klondike
and went to store in Dawson. where he
had 5000 on deposit He asked for sup
ply of winter provisions, but could get only
one sack of flour and twenty pounds of
bacon. At st. Michael's there are plenty of
provisions. but no place of shelter consum-
mate with the demands. The steamer p.
b. Weare, which stuck on a sandbsr in
the Yukon. got off safely.
The arrival of the Weare will be good
threatened with a famine this winter. When
the South Coast left ST. Michaels the Wcare
was loading supplies, and it was expected
she would leave up the river in day
two with five hundred tons of pToVislons.
Her voyage should not consume more tLan
twenty-five days, which would put her into
Dawson City about Sept Is. The Weare ;
cargo consisted almost entirely of p-ovi
siOns, and the five hundred tons she Will
take in will materially assist in relieving
the threatened famine.
A dispatch from Seattle says: THE
steam schooner South Coast. from st.
Michaers, arrived this afternoon. She
brought down twenty-six passengers, but
most of them went ashore at Port Towns
end and took boats for different sound
points. Captain Saddart places the amount
of gold brought down by the South Coast
at $780, but from information gathered
from the miners returning here il is be-
lieved that this amount is too high by at
least 800 900. The miners will not say how
much their cleanup has been, but it is safe
to place the amount aboard the South Coast
at less than 100000. The following miners
we're passengers: w Lewis, w. Davis, w.
g. Transe, - Winn, - Anderson, II.
Wigg, w. Stoilt, G. Woods, Fl. II. Smith, A.
Larsen, ]. T. Hoover, A. Chequette, G. u.
Sloudfeld. ]. p. Light, ]. B. Raithwide j.
Bailey, 6 Grimm, +. Garsbee, Clark
and c. T. Rupel The most important news
brought hv the South Coast is the safe ar
rival at - Michael's of the river steamer
p u. We're, which stuck on a sandbar for
over two weeks below Circle City.