The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1897-11-29
MUST FLEE FOR THEIR LIVES.
Thousands Will Have to Leave
Dawson City or Die.
POLICE SOUND A WARNING.
The Companies Sell All Their Sup
plies and Have Many Unhlled Or
ders-There In Food at Fort Yukon
-Throngs ON the Streets Of Daw-
aon Discuss the SituatiOn-Even
Higher Wages Will Not buy Grub.
Copyrighted by Post-Inteligencer Alaska
News Syndicate.


News Syndicate.
DAWSON CITY. n. W. T.. Sept. o.
Three thousand men must leave the Klon-
dixie mining district or suffer the pangs
OF starvation. News reached Dawson City
late last evening from Fort Yukon. $50
too low to permit steamers ascending over
the Flats. which are from ten TO twenty
miles In width. AT present there are over
5.ooo people In Dawson City and vicinity.
and the population is increasing at the
rate of over 100 day from Dyea and
Skaguay. and Of the recent arrivals not
one In five is bringing enough provisions
to last a month, and. all told. there are not
more than 2.oN men provided with suf-
ficient supplies to last until the first OF
next June. Money cannot purchase food.
There are between FIVE and six tons Of
gold In the camp. and 1t Is almost i'm
possible to buy a sack of -four or a pound
OF bacon. Not until the las, few hours have
the people come to appreciate the grav-
ity of the situation. From day 10 day for
certain that the feet would reach port be-
fore winter commenced. and II was not
until last night. when Capt. Hansen. local
manager Of the Alaska Commercial Com
pany, returned In an Indian canoe from
Fort Yukon with the news that the boats
could not get up before the river would
freeze, that the true situation dawned.
Men who were happy and felt certain OF
being able to return to their homes early
in the spring with sacks OF gold suddenly
realized that starvation was staring them
in the face. In every public resort. I'm
streets and In the stores crowds of men
cougregafed and talked over the situation.
Old miners and men OF experience and
with foresight, who had preeausion
enough 70 have brought In enough sup
plies. with serious coun.enances discussed
the situation In all OF SIS phases. There
are thirty mounted police here and they
TOO are practically without food and II
ia not altogether inproba Bile that they will
lend their silent support and enconra ge-
ment to an organized effort 20 drive Gu.
and ssna down The river the three or four
hundred gamblers and sporting men who
have come here Within the last sixty days
and compel those who have provisions to
divide with the others. That was one OF
the plans generally discussed about town
las, night Sergt.-Mat Davis In COM
mand of the mounted police. said TO me
significantly:
s'Instances have occurred In the North
ives. territory before when supplies ran
short and II was necessary TO form police
and civic committees 20 seize all provi-
sions in the camp and issue weekly ra-
tions II was done AT Forty-MiIe post
tao years agn. The necessity for similar
action ts apparent in this ias sance and 7
would not be surprised 10 SIRE en- uprising
and the ncn-producers ordered 10 leave
the camp ard go down the river 20 Fort
Yukon, where there is plenty Of grub. ard
the provisions in camp seized and dis-
frsbuted Ny force IS destitute OF win
tey's supplies.
The tenor ~ hts speech was ~ such man.
ner "a 20 rive me 20 understand that the
-olice would counsenanes an uprising on
those lines.
Far thirty favs seyen steamers have
been due 20 arrive with supplies. The
river until within ten 1a~s ha3 been Bn-
usually low ard the recently hgitlt steam
or Charles FL Hamilton. drawing less than
thres sees waa ursah hse te EaT ever the w.
kon fats. The channel .s quite crooked.
ard. owing 20 the length os the boat.
shs could rot make the sharp turns
around the paints vgftnogg. going aground
After making seven attempts ths freight
was discharged al Forr Yukon and she
returned down the river The barge
Marguerite belonging 70 sh@ Alaska Com
r4erciei Company In which Cant. Han
! ser went dowr the rtvsr struck bottom
twice IN crossing the -sfs and was In-
ahte 20 get hack with any part of lead.
when the ue~s reached here Capt. John
| = TeaIy. manager Of the North American
TRANSPORTATION and Trading Company
secured th@ services cf twn - the best
CAPTAINS on the river and sent thena down
"a assss. I'm getting tire boats across 'hs
fats =, any cost Cant Hansen ieft Fort
! Yukon on the 7sh and she water was al
! together too 1ew to thsnk Of getting any o!
the feet up. stnre then II has been
| learned from ~aEiahie Indian sources that
/ during the Sssson the channel shifted
from ths south 70 the north side ard nnes-
! SerFeFx were aEwpatchsd az nnce TO For.
| Ymkan and II the river do@s uot !raeze
"a - did carry sn September last year.
Continued on Pazs =