Kansas City journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1897-1928, 1897-09-24
NO MORE TRAVEL UNTIL WINTER
KLoNDIkERs MUST WAIT FOR THE
RIVERS TO FREEZE.
No Attempt to he Made to Send Sup
niles to Dawson From Juneau
Business Decreasing mt
Dyea and Sknsuay-
Thefts Increasing.

visions enough to last tnem liti SuElilef
will be compelled to leave Dawson City and
go down the Yukon to ST. Michaefs. Thou
sands can get out of Dawson in small boats
within the next twenty days. In case
relief expedition got through with large
quantity of provisions, there would not,
after the exodus to St. Michaels, be enough
people left to buy provisions at a price SUI
ficient to recoup the expedition for its great
expense, even if it We're physically possible.
Returning Klondikers say that packing Is
over at Dyea and Skaguay till January or
February, when Spring travel may be
begun on the snow. There is already snow
on the trails. Those Klondikers who have
not already built cabins are doing so with
all possible speed. A large spring rush Is
expected to go in over the snow. Many are
expected to come down from st. Mlchaeis S
and go in overland if there is any way they
can leave the island post.
Ice Is the Obstruction.
It may look curious to the uninitiated
why, if there is snow now, the klondlkers
cannot proceed on their way now as well as
in the spring. Ice is the obstruction. IL
takes the lakes and rivers till January or
February to freeze thick enough to stand
travel The wind disturbs the ice SO much
and piles it up in so many hummocks and
unstable ways that it is impossible to at
tempt it until it is known to be sohdiy
frozen, and that time experience has shown
to be not before January, as rule. Even
then trail has to be made.
At Skaguay business is decreasing. Sa-
loonkeepers and gamblers are complaining.
A considerable portion of the town is built
on piles about six feet high over the
water. Small icebergs and foes are ex-
pected to reduce this portion OF the city
to state of complete wreck.
W. J. Rogers, Of Tacoma, VINO ore retuInea .tn
sack is offered for oats at the summit Of
| White pass, and that they are not TO pc
had even at that price. He says tnere IS
corresponding scarcity of all other morse
| feed. and that thousand half starved
| beasts will never get out alive. They must
starve in the snow or be shot
A KIondiIke story.
little story which illustrates the scare
| ity of feed is that a horse, smelling oats
| afar off, broke into a pile of sacks and
ate his fill. The owner of the oats claimed
the horse in payment of the oats eaten
| and got him. Then the horse foundered
| and died, Mr.. Rogers says that scores or
| horses have chilled on the summit and died
from pneumonia.
Theft of provisions is increasing on both
Dyea and Skaguay trails. ais. 80 so many Sr are re
| guilty ones has greatly decreased the proo,
| abilities of hanging. The overland mall
from Dawson City has not yet arrived; II II
| Dawson City August 10 last for Juneau.
| w. Il. Beveridge. of Portland Ore., came
| up on a steamer three days ago from Fort
| Wrangle, arriving just as the steamer Rosa
| lie sailed for the south. He says seven
men were at Fort Wrangle when he left
who had come out of the klondike with
| 700 pounds of gold over the Stikeen trail:
| The miners were waiting for the next
| steamer for Seattle. Mr.. Beveridge avowS
that he saw the gold and tried to lift 1t.
Food Bound to De Scarce.
Seattle, Wash, Sept. 23.-One of the most
distinguished passengers to arrive IN a the
| was Burton F. Bennett, who was sent
| North by Grover Cleveland to fill the office
Of United States district attorney for Alas
"From what can learn" he said. there
| Is not and will not be enough food at DaW-
son City this winter WITH favoraole et weaone ane
| up the river than was anticipated nut II Is
not likely. 1t will be impossible, under the
| most favorable circumstances. to get sum.
| Client in to supply all those who are there
feel sure of that after careful inquiry and
from letters L have received from Daw'
son City.
But. as I say. If Dawson City, suffers
think of the men on White pass. The worlo
may not realize it. but there here are re- men dn,th u
The snow is probably flying on White pass
| and if not, soon will be.
| MANY propose to winter at Skaguay, bu
from what / can learn, hundreds do no.
| propose to stop there, nor will they return
to civilization. They have the gold fevel
| >
time they hear of strike in the Ymkor
country they get crazier than ever. The!
will not stop for snow they will I,;n not sns stol
White pass all winter.
Many VIII Die ON White Pass.
"I am satisfied that while the snow Il
coming down in all its fury on the pass ant
J the wind is blowing awful gales this win
| ter YOU will see men on White pass. /
is frightful thing to think of, but Is true
and these men should be stopped. ! woul'
not be a bit surprised to learn of man.
deaths up there this winter: 1t is the mos
, damnable rush ever heard of, or read OF
These men do not know anything abou
the horrors of White pass in the winte
. | time vet they keep on. and just about TIL
/ | time that winter is at its worst some
them will be caught on White pass. The,
Il am satisfied that those who remain a
/, Skaguay this winter viii be all right
Spring will soon be with & them i,,n ana the; the
will all come back rich. If they are wiliin
, | to stay and work for a few years. There j
gold in every body ,- OF water a Big pig or fitt,s h
) States, with all the newspapers talk, d
. not know what the rush will be the com
ing spring.
t From letters I have received from tn
States, there will be 10000 people in Alask
six weeks after the spring rush has com
| menced.
New Laws Needed in Alaska.
'I think that the reports about so muc
|
exaggerated. We are doing what we can t
see that order is preserved, and We haN
| been fairly successful. OF course, ther
| are some criminals there, but crime is yer
: | small We have officers at Skaguay. The
5 will winter there, and 1 look for II
, | trouble.
lone thing is certain. and that is tina
the United States government will have t
e take steps at once to give Alaska ne'
1 | government. At present it is one judicif
| district. j favor three, one for Southeas
| Alaska, one for Western Alaska and on
+ for the Yukon. In that way the countr
, would be much better governed. If a nlul
q | der is committed in the Yukon country
a | the winter time, the murderer could nc
v be brought to the south coast until sprin;
l This is not the way to conduct Alaska.
!, have given the matter serious considers
n ton. l think that there should be a con
q mission appointed by our government
map out d code of laws for the countr,
: At present we depend upon the, revise
h statutes of the United States, and, whe
we cannot find what we want in them "
turn to the laws which governed Orego
up to 1884. And the land laws should be e,
| tended. At present, one cannot get title
q land in Alaska The point is very impo
o tant one in advancing the claim for lie
= legislation for the country"
r Much Gold From Australia.
" San Francisco. Sept 23.-The steamsh
a Moana which arrived to-day from Sytlne
Of via Honolulu. brought 1s5 boxes of f.
giish soyereigns, valued ut $3.50, 900. al
| fifteen boxes of bullion. valued at $50 s.
These shipments of gold are simply q ma