The San Francisco call., 1897-09-23


north this winter Dawson City will not
alone contribute the victims. Men will
die on the long dreary stretch of country
that they cali White Pass. l have hope
for those at Dawson, but for those who
VIII try TO 60 over White Pass L have
none"
Burton c. Bennett, United States Dis
tlict Attorney for Alaska, made that state
ment this evening in the course OF an in
terview which he gave 10 THE CALL CORE
spondent He came down or the steamer
Queen which reached here this afternoon.
He says he comes Tor pleasure, and Will
return in about two weeks. he may make
a statement to the Government officials
about affairs OF Alaska as ne knows them,
but it is not likely, as he is satisfied the
Government is already we'll informed
Bennett believes that there will be much
suffering in the north this winter He
does not see how starvation, exposure and
death can be kept away from the miners
From what | can learn" he said,
"there is not and will not be enough food
at Dawson City this winter. With favor
able weather the trading com panies may
get more up the river than was anticl-
pated. but ii is not likely. 1t VIII be i'm
possible under the most favorable circum-
stances 10 get sufficient food In TO supply
all who are there. feel sure of that after
careful inquiry and from letters l have
if Dawson City suffers, think of the men
on white Pass. The world may not real
iZe It, but there are men up north who are
walking right into dea b. The snow is
now flying on White Pass.
MANY propose to winter at Skaguay,
but from what / can learn hundreds do
not propose to stop there. nor will they
return to civilization. They have the
gold fever as no other body Of men ever
had it. Every time they hear OF a strike
in the Yukon country they get Graz er
than ever. They will not STOP for snow;
they will not stop for storms. They will
keep pushing over White Pass all winter.
II am satisfied that when the snow is
coming down in all its fury on the pass
and the winds are blowing awful gales
this winter you will find men on White
Pass. Il is an awful thing to think about,
but it is true, ana these men should be
stopped. l would not be bit surprised
to learn of many deaths up there his win
ter. 1t is the most damnable rush [ ever
heard of or read OF and can result but in
one thing-death. These foolish men do
not know anything about the horrors of
White Pass in the winter time, yet they
keep on, and just about the time that
winter is at its worst some of them will
be caught on White Pass. God pity them
Wien spring time comes you will find
their white bones in the grewsome marshes
Il am satisfied that those who remain
at Skaguay this winter will be all right
Spring will soon bs with them and they
can start for the north. Once there they
will all come back rich, if they are willing
10 stay and work for a few wears. There
is gold in every body of water, big and
little, in our county, am satisfied of
that. Why. the people of the States, with
ali the newspaper talk, do not know what
the rash will be the coming spring. From
letters which / nave received from the
States | am satisfied that there will be
90, COO people in Alaska three months after
the spring rush has commenced. II will
be something enormous. There will be
some disappointments, but there is no
reason why there should be if the men
will but hold out. The great trouble will
be that every body will want to go to the
Klondike. Now, ali the claims in that
country are in old hands and the new
conner will have to go out and prospect.
If he does that he will be all right. / am
satisfied that there is plenty of gold for
all if the men want to search for it. If
they search long enough they will find
lodges, Tor this gold comes from some
where.
Il think that the reports about so much
crime in the vicinity of Skaguay must
have been exagg rated. We are doing
what We can to see that order preserved.
and we have been fairly successful, OF
course. there are some criminals there but
crime is very small. We have officers at
Skagday. They will winter there, and
look Tor no tIoIble.
Zone thing is certain, and that is that
The United States Government will have
to take steps at once 10 give Alaska new
government. At present it is one judicial
district. | favor three-one for Southeast
Alaska, one for Weste n Alaska and one
for the Yukon. The whisky traffic is, of
course, large. We are trying to break it
up, but we have not sufficient officers. l
libeled a schooner the other day tor bring
ing in 400 gallons. She was an American
schooner and had noAname. But it con-
tinues and will continue We will rot be
a e to break i. up until we have more
officers and several revenue cutters 10
watch for smuggers.
81 90 not believe the United States will
have any trouble with Canada over the
Klondike rush"