The record-union., 1897-07-29

SEATTLE. July 2S.-The steamer
City of Kingston sailed this morning,
carrying 236 miners to connect at Vic
toria with the steamer Islander for
Dyea, and later in the morning the
City Of Topeka sailed for Juneau. Be
fore leaving the Sound the Topeka VIII
have 240 passengers. OF these lOO are
from San Francisco. OF the 24O car
ried north by the Topeka, a majority
are excursionists, though over 100 are
for the mines OF the fifty who left
Seattle, forty had Yukon outfits.
The steamer Cleveland arrived this
evening from San Francisco, having
aboard twenty-seven miners en- route
to Clondyke The steamship Al Ki is
expected from Dyea, Alaska, next Fri
day.
The announced intention of the Do
minion Government to impose a royalty
on all placer diggings on the Yukon
amounting practically to the confisca-
ton of 10 per cent. of the entire coun-
try that may be opened up, has been
met with but one response here, and
that is the statement that it will sim
ply result in driving the thousands of
prospectors off of Canadian soil and
across the boundary line into United
States territory People are now pay
ing % cents per pound to get their
freight over the divide. Horses will
pack about 200 pounds each, and N
average load for a man is fifty pounds.
The hustle and activity that was no
ticeable around the office of Assistant
Quartermaste Robinson, L. S. A, in
this city yesterday and last night had
disappeared this morning, the cause be-
ing the following telegram from Quar-
termaster- General Weeks from Wash
ington:
"Order for troops to Alaska has been
countermanded.
Captain Robinson was seen by the
Associated Press correspondent this
evening, and in speaking of the coun-
demanding order he said that was un-
doubtedly due to the act Of Congress-
passed June IS. 1873, wherein it says
that after the passage of this Act, it
shall not be lawful to employ any part
of the United States army as a posse
comitatuS or otherwise for the purpose
of executing the laws, except in such
cases and under such circumstances as
expressly authorized by the COnsti-
tuition or by Congress. This matter
could have been settled by Congress. -
said he, but as that body has ad-
journed, it leaves matters in a bad
way"
THE EXCELSIOR SAILS.
SAN FRANCISCO, July 2S.-By far
the greatest exodus of gold seekers
yet occurred from this city was wit
messed to-day when the steamer Ex-
celsior, chartered by the Alaskan Com
mercial Company, left Mission street
pier at . p. m. The steamer sailed di-
rect for St. Michaels, and is the last
of the company's fleet which will con-
meet with the Yukon River steamers
this season.
For hours before the departure Of the
steamer the wharf was thronged with
people. Such was the demand for
berths, that after the sale of tickets
closed, those who had been fortunate
enough to secure them We're besieged
by intending prospectors who offered
three times the original amount for
them, and one instance is on record
where a passenger changed his mind
after receiving such a flattering offer
as $500 for the pasteboard for which
he originally paid but $50. Probably
the fact that the Excelsior was the
first to bring the news of the great
strike to this city, added to the inter
est taken in her departure, for over ,
600 people gathered upon the wharf to
bid farewell to the 40 passengers for
the ClOndyke.
CANADIAN CUSTOMS PORTS.
OTTAWA (Ont). July 2S.-At the
meeting of the Ministers last evening
Minister Patterson was authorized to
send two more customs officers to the
Alaskan boundary by the Islander
which sails for the north tomorrow
The officers viii be taken from the
Victoria CustomhOuse, and Will be ac-
cOmpanied by couple of provincial po-
lice. They will open stations as out
ports of Victoria beyond the head of
the Lynn Canal, which is in disputed
territory, and at present in the United
States possessions, and at Lake Tag
ish There is a Collector at Fort Cud-
ahy, only fifty miles from Dawson City
and these arrangement, backed up by
q strong force of police, are considered
ample protection of revenue just now.
The great question of all is one of
communication. 1t is reported that
pack trail exists on twenty of the eighty
miles which separates from the first
post to be established at 90 degrees of
latitude in undisputed British terri
tory. If so, a narrow gauge railway
can be built where there is a pack
trail. The cost would not be great
and if cars could be hauled twice a
day over the mountains facing the
coast a tremendous obstacle would be
overcome, because in winter it is i'm
possible to cross the mountains except
at the risk of life, and to be caught
in a storm would be fatal.
The mounted police force will be in
creased from 20 to 100. Thomas Faw-
cett will be continued as Gold Commits
sioner, and the regulations already
adopted amended
A strong customs and police post will
be established just north of the British
Columbia boundary, beyond the head Of
the Lynn Canal, at 60 degrees of lati-
tude. Estimates will also be obtained