The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1897-09-05

The swift tug Sea Lion is now n tho
Straits with the Post-inteiIigencer rnp-
resentstives waiting and watching for tie
North American Transportation & Trad
Ing Company's steamer Cleveland which
VIII bring the latest news frcm the klon-
dixie. No one can tell exactly how long
this vigil must be kept up, and few re-
aliEe the intense nervous strain 20 which
the men or the tug are sub5ected Day
ard night they must keep their wits about
them and Be ready at an instants notics
10 think ard act. They realize the inn
portance OF their mission. and the large
expenditure of money by the Post-Intel-
hgencer 10 put them in a position TO get
the news desired by the people OF thu
United states even before the bearer Of
that which is desired reaches Seattle.
Hundreds OF dollars are being expended
10 gain a few hours, and the slightest
mistake hy those on duty will cause a
break in the carefully planned scheme
by which millions Of anxious people a.e
TO be told OF what Is going on in the far
North
There VIII be little sleep on board the
Sea Lion. and those who do tumble into
their hunks for a much-needed rest will
keep one eye open. The possibility that
the approaching steamer may slip past
unobserved; that the tug may be at a
disadvantageous point when the treasure
ship appears in sight; that fog may in
terfere with the patrol duty. that time
may be lost in boarding, all these prob
lens and many others are constantly i'm
the minds OF the representatives of the
Pcst-Inteiligencer. There viii be no rest
for them, either OF mind or body. un,n
they see the Cleveland. have boarded her
and secured the news.
All the worry and anxiety Of reaching
the steamer Is lost in tho excitement Of
securing the news. There is only a short
time 10 work. and every second counts.
Some men who have facts that are In
teresting TO the world do not care TO talk.
Others desire TO be- coaxed and whee5led
into telling their stories. others think IL
en- imposition for a representative of a
newspaper TO ask them how much money
they have made In the Klondike and how
much they have brought out with them.
In the morning when the merchant
picks up the Post-Inteliigencer at the
breakfast table and reads of what came
down on the last 81 amer from the gold
fields he seldom stops to think OF the ner-
.ous energy exhausted nni the money ex-
pended in placing that reading matter
before him.
Ii Is No Excursion
Those who know what the people on
the Sea Lion have before them do not
envy the their assignment" II is hard.
wearing work To those who look upon
the trip of a reporter out TO sea after
golden news or 10 coal mines whore
columns Of smoke issuing from the
slope tell OF death and disaster below.
as pleasure trip. one such experience
VIII wipe All the romance away and leave
a page whereon theswords tough expert
ence'' are written in big. red letters.
Those on tho Sea Lion are IN no better
position 20 figure on the probable time
Of the arrival 81 the Cleveland than those
whom they left behind in Seattle. Charles
II Hamilton. general traffic manager and
secretary 81 the North American Trans
portafjon and Trading Company. which
chartered the Cleveland. Is probably In n
better position 20 figure on the CIeveland's
arrival than any one else. he simply
says that he expects her any time after
September 8 possibly or September 5. Il
Is hardly within the bounds Of reason
that the Cleveland VIII reach Seattle to-
day. and tire probabilities are that the
vlEiI of those on the sea Lion viii be
extended over a period Of several days.
They are there. however. and no mat
ter Row they or other people figure. the
lnoessart watching cannot be relaxed for
a moment This Sea Lion viii patrol from
Tatoosh island on cape Flattery 20 Nesh
bay. and az the first sight of any steamer
that locks like the Cleveland a race for
life wili commence. The quicker the Sea
Lion reaches the Cleveland fhe quicker
viii the news o. her approach Be known
The first message viii conle from Ta-
toosh. where the government observation
bureau IS located. II Il sincerely hoped
that IN the case of the Cleveland the wire
vxgl not 20 down as II did 50 unsxpect-
ediy when ths Portland came IN
ship Tossed by storm
IN ag1rfnE ouf the probzhls time os ths
arrival ~ she Cleveland - Is well 20 tsks
into consideration the fact that the Port
isnd did not meet her on the down trip
from - Michael ~ The t~o steamers
would naturally take the same course BE-
twsen Dutch Harbor and -. Michael, u
would seem that under ordinary ctrcUfn-
stances they would speak each other IN
passing AZ 3 matter - fact. tbs CEswe-
land dia not put iu her appearance any
where along IN. the from 81 Miohasl 20
Dutch HRrbor. ard as sire was oat 20
severe storm while the Porfland was r8ed
up a. 81 Michael u = safe 70 Say thar
she would - delayed somewhat tbs
would Increase the allowance made Tor
her appearance IN Seattle.
Nr. Harsfit0a expects tns Cleveland
here ~ any ttuae between September 3
ard 8 bat there are many things - -
taken into consideration. and any ons 20
them might make delay q one or two
days il IL nor generally known, npe fhs
fierce storm which raKed az -. IirhaHt
for taree dsTa. cor Denf3ng early Frseay
morning AuEust - cane ue&r ~Tecslrr
tha steamer & 81. Hamilton. which had
fasf been launched The Hamilton vas
tfst AZ at she wharf. one q her fines
being secured - = buoy. The weather
had beer beanglkal ard the Aea ard bay
- rsfr7 ss lake grazhfnEtgn pTgvfoas -
=. seHaer ssarra. TIE wind cane Gp SEss-
NerFv nra sFe waves com rggencs1 70 run
s.sra ard tumble ever sacn esher tn
vrstss., chaotic manner. With tse passing
az tee early ho2Ts the fury q the sle-
rraees Increased ard 50 last t0re }Doss
sh@ hslav 70 N-tca tne }lus fruaa tas Ham
ntan vas attached 0zlg prompt Ana IL
fs.gtxDnt zarN by those in charwe q fns
t<es prevented hsr from helug badly dam