The herald., 1897-08-17
Blocked by the Crowds Of
Prospectors
PROVISIONS THROWN AWAY
IN A HEADLoNG RUSH TO THE
MINES
Madmen Seeking Sudden Wealth Will
Be Fortunate If They Escape
With Their Lives
Associated Press Special Wire.

Associated Press Special Wire.
WASHINGTON, Aug. 1s.-wINlam J.
Jones, United States commissioner to
Alaska, assigned to st. Michaers, has
sent to the Interior department the fol-
lowing report on the gold rush in a let
ter dated Dyea, Alaska, August 5:
There are nearly 1900 people on the
Dyea and Shagway routes. and both
trails are blocked. They are throwing
away their packs and rushing headlong
to the mines. Great distress. hardships
and suffering, and death from hunger
and exposure are sure to follow next
winter
OTHER OFFICIALS REPORT
| NEW YORK, August ia dispatch
to the Herald from Washington says:
Secretary Gage has just received from
the Minister of the Interior an official
report on the Klondyke mining district.
1t is a commentator Of the reports of
William Ogilvie, the Dominion Land sur
veyor and contains other matters from
other officers Of the Canadian govern
region or are now there.
At the outset the Minister states that
the report is published in response to
numerous public demands.
1.-THE object" he says, "is not to induce
anyone to go to that country at the pres
ent time. Until better means of COM
munication are established man under
/ -.-Y~- T., ~@s.- xI,Aw xzIA
he has sufficient resources to tide him
over the long winter After September
egress from the country is practically
| impossible until the next June and
person who has not been successful in
locating a paying claim has to depend
for his subsistence upon finding EN-
ployment. Wages are at times abnorm-
ally high, but the labor market is very
narrow and easily overstocked.
1T is estimated that from the middle
Of June 500 to 1900 people have crossed
from Dyea this season. Several more
will go by steamers up the Yukon.
Whether employment will be available
for all and for the considerable popula-
ton already in the district is somewhat
doubtful. II will therefore be wise for
those who contemplate going to the Yu-
kon district to give serious consideration
to the matter before coming to deci-
SION"
An extract from the report Of A. e.
Willis, Assistant Surgeon-General for
1895, is given to indicate the climate Of
the Klondyke, characteristics Of the in
habitants and the mode Of living. He
also describes the kind Of men that
should go to the Klondyke.
He says: 1.-THE climate is wet. During
the winter months the cold Is intense,
with usually considerable wind A heavy
mist rising from open plains in the river
settles down in the valley in extreme
weather This dampness makes the cold
felt much more and is conducive to rheu-
matte pains, colds and the like. In Sc
lecting men to live in this country beg
to submit few remarks, some of which
will be of assistance to the medical ex-
aminers in making their recommends
tionS.
Men should be sober, strong and
healthy. They should be practical men,
able to adapt themselves quickly to their
surroundings. Special care should be
taken to see that their lungs are sound;
that they are free from rheumatism and
rheumatic tendencies and their joints,
especially knee joints, are strong and
have never been weakened by injury or
disease 1t is important to consider their
temperaments. Men should be of cheer
full, hopeful dispositions and willing
workers. Those of morose, sullen ma
lures, although they may be good work.
ers, are very apt, as soon as the novelty
wears off to become dissatisfied, pesSi-
mistc and melancholy"
Mr.. Ogilvie, chief of the boundary sur
vey, in a report of a trip down the Yu-
kon, says regarding the weather: 1T Is
said by those familiar with the locality
that the storms which rage in the upper
attitudes of the Coast range during the
greater part of the time from October to
March are terrific. A man caught in one
of them runs the risk of losing his life,
unless he can reach shelter in short
time"
Mr.. Ogilvie on this same trip had much
difficulty with the Indians and they de-
manded 500 per hundred pounds for car
rying his goods. On being told that the
party had a permit from the Great
Father at Washington to pass through
the country and that the Indians would
be punished if they interferred they re-
duced the price to $40. Mr.. Ogilvie esti-
mates that there are about 100000 acres
of land along the Yukon and its branches
| that might De uSeu IOr agricultural pur-
poses MIR. Ogilvie gives the miners
bad reputation. He says: Il may say
that it is generally very difficult to get
any exact or even approximately exact
statement of facts or values from min ers.
Many Of them are inveterate jokers and
take delight in hoaxing The higher the
official or social position of the person
they hoax the better they are pleased.
have several times found that after
spending hours getting information from
one of them it would all be contradicted
by the next one met.
Another cause of difficulty In getting
trustworthy information from them Is
that in certain sense they consider
every government official or agent their
enemy and that ne is in the country to-
lspy upon their doings and finding out