The record-union., 1897-08-29

and summer, that none but the most
hardy can possibly live in it. Even
then they must have abundance of food
and warm clothing. 1t is therefore
simply suicidal to go in without
years supplies. 1 am aware that there
is a popular impression that such sup
plies can be purchased in the vicinity
OF the mines. They may be at present
at six times Seattle prices, but they
are taken at even those prices faster
than they can be got in, and before
winter is half over, if even the present
population stays in, there will be actual
starvation.
The average man requires about one
ton of carefully selected food and
clothing for years supplies. The
summer of 90 about $500 tons of sup
plies went up the river and the popu-
latfon of 1900 to 1000 suffered from
want. OF this $500 tons, probably
loo tons was rum, tools, furniture and
supplies other than provisions. This
| season, allowing the most favorable cir
cumStanceS, not more than i, 200 tons
of supplies can be got up the river, fully
half of which is rum and tools, as we'll
as other supplies than food There
are more than three times as many peo-
pie in there than last winter Figure
| it out for yourself. Grub was COM
pletely cleaned out this spring, and If
last winter there was such q scarcity
that moose hams sold for $50 EACH
| flour for $40 per hundred, bacon for
81 pound, what will happen this COM
ing winter? Why will not people act
ually starve to death?
AS to shelter, ninety per cent. OF
Dawson was living in tents in July.
| Timber is scarce, and houses cannot
| be built. How are several thousand
| people to withstand the rigors of a
nine-months' winter of darkness, when
the mercury goes 20 degrees below re
70?
''As to Iabor-it is true that last win
ter, the winter succeeding the great
strike, when men were scarce, wages
were $15 per day, but if no new strike
| is made, what is to keep wages up this
winter? There are but $40 claims on
Bonanza, FL Dorado and Hunker
Creeks that will probably be worked
this winter. An average of eight men
to each is, I think, liberal If but
2700 men are employed, and there are
| 5000 or more seeking work, what must
be the result? Wages must go down.
Ct am told that much grub has gone
over the divide, yet from what L know
I would wager my last dollar that not
to exceed 500 tons of surplus over and
above what the carriers ate will reach
the diggings. No man going in can ar
rive with more than a four months
supply. I am also told that there is
plenty at St Michaels. So there may
be, but after September 18th it might
as we'll be in New York, for to trans
port it by pack train or dog sledge
| over that 1900 miles of icy river is
absolutely impossible. There is not,
nor will there ever be, a dog train that
can take enough in to feed itself over
| 1,2O0 miles. Relief is, therefore, i'm
possible.
over the divide in the winter would
ions for the trip from Dyea to Dawson
any time before the spring breaks up
is an impossibility. Relief for those
caught in the KIondike after winter
sets in is, therefore, impossible and in
the name of humanity, I ask that a
stop be put to this wholesale transpor-
Let no man be allowed TO enter that
region unless he carries with him food
and clothing to last him a, year. There
are women and little children in there
to-day who should be sent out as far as
St Michaels before navigation closes.
81 hear much of the boats that are
| building to 60 UP the river, but aside
from the elegant steamer Hamilton,
finished by Moran Bros. Company for
| the North American Trading and
Transportation Company August 18th,
no new boat can be added to the carry
ing corps this fall.
THE Klondike is a land of ice and
snow, as we'll as a land of gold. Let it
not be made a land of gaunt hunger.
wretchedness and death. Let no one be
allowed to wrest from foolish people a
few hundred or thousand saved Dor
rowed or begged dollars. There will be
as good chances for mining in the fu
ture as now. Let the people wait. This
| is not a Cripple Greek or Deadwood
proposition. If caught, they cannot
walk out"