The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1897-09-28
CONDITIONS AT SKAGWAY.


The beach is low, and runs cut several
hundred yards and thon drops Oft into
deep water. At low tide the whole beach
Is uncovered, so the steamers lie outside,
and try 10 unload th air freight at hign
tide. Our vessel was soon surrounded by
iloot OF row boats and large Slwash
canoes. trying 70 pick w passengers. In
crowds on the deck we stood gazing In
wonder at tho scene before us. We were
yet too far of To see things distinctly.
The captain went ashore for a customs
officer. Others were eager To follow. No
a'tanpt Is To be- made TO unload, though
the weather is beautiful. fow Of us have
the inclination TO look at the truly grand
scenery with which wo are surrounded
snow and glacier Cal ped mountains, ris-
ing thousands OF feet uD from groen
sDearkling water. brrying their lofty
hoads In soft cotton clouds, are for other
eyes than those OF miners excited nv the
preparation for the real commencement of
the journey. / went. ashore with two
othefs--and such n scene as meets the
eye! Ii is simply bowiidering it is all so
strange. There are great crowds Of men
rowing in boats To the beach. then clam
herring out in rubber boots and packing
the stuff, anu settling IL down in little
piles out OF reacn OF the tide. Here are
little groups of men resting with their
| outfit Horses are tetSered out sngly and
in groups. Tents there are of every size
and kind, and men cooking over largo
sheet iron stoves set up outside. The
teHts are pitched without any regularity.
ana behind these are more tents and men.
and piles Of merchandise Eav, bacon
smoking, men loading bags and bales of
hay upon horses and starting off, leading
from ono 10 three animals along sort OF
| ldne-which seems nuv.i traveled--in tho
| direction Of n grOup Of small cOttonWoods
no ~ hn fru ,-l
| Pass. Everybody Is on the move except.
| ing those Just arrived, and each is intent
| upon his own business. There are some
| twenty-five hundred people here stretched
| along the roR1 batwcen the hay and the
| summit. There are not over one hundred
tents here at Skagway, but there might
| be more than five hundred persons
actually in the town.
Rough frame buildings Are going up
| rs quickly as men can handle scant.ing,
| and as fast as they are finished tney are
| turned into stores or warehouses There
are three or foIr hotels or restaurants:
and United States flag flying over n
tent is evidence Of the uresence of a
United states court commi ssiOner-tbe
| only representative IF government here
save that organized by the miners thpm
selves. large sign indicates the loca
| ton OF the correspondents of enterprisina
newspapers, and the half doze, news
piper men here gave US hearty well
| come. Men and horses are TRAVELLING "a
and FRO In never-endlug stream. There
are numl or OF women such as | met
being wives who are ACCOMPANYING their
husbands thus far, and most of whom
| will return.
Signs are ont announcing "Ontfits
| bought and sold." Discouraged men nre
coming down from the trail. and they
| have but one story to tell-o! terrih he
I -. Il. -
| IL in one place; tho road II it can he
called q road, is in terrible condition; not
one in ten will get over.
| talked with one or two determined
| fellows who came down to the boat and
who tat their peck .trains in on the trail
| From tho'e / heo ri different story. In
| ali. have talked with five or six got d
men, and they all agree that there /:
plenty Of trouble.
The road is good for four or five miles
| II is regular cinoh; after that, he'll
beg ins.
Some soy that not one in ten will get
over These are tho alarmists and ti q
excited ones a more conservative esti.
mate is that only four ont az ten Will get
| through, Oae party Of two were huiidinu
a scow, and whom | got back 20 the boat
they loaded all their belongings on II and
padded over 10 the steamer, whero they
held long talk with our mon, announo.
ing that they were tound for Dvoa and
Chilkoot Pass TheS claimed tho pass
here is blocked, while men GrJ moving
over tho Chilkoot even IL slowly. A.
! they padded away we admired their
pluch and gave them n rousinR cheer.
They did not lo1k like strong mon. nut
tncy smoked their pipos lravciv. All
their stun wns loaded OF the sCow. sirk.
iug 10 low in the water. There were
sacks and boxes and two buggy wheels,
with which thov mean TO make narrow
pushcart IL l. pitifnL Their .ast word
was "Well. boys so will most YOU on
the other sido of tire mountain" We
wondered IL thoy would. Special Cores.
.I.... IL Al -. MlAnI L..