The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1897-12-30
CITY OFFICIAL PAPER.
IET EXPEDITION GO ON.

4he Chamber OF Commerce wisely re-
fuses to recede from its early recon-
mendation that the government send
II ! relief expedition to Dawson. The
chamber II acquainted with the facts
and the government has likewise care
fully locked into them, and now nee.is
no msdGling advice from Seattle. Ia
coma or any other point. Besides. 1t liz
evident that conditions at Dawson en-
tiTsly justify the measures 30 far taken.
ard the expedition Ii a proper and
c0rninendabIe enterprise. II must be
remembered that II Ii the purpose TO
0eli these supplies at Dawson. Charity
win be dispensed only 10 far a. II ap-
pears necessary, and 1t has never been
claimed that any considerable part of
the people Of Dawson would consent 10
take supplies except through the ordi-
nary processes of barter and sale. So.
considered as a commercial scheme. the
United States viii be out nothing.
hut there are higher and stronger
reasons why the supplies should be
oent through. No person can foresee
conditions the middle OF February or
early In March, when 1t Is conceded
BY nj that present stores will be prac-
ticaliy exhausted. No supplies can be
taken up the Yukon until July. Before
that time the trails must be depended
on. The rush over them will be enor-
NOUS. and no one can foreteil their
condition. The several months between
March and July are likely to be critical
In Alaska and the Northwest territory.
The alarm about starvation In the
Kiondtke has been general. Nearly ev
cry newspaper correspondent at Dawson
In October took a grave view of the stu
alton. Practically every important jour
nAl In the United states published nc
counts In exact accord with the renor,s
In the Post-Inteiligencer one or two
newspapers. which have no special news
resources and were fortified by no sps-
ciai Information, purposety took the on
posite view. But they did not alter the
facts. The warning Of the Canadian
police at Dawson. who may be fairly
presumed to have acted only after care.
ful elaboration. is historic, Aztec the
receipt of the frat authentic news az
possible starvation. the posi-Inteiligen.
Ger said cditoriaik:
The situation az Dawson October IA
briefly stated w-s this: There Vas f,s.
about one-haif enough provisions 20 nro-
vide the eco residents until tie summer AZ
lSAs. when Il is estimated supplies nav b.
serleni~hed by the river route Tha author.
itics had warned all that an lfnmct7ist 70
movement must be made down the river
70 Fort yukon, where. ihey say. there are
provisions In abundance HUT the tourney,
must be attended by extreme hardship,
and terrible suffering. ana probably by
loss or life en- route. The alternative In
presented ef probable starvation n they
teraa.n. and certain danger OF death on
The way II they re. Meanwhile. people arr,
still arriving AT Dawson by the Score and
pGSUk shiASiNsksas tAA'ftst q SNFN add tN
the certain prospect OF severe suffering -
This was = true ana exact summary
OF the facts. IL turned out, however.
that IL Was much easier 10 10 down the
river than ever before known. and pvo-
pie wen. in large numbers But W.
do not set know how they are Caring.
and we are left In doub. as to sneir
nceda
So u appears that. In thS light % cir
cumrtanccs and Of facts as a. present
known. the relief expedition is a suai-
csoas and humane undertaking and
should be suffered 10 50 ahead without
interruption,