The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1897-08-23


little daily happenings are all We have TO
chronicle.
We shall never forget the scene as the
Portland east OF her lines and steamed
away from Seattle on Ter long voyage To-
wards the land Of gold. The sea Of faces
on the wharf ali turned towards Us with
smiles and tears o. farewell will 1--we long
IN our memories. II was no light feeling
that took those hundreds Of people from
business and pleasure and kept them stand
ing on the wharf hour after hour, waiting
the late departure OF the steamer. in order
70 bid US goodbye and good luck, and give
as last wave OF hat and handkerchief,
ana when their ringing cheer came over
the water 10 Us as our good ship steamed
away, more than one on the deck said:
we shall have good luck, for we have
the hearts and good wishes OF Seattle with
US" And cheered by that thought we
sailed away On our !, duo-rn.le voyage to the
klondike.
We are q Seattle crowd on this ship but
with goodly number Of outsiders added
on and ali sorts and conditions Of men
are gathered together here from all parts
Of the glooe-merchants. mechanics. bank
ers, bakers. lawyers. Iaborers, real estate
men, electricians. clerks and comedians
but so far as your correspondent can as
certain no doctors. either OF medicine
divinity. II is a very interesting crowd.
You can go from a conversation with an
old Seattle friend TO a talk with a man
fresh from the diamond mines and gold
fields Of South Africa, who will reel off
anecdotes Of Cecil Rhodes and Barney Bar
nato. or you can listen to the remsnis-
cenees Of man who was in charge OF the
telegraph lines on the Isthmus of Panama
during the palny days OF the canal, or
hear the mining stories Of a man who has
returned from Australia.
Two things strongly impress the observ-
er First, the suddenness with which the
decision TO seek fortunes in the gold fields
was made. Hardly man on board had de-
c.ded to go a week before he started, and
a number decided, made their prepara-
ton and left all inside Of twenty-four
hours. Second, the exceedingly small
number Of miners there are among them.
There are a few, but you can count them
on your fingers and the rest of them have
never even seen gold pan, much less
welded a pick in the "diggings." 1t is a
''tenderfoot" crowd, but they say that on
the Yukon Is where the 'tenderfoot' -four
ishes, and that he often makes the
Strikes the practical miner misses.
All are hopeful TO a man, and not one have
I heard regret the step he has taken.
though now and again a pensive face tells
of thoughts that are with the dear ones left
behind.
Tn the second Gay OUT We SlgAIe1 the
schooner Fischer Brothers, and she SEEM
ed to be making good progress. The winds
have been fair with us for several days
past, and II she Is catching the same
winds she must be bowling along at good
rate.
For the first two or three days the
wind came brisk from the west, and
there was a considerable swell. and a
good many OF the passengers failed 10
on oh ny az tab lint Q{yp
that time the sea has calmed down and
we have had delightful running, and ev-
erybody is on deck and no meals are
missed.
The steamer Is loaded full with provis-
ions and supplies and has deck load Of
lumber that extends above the top of
the usual guard rail, and a new rail- has
been improvised Of rope and scantlugs.
and piled all down the center OF the deck
are crates Of vegetables and sacks of po-
tatoes. In fact, there is cargo every
where. Our promenade deck is the top
of the lumber. and when the ship is
pitching a little we need TO have our sea
legs on. The vessel Is very steady how
ever. and appears TO be good sea boat,
though We have had no storm to test her
and there seems 10 be no likelihood of
one.
Captain Kidstou and the other officers
OF the ship are efficient and attentive,
| and do all they can for the comfort OF the
passengers. The staterooms are COM
forta HE and the beds good. Every room
on the ship Is occupied and there are a
number Of passengers In the Storage
VINO would be In the cabin had IL been
possible 70 find room for them, but they
| say. philosophically. wen get TO the
klondike just the same, and that's what
we want"
The cabin fare is excellent and unus-
!
| good considering that the number of pas
sengers makes 1t necessary TO serve the
meals Ia three relays.
The steerage passengers say that the
food at their end of the ship is sufficient
in quantity bat complain ofs want of
variety and a lack OF vegetables and
| fruit.
There are III passengers in the cabin
and steerage, and the company IS taking
up ten longshOremen to help transfer
cargo from the Portland 10 the river
| steamer that VIII take US 2 LOO miles up
| the Yukon 10 Dawson city.
There Is a great deal OF speculation
among the passengers as 70 whether the
! new steamer Hamilton will be COM
plesed by the time we reach 81. Mi
| chaels. and from al that ne can learn
/ the prospect is that she viii De nearly If
| rot quite ready by the time We arrive.
| William Moran and c. il. Almond, who
arc going 20 the Klondike together. are
! aboard, sEd say they are ready TO lend
! a helping hand in putting the finishing
{ touches GA the Hamilton Il necessary.
/ We DO not look Tor any prolonged delay
at 81 Nichaels as the company has
other steamers beside the Hamilton
( that can De used 80 take Us up the river
/ IN case tAe Hamilton cannot be com
+ piejed III time.
/ Very few Of the Seattle men are going
! 20 tho klondlke alone and generally
speaking they are in parties Of from
/ t~o 70 four Gen Carr. Gov. Mctiraw,
( the governors son and yolT carrssl9oa6eas
! are enc party. George Poison and Cart
Z 4. =. EAl3et win Try fortune tczether. :
( A. Ogden. ; u. Peters. G.. l.. store and
/ James AyI.aasui.u make up 6 party e
1 four. Walter Hail. H. a Rireiow ard his
sou VIII work tos ther .n The quest FOR
/ claims. aud r. T. Russell and Nelson r.
t1w1er WI 1oia IN the search Tor mug
/ gets. 4 = I-lywellyn goes 20 the Klon-
Z uiEa aec0rg panied Ev RS wife who tgnEv
( o1 tee br Eat side * everything. and does
Uot seem So the least alarmed at TIE
/ poss bie harcships q the expedition.
{ Thero are number 90 other Iaaies
/ aboard soEse accompanylnE thelr husts-
allas oa th.s trtp. and others retdtnsn<
/ tteir husbands already located on ene
/ kloadike- Amons yhe passengers vFhe
/ GO net GONE frora SF2tt5e are q SIS HEAVY
I d41E nttr 90 capt tfeazy. % Dawson CITY
! and the5~ friend. Mss BearIer VINO Ia
j sotnE up the Yukon for tie gnp. and sfn
( prce@n.T Feturn on the next steamer
( We have ALSO acoard g. So l.. AaektF-
tosA, son ~ 1ae lieutenant gove NOR Ct
{ the %grt1wesj Territory. Arthur nsl6-
/ wlB. son % Il r. BALDWIN. agent - he
+ SorgA American Commercial Company az
{ DHEeh haEflr T-raHazks ard 3 q Css44.