Omaha daily bee., 1897-12-27
FOOD is SCARCE AT DAWSON
Reports Agree on THIS, but Disagree on
Probability OF Suffering.
PAY ENORMOUS PRICES FOR PROVISIONS
One Man Offers n Gold watch for n
Sack of Flour and IN I'm
able 10 Make the
Purchase.

SIoAGWlAY, Alaska (via Selttle, Wash),
Dec. 26,-John Lindsay Of Seattle, Wash, who
has Just arrived from Dawson, says there will
surely be starvation there this winter. He
examined into the food situation in a thor
ough manner, he says, and after satisfying
himself that there would be stirvation, he
sold his outfit and in company wiSA Frank
Ballaine OF Olympia, Wash, Tom Story of
Victoria, d. c., and Bob Glynu of Seattle
started out on foot, every man drawing a
sled, each of which carried about 160 pounds
of provision. Lindsay says the Dawscn peo-
plo believe there is no great amount of food
at Fort Yukon, as hos been alleged.
The river rose sufficiently and remained
open long enough to enable food supplies to
havo been brought from Fort Yukon had
there been any there. The people of Dawson,
believing there were not ample food supplies
at Fort Yukon, refused to go taere, prefer
ring to remain in Dawson. No more than
800 or 400 people took advantage of the trans
porhltion company's offer to take the people
to Fort Yukon free of charge.
Whou the miners at Dawson found that no
more provisions would reach the town by the
river route they announced that a meeting
would be held to take steps for apportioning
the provisions in the town. Those who had
plenty, tHey SdlQ, must snare WITH luOeG WHO
had none. Captain Constau9ine of the north
west mounted police interfered and told the
miners that no such thing would be per-
mitted. The meeting was not .held.
CANDLES COME HIGH.
Lindsay says the output of the mines will
be greatly curtailed this winter because of
the scarcity OF food and light Coal oil sold
for $i5 galcu and candes are as high as
$3.50 for box of 100 Even If men were able
to work their claims they cannot get light to
do So
These statements are borne out by all re-
turning Kloudikers, quite n number of whom
have reached bere the last week. Few of
them, however, take as gloomy view of
the situation as does Mr. Lindsay.
DR.. B. l.. Bradley OF Roseburg, Ore, says
that food is scarce. but he does not think
there will be actual starvation. Neither Dc
w. B. King of Merced, Cal; p. ]. Holland
of Butte, Thomas Story of Victoria, or Rob
ert Glynn of Seattle, all of whom reached
here this week from Dawson. the most OF
them having left there on November ..
As an instance of the scarcity of food in
Dawson Lindsay relates the case of DR.
Vanzandts, formerly of Spokane, Wash
| VanZandts is an elderly man and being
without provisions or money, he offered G
| gold watch for sack Of -four. He coult
no. get it and remarked 20 Lindsay GOD
onl" knows how l am to keep body ant
soul together"
| PROSPECTING IN NEW FIELDS.
Lindsay says 200 or more miners are pros
pecting at the mouth of Stewart river, bu
nothing is known yet what success they
| have achieved.
| Henderson creek, five miles below Stewar
| river and forty miles from Dawson, is
promising stream and 1t is being developed
| this winter.
The weather about the Stewart and Bis
| Salmon rivers has been bitterly cold n
| degrees below zero being recorded at Majo,
| Welshs camp, twelve miles below the Bi,
Salmon river, on November 80. The Yukol
river between Dawson and Fort Pelly froz,
| completely over November IS. The rive
ss piled full of ice in great ridges as higi
| as an ordinary house and a roadway will
have to be cut through it before dog o
horse teams can operate upon it. The out
look, therefore, for taking supplies down t
Dawson in the immediate future is no
| good.
Inspector of Mines McGregor left here
week ago with a number of dog teams AM
horses to make the attempt to reach Dawson
| wi.A about twenty tons of provisions bu
| nothing has since been heard of hin,