The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-09-08
STOP THE MAD STAMPEDE.
FAMINE AND DEATH STALKS ALAS
xA's HILLS IN WINTER.

The Government Urged to Put Forth
Its Strong Arm to Save Its CitI-
zens From Certain Destruction on
the Snow bound TrniIs-Character
OF the Vessels in the Alaskan
TIade-A Letter TO the Treasury
Department From an Alaskan on
cial.
Washington, Sept. THE treasury de-
partment to-day made public the following
letter from a government official now at
Dyea on the way to the gold fields, stat
ing at the same time that the writer,
whose name is withheld, has been twelve
years in the service and was thoroughly
reliable:
"Dyea, Aug. 22.-I deem It my duty to
write you on a subject that does not come
strictly within my line of duty, as It
trenches somewhat uron the functions of
the treasury department. l have had
long talk with Mr.. dvey, collector of GUS
toms for Alaska, who is at present at
Skaguay, three miles below here. The
Skaguay trail is the most largely used
overland route Though by no means the
besO to the Klondike. Mr. Ivey informs
me that there are now between tide Wa
ter and the lake something like four thou
sand people. and about two thousand
horses The commander of one of the
vessels now at Skaguay states that six
teen vessels are chartered to move men
and cargoes at that place between now
and the 18th of September and that the
number of passengers Will average two
hundred to each vessel, making $500 more.
people, who viii attempt to so In this fall.
II have talked with some of the most
experienced traders and miners in this
vicinity and they are unanimous in the
prediction that not over 20 per cent OF
this vast number will get through to
Dawson before winter sets in. The other
SO per cent. will be caught on the trail,
and those who survive and get back 10
tide water will have to winter at Sha-
quay or return south If the rush con-
tinues two weeks longer hundreds will
inevitably perish on the trail, which is
extremely dangerous after Oct l.
''The prominent Indian trader at this
place (AIr. Heron) states that more than
1000 men have gone up the Chilkoot pass
during the past thirty days and that 10
of them are still this side of the lake
(twenty-four miles from here).
Vessels are arriving every day or two
and at the present rate of influx another
thousand will enter the trail by Sept. 10.
Mr.. Heron is of the opinion that not more
than twenty out of 100 will get through,
and he saws this trail is far more danger
GUS than the Skaguay after the snow has
set in. He says if the rush continues an
other week, the resultant loss Of life viii
be appalling. attach the greatest
weight to what he says, for the reason
that it Is to his pecuniary interest to have
as many as possible come this way; yet
he advises an immediate stoppage of the
stampede. It is difficult to suggest
way to stop this thrush of people, but Mr..
Ivey intmates that if the inspection rules
OF the treasury department We're proper
ly enforced, it would materially decrease
the number of passengers on the incom-
ing vessels. Nearly every vessel that ar
riVes here brings twice as many passen-
gers as the law allows it to carry and
many of them are condemned craft which
have been fitted up for this trade. Mr..
Ivey will no doubt at once present the
facts outlined above to the proper author
tiles, and / merely give them to you for
information. The situation is appalling,
and it is impossible for me adequately to
describe the mad rush for the gold fields.
1 had no conception of its immensity till
I saw it.
81 have talked with several men who
have recently arrived here from the Klon-
dixie, two of whom left there less than
thirty days ago. They unanimously agree
that, while there is a rich gold field there,
the facts do not justify the present stam-
pede,and they say there is too much suffer-
ing and actual starvation. Provisions are
already scarce, and the prices of many
articles are absolutely prohibitory in the
case of a man of ordinary means.
MY usual good luck has attended me
here. Mr.. Heron, the postmaster is an
old Montana friend, and he has made it
possible for me to go forward by Indian
carriers at the prevailing rate (37 cents per
pound, taking precedence over hundreds,
many Of whom have been here two or
three weeks, awaiting their turn. He as
sures me he can make the way easy for
me at the lake in securing a boat etc So
1 feel comfortably sure of going right
through.
1.-THE mail facilities are very bad here,
as the postoffice has not made any al
lowance for the rapid growth of postal
business The postal authorities here are
powerless to cope with the mass of mail
matter and 1 have doubts as to whether
this letter will reach its destination.
am forced to close this letter to catch a
boat which is about TO leave. and l am
leaving unsaid some things which / shall
have to conclude in my next letter."
KILLED AT A CROSSING