The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-08-30

The Portland was the first steamer from
Alaska to verify the news of the great gold
strike. 1t reached here July IT, although
two days before the Excelsior had arrived
at San Francisco with the first news. The
story from San Francisco was doubted
until the Portland arrived with $780, 900 in
gold and wonderful tales of the rich find
Since then the Portland has made q trip to
ST. Michaels island, at the mouth of the
Yukon, and it wildly expected she
would bring back 100000 in gold and many
more exciting stories. AS a matter of fact
August is the busy month with the miners
and few of them would be ready to return
on this trip. The next journey of the Port
land may have all of $4,000 900 to bring back
Capt. William Kidston, in command of the
steamer reported a pleasant voyage, and
explained the delay of three days in reach
ing Port Angeles by stating that a very
serious storm at st. Michaers delayed the
discharge of his cargo. He laughed when
told of the reports that the Portland was
carrying over 50, 100000 in gold. AS matter
of fact, he said, there was only little more
than half that sum in gold dust and mug
gets on board of his vessel. Up to the time
he left st. Michaels he had heard of no
newly discovered gold fields.
Among the Portland's s passengers from
ST. Michaels is Timothy Bell, who has with
him $4,000 in gold, which he dug from a
claim that cost $125 900. William Ogilvie
Dominion surveyor, says the six hundred
claims now staked out will yield $780, 000 000
From a member cf the Portland'S crew it
was learned that Captain Kidston had eX-
pected the Weare, one of the company S
boats, to come down the Yukon with about
81, 900 900 worth of nuggets and gold dust
but as she did not arrive in time he decided
to bring down the treasure on his next
trip. The United States cutter Bear, 1t is
said, will guard the Portland on her next
trip from St. Michael's to Seattle. AS most
of the miners will make their cleanup
by that time, it is expected that the Port
lands cargo will be u very valuable one.
H. N. STANLEY'S REPORT.
H. N. Stanley, who went to St MichaePs
for the Associated Press, returned to this
city on the steamer Portland He says: Il
have been seven weeks at the mouth of the
Yukon at ST. Michaels where L saw all the
miners coming out and interviewed them.
AS a result 1 feel it my duty to advise
everybody to stay out until next spring.
Wild, and in many cases exaggerated, re-
ports have been circulated since the first
discoveries were made. The strike, how
ever was and is one of the greatest, if not
the greatest, in the worlds history. Prob
ably 81, 600 900 was cleaned up this spring,
and next spring look for from $1,000 600 to
81, 900 900. The fields have hardly been
opened up as yet but those going in now
must bear in mind that everything in that
region was staked long before any reports
reached the outer world, and that those go
ing in now must prospect for themselves,
buy claims from the present owners or
work for the owners.
mo new strike has been reported up to
the time of my leaving, and another may
not be made for five years, although Alas
ka is an enormous country and Will yet,
l believe, produce more golu than we dream
of But it is also in many ways a bleak,
barren, deSolate country-a country inca
pable of supporting any great amount of
animal life and of such rigorous climate,
both winter and spring, that none but
the most hardy can possibly live in it.
Even they must have abundance of food
and warm clothing. 1 am aware there is
a popular impression that supplies can be
bought in the vicinity of the mines. They
may at present buy at six times Seattle
prices, but they are taken at even those
figures faster than they can be got, and
before winter is half over, if the present
population stays in, there will be actual
starvation. The average man requires
about one ton of carefully selected food
and clothing for a years supplies. In the
summer of 1896 about $500 tons of supplies
went up the river, and the new population
u l,Jl
want OF this $500 tons probably 1900 tons
We're rum, tools, furniture and supplies 9th
er than provisions. This season, allowing
the most favorable circumstances, not
more than 1920 tons Of supplies can be got
up the river, fully half of which is rum
and tools, as well as supplies other
than food. There are more than three
times as many people there than last win
ter. Figure it out for yourself.
Grub was completely cleaned out this
spring and last winter there was such
scarcity that moose hams sold for $50 each.
flour Si20 per hundred, bacon 81 a pound.
What will happen this coming winter?
Why, will not people actually starve to
son was living in tents in July. Labor is
scarce and houses cannot be built. How
are seven thousand people to withstand the
rigors of a nine-months winter of semi
darkness, when the mercury goes 70 de-
grees below zero?
ut is true that last winter, the winter
succeeding the great gold strike, men were
scarce and wages were SIS day, but If
no new strikes be made what is to keep