The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1897-09-14
RETURNING
TO ESCAPE
STARVATION
Eighty Miners With Big
Sacks Leave Dawson on
the Steamer Bella.
TRADING COMPANIES SELLING
FEW PROVISIONS.
CORRESPONDENT Wall of "The Calr' Describes
the Meeting of K1ondikers on the Yukon.
Louis Sloss Says the Rushers
Are Crazy.

now than there were in the spring. How
many Thousand have come since or are
still coming it is impossible to say, but
they seem to be hurrying in as fast as they
can. If all the boats were doing all that
they might under the best conditions
there would still be a scarcity, but none
of the boats will be able TO make more
than one more trip. Two of tnem have
missed trip through mishaps and may
not be able to make another The Mar
guerite is stuck on a bar twenty miles
above Fort Yukon and the Weare is fast
in the sand thirty miles above there. The
Alice was compelled to leave her barge at
Fort Yukon, being unable to get it over
the bar at that place. This has cost the
Weare trip, although it IS expected that
the Marguerite will get off. She has also
already lost trip. She will come down
and take up the barge left by the Alice.
The Bella and Alice will be a BILE TO make
but one trip more before going into win
ter quarters. 1t may be estimated that
these mishaps to the Weare and Mar
guerite mean the loss of 1000 tons of pro-
visions in the camp, 500 each with their
barges. With the last boats, of course, it
will be known in Just what shape the
situation is, and those who wish to can
come down with them. The Alice and
the Bella can bring 900. l would advise
every man who has not sufficient food for
the winter to get out of the country"
McQuestion is going to San Francisco
on private business.
Charles Rupel of Tacoma, one OF the
party OF miners, comes from Munook
ahont vrh
lately. He says that the diggings on the
creek, while not so fabulously rich as on
the Klondike are good, and he would not
be coming out now but he feared the
scarcity of provisions. He believed that
very many on the Bella were coming out
Tor the same reason. And at the same
time he said the outlook on the Munook
was much better than further up, as the
bar at Fort Yukon presented such diff
culties to navigation that a quantity of
stores always rem aimed there.
Rupel said the boats were not carrying
in the provisions they might or should.
great deal of space and weight being given
TO whisky. 1t was Rupei who said the
Bella was taking out so, 600 ounces of gold.
Mrs. l. D. Barnes, a passenger on the
Hamilton, who is going In to join her hus-
band, who owns an interest in No u
Bonanza above, and No 3S Ell Dorado,
two OF the richest claims, received advice
from him to the effect that he is coming
out, and that they will both return with
the Hamilton. Mr.. Barnes partner,
George w. Vogel, was on the Bella on his
way out and brought this news to Mrs.
Barnes. The last Mrs. Barnes had heard
har hop OF
where an enthusiastic letter had advised
her to come to the diggings.
The effect of all this upon the big boat
load of passengers going into the country
is naturally very depressing. They have
been changed from party of buoyant,
en- IL usiastic gold-hunters into party of
grub hunters. The most important oues-
ton with every man on board now is not
how much to the pan he can take out, hut
whether he will be able to get enough
plain grub to keep him from starving.
The conversation hour by hour faithfully
reported would scarcely discover the fact
that these peoplee ever expected 10 find for
tune IN this wilderness, but would indi-
cate nothing more than that thew were
in an anxious quest for something to eat.
"a man who has provisions here is
rich" as expressed by a saloon passenger.
is the sentiment of all. A few have al
ready expressed a determination OF going
back if, upon arrival at Dawson, the re-
ports brought down are found TO be true.
The majority reserve Judgment for tho
last boat down" when they expect to be
in possession OF all the facts, while few
express a determination to stay in aay
case. For the returning miners going
toward plenty to eat with plenty where
with to buy 1t, have an air of such self
sati faction and tell such wonderful stories
of quickly ccumulated wealth that a
vivid Imagination is almost outdone.
There are four men on the Bella who have
between them in their satchels $100 600 in
dust and nuggets, and they stand guard
over it in regularly organized relieis
through the twenty-four hours.
Mr.. Knutson of Tacoma. part owner in
SO and 81, Ell Dorado, has taken out with.
his three partners, A. Olson, Arthur Sell
ers and Cornelius Vanalstine, 800, 900 from
six:box lengths.
Knutson has with him single chunk
OF gold worth 1888 25 taken by him from
claim So. Louis Sloss offered him $1,000
for it as curio but Knutson refused tue
offer. The claim sold by Bell, one OF the
party that went to Seattle on the Portland,
for $50, 900, No. Ell Dorado, is being nego-
tiated for by Henry Bratnobe, represent
ing the Exploration Company, composaH