The copper country evening news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 18??-1907, 1897-08-18
SHOT A STARVING NAN
Was Caught Stealing Bacon from
Klondike Prospectors.
RACK SIDE COMING INTO VIEW.

cain, warning Given by Returning Gold
u,,ters. Who Say the Country Is "a Ver-
,,,hle Death Trap-The Passes Cannot
na CONSOLIDATE Corners Must Halt in
the valley, Prey to Disease. Hunger
and Criminals.
San Francisco, Aug. lS.--In the mad
,ush for Klondike gold men are already
carving to death. OF the thousands
NOW fastening to Alaska many will new
:, return. Their bones will bleach un-
dor the SHOWS Of the deadly passes.
cold there is in plenty But it Is not
easilv obtained, and this is not all. star
walton. disease, treacherous Indians,
desperadoes wEo will commit murder
for biscuit, frightful storms and all
the perils Of an unknown, inhospitable
and barren country await the inexperi-
enced.
Men who are abandoning their homes
m ioin the mad scramble for the new Eel
Dorado should remember that once they
have passed over the gang plank Of the
Alaskan steamer there is no way OF
getting back unless they turn about i'm
medately while they have money for
transportation and strength to Chamber
into the boat
Account Given by George l.. Fish.
over the entrances to White and Chill
Root passes there might well be strung
the legend "Who enters here leaves
hope behind" for it is the sheerest luck
if a fair percentage of those going in
ever return to civilization or live to see
fruition of their wild hopes. one of the
clsarest accounts Of the situation at
Dyea and Skagaway, where several
thousand prospectors are now camped
waiting to get over the divide, was Civ
en- by George l.. Fish, a prominent gro
Ger Of Oakland, Cal, who made the trip
in order to see whether there was any
chance for rushing supplies into the
Klondike this fall. He found the out
look hopeless. He said:
IF you want to do a service to hui
manity advise men and women TO stay
4 away from Dyea and Skagaway. The
day left Dyea there were three funer-
ais Two were those Of young men who
had attempted to cross Dyea river. The
last funeral was that Of a young man
who had reached the summit of Chilkoot
n pass He was entirely out Of provisions,
and, goaded to desperation by starva-
ton, he stole a side of bacon. He was
a detected by two Of the party from whose
outfit he STOLE and was shot to death.
An inquest was held and the verdict
N was justifiable homicide
Starvation and Death.
AT least 5000 people are camped at
Il Dyea and Skagaway, and the majority
will remain there through the winter.
> Starvation and death will stalk among
them. There are many lawless adven-
turers in the two little towns on the
bleak coast; men and women of stripe
"a who will not hesitate at the commission
Of any crime when money and food be-
come scarce.
II was ashore for nearly three days,
during which time I made close obser-
walton. People who had arrived at
Il Dyea two weeks before had been una
bic to move owing to lack Of transporta-
ton. There were 1.5O0 people between
4 Dyea and the summit, and this included
many women. There were about $500
from Skagaway road to Dawson through
the White pass and down to Lake Ben
nett 1t is impossible to get through
: the pass and there is a swamp OF sever
or eight miles to cross before reaching
Lake Bennett"
He said few Of the prospectors mac
the courage to advance, and many hac
n no money to return.