Evening journal., 1897-09-11
FAMINE In KLONDIKE
Terrible News Brought by the
Steamer Cleveland
STORY OF DISTRESS AND DISASTER
Provisions Have Given Out In Dawson,
and st. nIichaels Is Little Better
OH-Forty-twO Men Lost From
the Whaler Nevach.

OlleT 1olnts -. - sept. ll.-lnt !
steamship Cleveland has arrived from
st. Michaels. bringing with her from the
Yukon goldhelds a story Of distress and
disaster. The miners she has on board
and officers in charge Of the vessel tell
the story.
The winter has set in at the mining |
city of the north. and two great stores |
of the place have closed theiS doors, for I
they have nothing to SELL Those who |
have been seeking gold now must seek
food or starve. While there may be a /
tendency to eXaggerate the actual con-
diton of affairs there can be no ques- !
tion that famine threatens the adven-
turOus men and women who made their
way to the Klondike.
Hundreds of unruly spirits are flock
ing to Dawson. Threats of violence are
being made on every side, Indignation
meetings. heavy with uttered threats of
vengeance, are held at St. Michaels by
those who have little hope of advancing
up the river and less Of getting back to
civilization.
The first signs Of winter are appar-
ent on the Yukon river. which is be-
| ginning to freeze. and in a few weeks
viii be closed. Enormous prices are
now being paid for food at Dawson.
|
vessels with provisions can reach Daw-
son before the river is a mass Of ice.
On the Cleveland there are SS pas
who have come from Dawson City.
There are few miners who are able to
tell of prosperity. Most Of them wish
to exaggerate their possessions, and If
one were to believe the stories they tell
he would say the treasure ship in which
they came carries $4,000. 600.
Captain Hail. master Of the Cleve-
land, says that he has 100000 in his
safe. The purser believes that he can
account for S150000 on board.
The Cleveland has some Of the pas
sengers of the p. 3. Weare on board
The Weare left Dawson City in time to
connect with the Portland had she not
met with a mishap and struck on the
flats above Circle City
Had No Food TO Sell.
The stores of the Alaska Commercial
company and the North American Trad
ing and Transportation company an
nounced on July % that they had no
more food to sell.
There is gold everywhere. but the
people Of Dawson want food more than
gold now. At st. Michaels there are
not enough structures to accommodate
, the crowd. and scores Of people are liv-
ing in tents
Shortly before the Cleveland left St
Michaels two of the expeditions. those
Of the National City and Of the South
Coast. held Indignation meetings
, threatening dire vengeance upon those
who had brought them there and were
1 unable to carry them farther.
= They have been left stranded at st
Mfrhao1c oonppf ,oeafblv rqQrl
- Dawson before next spring.
If fortune favors, four vessels VIII b'
able to reach Dawson from st. Michae
before the Yukon river freezes. They
win carry provisions. but it is by nj
means certain that they viii reach the
Klondike They offer the hope howev.
er, for a renewal Of supplies
a The Excelsior left st. Michaels on Aug
i 2S. Reports were current that her treas
e ure amounted to 81 100000 but ther'
l. is no one on the Cleveland who can veri
y fy this assertion.
0 The Excelsior was caught on the dan
i, gerous flats Of the Yukon and broke tw'
$ blades Of her propeller When tn
q Cleveland reached Unalaska she foun'
the Excelsior undergoing repairs. 1t 4
probable. however. that she left Una
laska last Monday to resume her jour
| ltg 10 the SOuln.
i The Cleveland also brings news tina
n when the steamship Humboldt stoppe
l. at Unalaska on her journey to ST. Mi
n chaels the passengers were in open re
bellion. They had realized that II woul
% be impossible for them to reach Daw
n son before next spring, and they kne'
that misery awaited them at st. Mi
chaels. There We're open threats agains
le w. d. Wood, the organizer and man
lie ager of the expedition. and 1t is feare
ID that he may lose his life at the hands q
n his passengers.
e. Shortly before the Cleveland left 70
n Seattle the United States revenue cut
n ter Bear put in at st. Michaels with Car
is tain Whitesldc. his wife. the first an
~ fourth officers and four seamen Of th
- steam whaler Nevach. They are a
~ that remain to tell the terrible story {
" death in the arctic.
lie The Nevach was caught In an ic
Sh pack in the Arctic ocean. OF her ere
rs AZ were lost. Thirty-one were crushe
er I'm the ice or frozen to death.
e. The Bear saw the vessels signals
NJ distress near Point Barrow and los
H. no time in going to her assistance. II
captain, his wife, two officers and fot
sailors were glad TO leave the dismar
Ho tied. crippled ship. but nine positivel
III refused TO go. They were lost in II
es desolate field Of ice. and IL is feared the
lg have perished with their comrades.
or