The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1897-12-15
the outfsting and distributing center Of
Alaska and the klondlke.s


Alaska and the KlondGke"
Enoch 3. Richards. OF Chicago. f.
conservative business man whose ex-
periences IN countless iurrses In the Chi
cago wheat market have tougnened him.
and wncEe observations made In almost
q score Of years OF active business life
have sbarpened his perceptive faculties
and meiiowed his Judgment. II Is not
unnatural that such a man should De
quick 10 point to some OF the famsy, IN
substantial transportation and mining
companies that have been formed to pluck
the unwary In the kl0ndike movement.
Such companies are quite common In
the East" he said last night at the But
Ter hotel. They are designed TO catch
tns creduious. and OF course they will
hurt some people. But business has got
TO that stage in Chicago and the East
where such enterprises are not received
generally. and unless man Is Well
youshsd for he does not secure hearing.
1t ID natural that in such a movement as
that now headed toward Alaska and the
Pacific Northwest there should be men
VINO would attempt TO do business with
Out capital. but these institutions are not
70 De taken as an index OF the character
OF all transportation companies. There
is a great deal Of Chicago capital inter-
ested In developing Alaska and the North
west territory. and doubtless more will
De invested In similar enterprises.
Seattle ID spoken Of generally In rela-
ton to the mines Of the klondike. We
In Chicago have very kindly feeling for
tf'is city and great interest Ia Its well
fare and progress. II is regarded In the
East as a seaport city OF great impor-
lance and bright future"
Although Mr.. Richards has retired from
active business life, his visit to the Pa
IN in
although Ii Is combined with pleasure
he viii be in Seattle several days.
a letter has been received from Judge
Richard Osborn. dated at Dawson, DC
tober 3. In which he announces his safe
arrival Ct the mines after q trip full Of
such hardships as fal! ordinarily to thu
iot OF the kiondiker. His general OBJ
Servations On the conditions prevailing
at Dawson are of interest He says:
Inc Yukon Is full OF floating Ice and
the kiondike river is frozen over entire
W. IN the first night OF our arrival here
we piled up our goods In the back room
OF saloon. and were thankful for the
accommodation. We will cut up our
boat to make place to store our goods
until we can take them to the mines.
We are going to a claim owned by a son
OF W. x. Dodson. OF Bloomington, and
VIII work II on half shares. A cabin il
being butt on the claim. and when Il IS
nnlsheo We VIII go UP there with enough
supplies to last short time. As soon as
the river freezes hard enough we can
take In the balance of our stun on sIeds.
I'VE viii have 10 take great care of our
1000. a sack OF -four could be sold here
for $loo. If had plenty Of grub I could
make fortune trading II for shares In
mines / paid SIS here last Thursday for
a pair OF heavy blankets. Beef sells for
u and 3l.5o per pound: and fish 81 per
pound. Workingmen get from S12 to SIS
q DAY. Only men with plenty OF grub
can get work. Gold Is plentiful. but ba-
con cannot be purchased at any price.
I'VE think we will have food enough to
carry as through by using the strictest
economy. Hundreds OF men recently ar
rived are In no better fix than we. A
great many who did not have grub enough
to keep them have gone away"
A. 8. Chapman. of Madison. Ind, who is
editor of the Madison Democrat. a daily
paper, superintendent OF construction of
the new postoftice that Is being erected In
MS city, president OF the Southern In
diana Press Association, and vice presi-
dent OF the Indiana Democratic Editorial
Association. is In the city.
Mr. Chapman Is not on his way to the
klondike. but he has come to Seattle to
paper with authentic reports received from
those coming out OF the new Eidorado
Mr. Chapman says the people OF Indiana
are just as much worked up over the
Klondike gold fields as are the people OF
this section. and he Is satisfied that there
IS not town in his state that will not
send out at least one man. and from many
OF them are coming whole companies. 4
company. composed largely of women with
substantial financial Interests. has been or
ganiyed In his city TO build and
equip a dredger 10 be worked rals-
ing gold from the bottom OF the Yu-
kon. All the plans had not been
perfected before he came West and he did
not know how they proposed TO bring the
dredger to the Coast, but presumed 1t was
the intention TO ship II out here by rail
all ready TO be put together. have II trans
ferred here to a vessel and taken to ST.
Michael 20 be set UP and taken UP the
river. Mr.. Chapman Is captIvated by he
Sound country generally and Seattle par
ticuiarly. He expects 10 remain here a
week or so.
]. J. Nancy. the contractor on the for
tincAtions at Admiralty head. knows
what Il Is TO walk twelve miles through
rain and mud over beach road and rail-
road tres,les. He was on a Great North
ern freight train that was stalled Mon
ttaE ny Nlc At tA3tAHibtfu
His business In Seattle was urgent and
at / o'clock In the afternoon he started
out to "hoof IT, 20 the city. He reached
here at O'Clock IN the evening, wet to
the skin, tired and muddy. He describes
the storm on the Sound Monday morning
as the worst he ever saw.
bay ard Edmonds were carried on fwy
Incius c. Pease, until recently connect
Cd with the Portland oregonlan, and a
newspaper artist we'll known on the Coast.
arrived In the city last night. In com
pany with f.. ID. Wishaar. Mr.. Pease will
start IN few days 20 make the winter
trim 10 the Kiondike IN the interest Of TIE
Observation-Disclosures Alaska News Syndicate
They viii go from here 10 Skaguay. then
over the White pass 10 the lakes, making
the distance from Skaguay 20 their des-
t,nstton with oxen, which will be taken
from bare.
circular was received ~ the Offices
OF the Northern Pacific In this city yes
terday from the Office of the general su-
nArintenaent at ST. Paul, announcing the
appcfntr,ent Of Charles Russell % the 20
sltiou 81 superintendent Of the Rocky
mountain division. made vacant by thu
transfer OF Il. J. Pearson 10 the Pacific
division.
State Superintendent Frank ]. Browne
WIS In the city yesterday. He Will visit
Tao orna the 18th inst 20 attend a meeting
49, haa - ~ ct 81 Par