Pullman herald. [volume] (Pullman, W.T. [Wash.]) 1888-1989, 1897-09-11
DEATHLURKS IN THE PASS
AVOID SKAGUAY. SAYS A TRUSTED
GOVERNMENT OFFICIAL.
hundreds of Men VIII Perish IL the
Crowd Is Augmented at
That Point.

Washington, Sept. S.-The treasury
department has made public the follow
ing letter received from a government of
neal now on the way to the gold fields,
stating at the same time that the writer,
whose name is withheld, had been II
years in the service and was thoroughly
reliable:
"Dyea, Aug. OF deem it my duty
to write you on a subject that does not
come strictly within my line of duty, as
1t trenches somewhat on the functions of
the treasury department. | have had
long talk with Mr.. Ivey, collector of
customs for Alaska, who is at present
at Skaguay, three miles below here. The
Skaguay trail is the most largely used
overland route Though by no means the
best to the Klondike. Mr.. Ivey in
forms me that there are now between
tide water and the lake something like
1000 people and about 1000 horses.
The commander of one of the vessels
now at Skaguay states that IL vessels
are chartered to land cargoes at that
place between now and the 18th of Sep
TENDER and that the number of passen-
gers will average POO to each vessel,
making 5000 more people who will at
tempt to go in this fall.
Il have talked with some of the most
experienced traders and miners in this
vicinity and they are unanimous in the
prediction that not over 20 per cent of
this vast number will get through to
Dawson before winter sets in. The other
so per cent will camp on the trail and
those who survive and get back to tide
water will have to winter at Skaguay
or return south. If the rush continues
two weeks longer hundreds of people will
perish.
"The postmaster and Indian trader at
this place (Mr Heron) states that more
than 1000 men have gone up the Chill
koot pass during the past 30 days and
that 700 of them are still this side of the
lake, "a miles from here. Vessels are
arriving every day or two, and at the
present rate of influx another thousand
will enter by the trail by Septmber TO-
Heron is of the opinion that not more
than 20 out of hundred will get through
and he says this trail is far more dan
gerous than the Skaguay after the snow
sets in. Heron says if the rush continues
another week the resultant foss of life
will be appalling. 1t it difficult to sug-
gest a way to stop this thrush of people,
but 1vey intimates that if the inspection
rules of the treasury department We're
properly enforced it would materially
decrease the number of passengers on the
incoming vessels. Nearly every vessel
that arrives here brings twice as many
passengers as the law allows it to carry,
and many of them are condemned craft
which have been fitted up for this trade
Il have talked with several men who
have recently arrived here from the
Klondike, two of whom left there less
than 80 days ago. They unanimously
agree that there is rich gold field
there. but the facts do not justify the
present stampede, and there is bound to
be much suffering and actual starvation
Provisions are already scarce and the
price of many articles is absolutely pro-
hibitory in the case of a man OF ordinary
means"