Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1897-09-18
THE HORROR BEGUN.
Food Vanishing Klondike Min
erS Face Starvation.
Not Allowed to Buy Long Time Sup.
ply OF Food.

SEATTLE, Washington, Sept; 16-The re-
action and horror in the klondike re-
gion has fairly begun. Starvation is
facing many OF the miners and the
winters suffering and mortuary list will DO
one OF horror. That there will DO privation,
scurvy and sickness throughout the Yukon
this winter no man going in doubts The
unholy greed for gold prevents even the
most timid from turning back. Warnings
now in the face Of danger have no more
effect than they did when hernIded
over the country before they started:
This fsays much for the courage and
self-reliance OF the hardy men who may
fools. 1t will be struggle for existence
they know, but they are men who believe In
themselves. At worst, they say,th blizzard
swept Chilkoot pass will give them help,
and over 1t they will go II need be. But
there are not dogs, Indian guides or
sleighs enough to take many out. The
strong will refuse to 90, and the weak
would leave their bodies to be buried to
the requiem Of the wolves on Alaskas
SHOWS. Your correspondent has met here.
going down the river, the Alaska CONNER
cial company's Bella with 100 miners and
about $4O0, 900 in bullion on board. They
say that at Dawson food was 80 scarce when
they left that at the trading company stores
notices had been posted that no more sup
plies would be sold until steamers coming up
the river should arrive. A number OF persons
and syndicates had tried to buy up large guam
titles Of supplies with view to trailing
upon hunger during the winter. To these
those buying for themselves 800 allowed to
purchase, and those only In small quantities.
The older settlers, who are known to be
buying for their own use, Will not be al
lowed to buy more than six months sup
plies. Not even the most favored can Sc
cure more than that.
In the mean time men from over the passes
arc coming in droves. When the Bella left
Dawson between 200 and $50 had arrived.
Most OF these had little or no food with them.
Those coming later will probably bring more,
a few enough to last the year, but most OF
them with less than sufficient for six months
sustenance. Two weeks ago there were, with
those who had lately come over the Chilkoot
pass, at Dawson, and in the country which
draws supplies from that place more
than 5000 men. There has gone In
by the river up to the present time
food for $500 men. The river steamers,
even with good luck, cannot bring up
enough for more than 2OO0 more persons.
There may be an exodus this fall OF those
who can get away from the Yukon II the
warnings Of the officials OF the transporter
tiOn companies are needed. Louis SlOss,
Jr., OF the Alaska Commercial company, u
passenger ON the Bella going down, SAYS
tuhL uo VIII tho poooVh6Oio VA sho
Excelsior who came up from San Francisco
and who are now at st Michael, to 90 back
on that steamer. and will offer to carry
them free of charge rather than see
them go to privation and hardship.
He advises the passengers on the
Hamilton to go back from Dawson unless
they can buy food to last them through the
winter. When he came aboard he was i'm
portuned by the men who knew him or had
letters to him for orders for food but all
were refused. "There is little food there,
and you must take your chances" he said.
81 hope that all those who can will go back,
and come to the Yukon In the spring prop
erly provided. Every man coming In now
takes necessary food for those who have
been there longer and who have the first
claim. To those who have been In the cOun-
try longest the preference will be given
The newcomers must understand this. They
have had ample warning, and IL they meet
with difficulties they have no one to blame
but themselves" The Palace, the leading
restaurant in Dawson, is being closed, and
the owners are going out for the winter, be-
cause they cannot buy food to supply their
customers. The wife OF an owner OF a
rich mine in the KlOndike, who Is passen-
ger on the steamer, has just received
a letter from her husband telling her to
go back, because he intends to leave for the
winter for fear of starvation. One good re-
1ult Of all this will be probably that many
will 60 to the old camps, where mine own
ers have In the last year been vainly
Offering wages at $40 day for men to work
in mines that are good, but not so rich as
those in Klondike. At'Circle City and Forty
Mile there were large supplies Of food sent in |
whom those were the leading mining towns
Of the Yukon. The stampede for the Klon-
dixie depopulated these places. Their dance
houses and saloons are closed and their log |
cabins deserted. Their glory has passed,
like that OF many camp in the more con-
genial climes OF California