The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1897-09-11
MUCH DISTRESS At DAWSON
Stores Closed, as They Have Nothing
to Sell.
NOT GOLD BUT FOOD IS NOW WANTED
Famine Threatens the Advcnturers
ana womrn-signs Of Winter Az
parent-Indignation Meetings.

San Francisco. CAL. September lo.--The
Alaska Commercial company has received
news that the steamer Cleveland from st.
Michaels has passed Vancouver Islands
She reports that the Excelsior has Put
back TO onaiaska in disabled condition.
San Francisco. Cal. September 10. Tho
Examiner prints an extra edition contain
Ing the following news from Dawson City;
"ottcr Point. h. c.. September 10. Tho
steamer Cleveland has. arrived from St.
Michaels. bringing with her from the Yu-
kcn gold fields story Of distress and dis
nsters. The miners she has on board and
officers in charge OF the ship all tell the
story OF disaster and distress at Dawson
The winter has set in at the mining city
of the frozen North and the two great
stores OF the place have closed their doors.
for they have nothing to sell. Those who
have been seeking gold now must seek
food or starve While there may be a ten
dency to exaggcate the actual condition OF
affairs there can DO no question that ia
mine threatens the adventurous men and
women who made their way to Klondike
Hundreds OF unruly spirits are ilochlng to
Dawson. Threats OF violence are being
made on every side. Indignation meetings,
heavy with uttered threats of vengeance.
are being held at st. Michnels by those
who have little hope OF advancing up the
river and less Of getting back to ciyiiiza-
ton. The first signs OF winter are appar-
ent on the river Yukon. which Is beginning
to freeze, and In few weeks will be
closed. Enormous prices are now being
paid for food ut Dawson, and 1t is lnpos-
sible that more than four vessels with pro.
visions can reach Dawson before the river
IL q mass Of ice.
On the Cleveland there are 3St pAssen-
gers. men. women and children, who have
come from Dawson City. There nre q few
miners in this party that are able to tell
OF prosperity. The most OF them wish
to exaggerate their possessions. and II one
were TO believe the stories they tell he
wonld say that the treasure ship In which
they have come carries 81. 900 900.
Captain Hail. master OF tho Cleveland.
says he has $780, 900 in his safe. The pursers
believe they can account for 100000 on
board.
The Cleveland has some OF the passen-
gers OF the p. b. Weare on board The
Weare left Dawson In timo to connect
with the Portland. had she not met with
n mishap and struck ON the flats above
Circle City. They report that on July %
stores OF the Alaska Commercial company
and Of North Trading and Transportation
company had no more food to sell Three
weeks before that timo the same COM
panies were unable to furnish OUTFITS and
when the announcement was made that
no more goods were for sale Consideration
followed on the part OF incoming miners.
Drunkenness and general disorder We're
rampant. and conservatives predict the
most serious consequences. There is gold
everywhere, but the people OF Dawson
want food more than they want gold
At st. Michaes there are not enough
structures to accommodate the crowd. and
scores OF people are livirg in tents.
Shortly before the Cleveland left st.
Michaels two OF the expeditions, those OF
the National City ard OF the South Coast,
held Indignation meetings, threatening dire
vengeance upon those who had brought
them there and were unable TO cnrry them
further. They had been left stranded about
ST. Michaels, and can not possibly reach
Dawson before next spring.
IL fortune favorS, four vessels viii be
able 10 reach Dawson from St. Michaels
before the Yukon river freezes. They will
carry provisions but Il is by no means GER
tain that they will reach the Klondike.
They offer the only hope for renewal Of
supplies.
August % the Excelsior left st. Micheals.
Reports were current that her treasure
amount TO million dollars, but there are
none on the Cleveland who can verify this
assertion. The Excelsior wax caught on
the dangerous flats OF the Yukon and broke
two blades OF her propeller. When the
Cleveland reached OnalasIsa she iSund the
Excelsior undergoing repairs. II Is pro3a-
bio that she left Onalaska Monday TO re-
sumo her journey south.
Shortly before the Cleveland left for Be-
attic the United States revenue cutter
Bear put into st. Michaele with Captain
Whitesides, his wife. the first and fourth
officers and four seamcn OF the steam
whaler Nevach. They are all that re-
mains to tell the terrible story. The Me-
yach was caught In ar Ice pick IN the
Arctic ocean. OF her crew forty-two were
lost, thirty-onc we're crushed In the Ice
or frozen to death. The Bear saw the yes
sells signals OF distt'5ss near Point Bar
stow and lott no time IN going To her as
sistanne The captain, his wife. two Of
ficers and four sailors were glad to leave
the dlsmantled. cripple ship. but nine pos
itiyeiy r,fused TO 60. They were lost In
the dosolate field Of Ice and IT IL feared
that they have persisted with their com
rades. The Cleveland also brings news
that when the Humboldt stopped at On
alaska on her journey 10 st. Michaels the
passengers were In open rebellion. They
began to realize that 1t would be impos-
sl5lc for them TO reach Dawson before
next spring. and they knew that misery
awaited them at st. Michaels. There were
open threats against w. ID. Wood. the or
ganizer and manager OF the expedition. and
II ie feared he may lose his life at the
hands OF the passengers
ROUTE TO THE YUKON.