The Norfolk Virginian. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 186?-189?, 1897-09-08
DEATH ON THE TRAIL
Sf1alllag Prospect far the AdYenturers
Surging Toward the KiondIke.
WARNING BY A GOVERNMENT OFFICIAL
Not Moro Than Twenty per Cent. OF
the Thousands on tho Trail Can
Got Through to Dawson Before
Wintor-Many WIFI Dto by the
Way.
washington, 10. G., sept. y. 1ss7.


Washington, D. c., Sept. 4. 1897.
me Treasury Department to-day
made public the following letter re-,
celved from a Government official now
q. DSea on the way to the gold field,
stating at the same time that the writer
whose name Is withheld, has been twelve
years In the service and was thoroughly
reliable:
'Dyea, August %, 1897,
deem 1t my duty to write you on
the subject that does not come strictly
WITHIN my line of duty, as it trenches
somewhat upon the functions of the
treasury Department. I had "a long
k taik with Mr. Ivey, Collector of Gus
TOMS Tor Alaska, who Is at present at
Skaguay. three miles below here. The
ekaguay trail is the most largely used
overland route Qhoush by no means the
pesO to the Klondike. Mr.. Ivey in.
iorms me that there are now between
tldewater and the lake something like
tour thousand people and about two
Thousand horses. The commander Of
one OF the vessels now at Skaeuay
statos that sixteen vessels are charter
cd to land cargoes At that place be-
tween now and the 18th of September,
ana that the number OF passengers will
average two hundred TO each vessel.
making 5000 more people who will at
tempt to go In this fall. l have talked
Wlth some of the most experienced trad
ers and miners in this vicinity and they
are unanimous In the prediction that
not over 20 per cent. or this vast num-
Der VIII get through to Dawson before
Writer sets IN. The other so per cent
%iu be caught on the trail, and those
who survive and get back to tidewater
VIII nave to winter at Skaguay or re-
ruHl south. If the rush continues two
weeks longer hundreds Will inevitably
perish on the trail, which is extremely
dangerous after the 1st OF October.
The postmaster and Indian trader at
this place (Mr. Heron) states that more
than 1000 men have gone UP the Chill
colt pass during the past thirty days
and that 700 of them are still this side
or the lake. twenty-four miles from here
vessels are arriving every day or two
and at the present rate OF influx another
thousand Will enter the trail by Sep
tember 10th. Mr.. Heron Is of the op-
union that not more than twenty out
OF one hundred will get through, and
ne says this trail. Is far more dangerous
than the Skaguay after the SHOWS set
In. He says If the rush continues an
other week the resultant loss Of life will
pc appalling. I attacn the greatest
weight to what he says. for the reason
that 1t Is to his pecuniary interest to
nave as many as possible come this way;
yet he advises an Immediate stoppage of
the stampede. 1t is dlmcult to suggest
a way to stop this m-rush of peoDle.
but Mn 1vey intImates that lf The In
spection rules Of the Treasury Depart
ment were properly enforced It would
materially decrease the number OF mas
sengers on the incoming vessels. Nearly
every vessel that arrives here brings
twice as many passengers as the law
allows Y to carry, and many uf them
are condemned craft which have BEEN
htted up for this trade.
MT lvey Will, no doubt, at once pres
ent the facts outlined above to the pro
per authorities. and / merely give them
20 you Tor your information. The sltua-
tion is appalling and tt IS impossible for
me adequately to describe the mad rush
Tor the gold fields. I had no conception
or its immensely till I saw II.
I have talked with several men who
have recently arrived here from the
klondike, two of whom left there less
than thirty days ago. They unanl-
mously agree that, while there Is n rich
gold field there the facts do not Justify
the present stampede, and they say there
is bound to be much suffering and ac-
tual starvation. Provisions. are al
ready scarce and the prices Of many
articles absolutely prohlbitory In the
case Of man OF ordinary means.
My usual good luck has attended me
here. Mr.. Heron, the postmaster is an
Old Montana friend and he has made
1t possible for me to go forward by
Indian carriers at the prevailing rate
CT cents per pound). taking precedence
over hundreds, many OF whom have heen
here two or three weeks. awaiting their
turn. F1e assures me he can make the
way easy for me at the lake In securing
a boat, etc. So ] feel comfortably sure
Of going right through.
"The mail facilities are very IN d here.
as the Postofilce Department has moi
made any allowance for the rapd
growth OF postal business. The postal
authorities here are powerlcss to cone
with the mass Of mail matter, and T
nave doubts as to whether this; letter
VIII reach It's destination. am forced
to close this letter to catch "A boat which
IS about to leave. and am leaving un-
said some things which shall have to
include In my next letter"
ROOSEVELT IT JOINS THE SOIIADRoN