The San Francisco call., 1897-11-29

I
women and music there Is great scar
city of grub Eckert Seattle is the only
man who thinks there viii. be death from
starvation this winter. All the others,
including Gates and Dalton and Boyle,
say there will certainly be hunger and
suffering, but they do not think any
actual loss of life. Except one none ef
the many restaurants are open. This Is
the sign on the doors: "CIosed; no
grub" The restaurant at Circle City is
wide open and full of savory odors.
"Swiftwater BILL" otherwise William
c. Gates, brought out more gold than any
man of the twenty seven. Bills buck
skin sack weighed sixty pounds here,
equal 10 about $12. 800, at prevailing prices
for Yukon gold. the nuggets and dust
we're on exhibition a short time here IN
one of the stores and Bill was the center
| of attraction. He has become the most
noted character of Dawson. He Is the
! Goal Oil Johnnie" OF the klondlke and
the swiftest boy in Dawson, as his name
| helps to indicate.
| The archives OF Dawson do not contain
an account of the origin of the nickname,
and Bill won't tell how he got 1t. When
asked if he was "Swiftwater Bill' ne SAID,
with a grin, That's me-" Bill is unique
! figure. He wears a fur cap which comes
| to a peak, and it LOOKS as though 1t might
| have had a tasseI on it, lost on the trail.
He is otherwise enveloped in great,
| beautiful light-colOfed fur coat, buckskln
| breeches with fringes down the outside OF
the legs, fur leggings. moccasins with red
strings. a red cravat of bargain-counter
stvle. but the best that could be had In
Dawson, and it cost him 81 90, second
| hand at that. In the center of the craVat
blazes a real diamond the size OF pea.
! Next to pretty faces diamonds are Bill
weakness. On two fingers OF his left
hand scintiIlate two larger genuine dla-
monds. He bought the biggest diamonds
he could induce any one to sell at Daw-
son. Put under the fur cap a man OF
medium size, a round, dark complexione ed
face fripged with short, black beard and
lighted by deep, brown, shrewd, roguish
ewes and that is picture of the diamond
and gold king of the KIond:ke. Bill is
..going below" to show the boys how to
SPEND money, and Boyle says he will
"bIow'' it all. He IS going to Seattle,
Snokane and San Francisco and if he finds
he has time, TO Chicago and New \ ork.
Three Indians came out from the Iukon
with the party. One of them, Indian
Charlie. Bill will take with him as a mas
cot and to have fun in giving the Indian
his first taste OF real life in civilization.
They say 1 m broke, but they don't
know me-" said Swiitwater Bill, replying
TO question. 'I ~ going down below on
2 little trip to have some fun and see old
friends. Me, soft mark? Well, guess
not. I'm hot number, 1 am"
What do you think of the Klondike p
Greatest camp on earth.''
What is your advice to people who in
tend to 60 in there p
Take plenty of grub and don't be in
rush. The gold will take care of itself till
it's found.
Bill was greatly i'm pressed with souaw
at Dalton Post, where the party stopped
day and half. He gave her $500 in dust
and bought her a red shawl and $50 worth
of provisions. When asked if he expected
to see his former Dawson City flame, Miss
Gussie Lamore, in San Francisco, Bill said:
"GussieP Yes, | expect to call on her"
and lis smile had a far-away look full OF
reminiscence. He did not deny present
ing her with $4,000 when she was on the
stage in Dawson. Bill is said to have in q
pouch in bis cartridge belt letter of
credit on the Alaska Commercial Com
pany at San Francisco for 500, 900.
He would neither confirm nor deny
this. He chuckled to himself. One of
Bill's visible characteristics is that he is
yery fond of "Swiftwater Bill" Foryears
he knocked around Spokane and Rossland,
B. c., comparatively broke. He says he
was once a forem in the Lerol mine. He
went into the ukon three years ago and
happened to be one of the first in the Klon-
dixie and located on one OF the best Claims
on Ell Dorado Greek, in which he still has
an interest He owns other claims. He
saws he will return to Dawson next Feb
ruary or March.
William Leake and James Ferguson
are other rich men OF the party. They
own an interest in one of the best claims
on Bonanza Creek. They brought out
only moderate sized sack. Currency.
convenie TO carry on the trail, cost $l5
per $10O al Dawson. They will return next
spring. They tell the same story of lots
OF gold. bui little grub.
Every man of the three parties whom l
talked with said that as many people will
leave Dawson by the upriver rou coming
down to salt water over the Dalton, Dyea
and Sksguay trails as car leave, number.
ing not less than several hundred. Be-
tween fifty and one hundred men, they
said, are coming out behind them.
small steamer named the Takola is
running from Dawson 10 the Pelly Rive
and charging 5000 per passe niger.
JACK Dalton said: twenty-five or
thirty dog teams were getting ready to
leave when we left Dawson. l think the
parties coming out will get through all
right. as so many will keep the trail open.
When the Canadian police posts are es-
ia tabished, which will be soon, that " i'll be
great help to those coming up the river
to Lake Bennett. Ed Thorpe is stuck on
the trail near WhiLe RIVER with four of
his eighteen horses dead, and he is short
of grub and may be in some danger. We
let him have eighty pounds of -four, eight
pounds of bacon and some dried fruit
His father turned back with the cattle
and got out. Provisions are about the
same in price in Dawson as they have
been for two months-$1 per pound for
-four, for instance. Grub will be mighty