The San Francisco call., 1897-11-29


She unloaded that, but i'll going back
struck the gravel very hard twice. bound
ing rather than floating over the shallow.
She pat on lighter load :han before, but
could not get up again. None OF the other
steamers had arrived at Fort Yukon at
the time Captain Hanson left. but the fact
that none o! them has overtaken him is
30 him conclusive that they cannot get up.
Every body on the river has got confidence
in the ability OF Captain Dixon of the
Bella to overcome the difficulty.
The cry has been all along the line since
that 1.-The Bella will get here" But the
Bella does not get here, and Captain Han
son, 10 whose company she belongs,
shakes his head even with regard to that
mascot.
The situation has now resolved itself
definitely" said Captain Hanson this
morning. 1--WE cannot supply provisions
for the camp, and those who have not
supply to last them | would advise TO go
away anywhere v re they may secure II.
We have now 502 orders on the books
which we may be able TO fill. When
left for down the RIVER, believing as did,
that 4 steamer would get through, l gave
OIuStS l44dt -OU IlIOlS Ol0S1o lIiS-1It 10 i4otCO
from the miners, conditional upon a
steamer coming to fill them.
"a man was sent up among the miners
and orders taken there from those who
seemed most needy. But we will not be
able to fill those orders. The only things
We have IN The house In the way of pro-
visions IS a little sugar, about 125 cases OF
canned corn, fifty boxes o; dried fruit and
few boxes of evaporated onions. Con-
densed milk and tomatoes gave out yester-
day. Something gives out every day;
-four and beans gave out on the first OF
the month and rice on the 18th. | do not
know OF any person who has an extra
or full supply OF provisions, and very
many OF the miners will have TO shut
down. Alex Mcdonald is said to have an
outfit for twelve men. and the Berrys for
seven. These are the largest outfits that
know of, but L would not say that they
have a supply for them. know of others
who would like to work twice that num-
Der of men, but who will rot be able to
work any"
Captain Healy OF the North American
Trading and transportation Company has
no sunshine TO throw on the situation. He
said this morning: 1--WE nave not twenty
five pounds Of -four 10 the man. We have
Il few things, and the boats had to go
back, and if the boats had got up,
aid hope in conjunction with the other
company, to be able to spread out what
We had altogether and make il do, but as
it Is, the situation is very dark. There are
not provisions enough to keep % per cent
OF the miners going. /, myself, intended
to work thirty men on claims that l own,
but | will not be able to work one, and
that in face OF the fact that paid SOL 900
FOR n mine few days ago. This is a
calamity. 1t will practically kill the camp
for this year. 1t Will make difference OF
many millions in the output. Without
provisions. the dirt cannot be taken out
this winter, ami therefore cannot be
washed next spring.
"Of course, cannot say what is to be-
coma OF the people. There are about 5000
people here now dependent upon this
town. There are $500 to 5000 in the town.
They keep coming every hour almost, and
God knows how many will drift in before
the winter closes things up. Few of those
arriving have more than month or two's
prov slons. Many, understand, sold their
outfits at the pass rather than pack them
in, trusting to luck when they got here.
They come TO the store imm ediately upon
their arrival, expecting to get all they can
pay for When we tell them we have moth
ing 10 sell they say blankly, We'll, we're
here now; we have got to live, and what
are you going to do about it2 Now that
is serious question that every man has
10 settle for himself this winter. We can
provide them nothing. The little tnat we
have must be reserved for the miner who
has interests here and is anxious to work
them"
The miners and these newcomers now
see the situation in all its gravity. One
of them put 1t this way:
There will be not few but hundreds
brought TO the starvation mark here this
winter. In such a condition no man can
hold food in reserve. The hungry men
will walk into the cabin or the cache or
the store of the man who has it and will
compe! him 10 give 1t up. We are certain
to see distress and crime here-if we can
call it By that name in such n time. The
police? What can they do? Will they
throw the whole community into the
lookup? Very we'll, then they will have
to feed them and tie community will be
glad of it. No; what the miners meeting
decides upon is The law here. and the
police are helpless against it. But the
fact is the police will stand in on any we'll
conducted movement to secure a division
of provisions"
great number OF robberies OF caches
have already been reported, and the whole
country is we'll on to the danger line of
lawlessness.
With regard TO escaping from this des-
perate situation after the river closes up,
A. G. Wissel, cashier of the Alaska Com
mercial Company, who expects to go OUT
with James McCauley about Decem Der,
had this to say: "It will require at least
five dogs. They will be in great demand
this winter and will be worth from $10O TO
$780, 1t will require at least HOO pounds
of feed for the dogs alone. That is very,
very scarce and high. 1t Will take at
least month to make the trip to Dyea,
the thermometer averaging thirty below
all the way"
l send this letter by the party starting