Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1897-09-11

Otter Point, B. c., September 10
The steamer Cleveland has arrived
from St. Michaels, bringing with her
from the Yukon gold fields story of
distress and disaster.
The winter has set in at the min
ing city Of the frozen north and 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.
Indignation, heavy with uttered
threats of vengeance, is seen at st.
Michaels by those who have little
hopes Of advancing up the river and
less Of getting back to civilization.
The first signs of winter are appar-
ent on the river Yukon, which is be-
ginning to freeze, and in few weeks
will be closed. Enormous prices are
now being paid for food at Dawson,
and it is impossible that more than
four vessels with provisions can reach
Dawson before the river is a mass of
ice.
The Cleveland has some of the pas
sengers of the p. B. Weare on board.
The Weare left Dawson City in time
to connect with the Portland, had she
not met with a mishap and struck on
the flats above Circle City. They re-
port that on July % the stores of the
Alaska Commercial Company and Of
the North American Trading and
Transportation Company announced
that they had no more food to sell.
Three weeks before that the same
companies were unable to furnish out
nus, and when the announcement was
made that no more goods were avail
able CONSERVATION resulted on the part
Of the people of Dawson with gold
seekers piling in at the rate of 20 to
80 day.
Drunkenness, gambling and disorder
were rampant, and conservative OBJ
servers predict the most serious con-
sequences.
There is gold everywhere, but the
people of Dawson want food more than
they want gold now. At St. Michaels
there are not enough structures to ac-
commodate the crowd, and scores of
people are living in tents.
\ Shortly before the Cleveland left St.
Michaels two of the expeditions, those
OF the National City and of the South
Coast. held indignation meetings,
threatening dire vengeance upon those
who had brought them there and were
unable to carry them further.
They had been left stranded at st.
Miehaels and cannot possibly reach
Dawson before next spring
Shortly before the Cleveland left for
Seattle, the United States revenue cut
ter Bear put into st. Michaels with
Captain Whiteside, his wife, the first
and fourth officers and four sfamen of
the steam whaler Nevach
Tyey are all that remain to tell the
terrible story Of death in the Arctic.
pack in the Arctic ocean. Of her crew
forty-two were lost. Thirty-one were
crushed in the ice or frozen to death.
The Bear saw the vessels signal of
distress near Point Barrow and lost
no time in going to her assistance. The
captain, his wife, two officers and four
sailors were glad to leave the disman-
tied, crippled ship, but nine positively
refused to go.
They were lost in the desolate field
of ice and it is feared they have per-
1shed with their comrades. The Cleve-
land also brings news that when the
Humboldt stopped at Unalaska on her
Journey to st. Michaels the passengers
were in open rebellion.
They began to realize that it would
be impossible for them to reach Daw-
son before next spring and they knew
misery awaited them at st. Michaels.
There were open threats against w. D.
woods, the organizer and manager of
the expedition, and it is feared that
he may lose his life at the hands of
h 10