The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-10-25
ESCAPED FROM DAWSON
STORY OF FIVE xLONDIKERs GLAD
TO REACH SEATTLE AGAIN.
One Thousand Too Many In Dawson
City for the Provisions
All Claims StaIsed.

SEATTLE. Wash, Oct. A.-The steamer
Humboldt arrived last night with five men
from Dawson City, leaving there Sept 3,
and three men from Minonk and other
points on the Yukon. They say no gold will
come out this fall, as this steamer has
taken the last of those who have come
down the Yukon. The river is already
frozen hard and boats are laid up for the
winter. The Humboldt left ST. Michaels
Oct. g. The five men from Dawson are
John F. Miller and Frank E. Sims, of this
city; c. A. Harrison of Atchison, Kan;
William Dubel, of New jersey and William
Braund. of Black Diamond, Wash. They
were passengers on the river steamer Mar
garet. When they found the mouth of the
river blocked with ice they resolved to come
overland at all hazards. For seven days
they crept forward through terrible wind
and snowstofms. Some of them fell in
their tracks and had to be helped by their
stronger companions. They crossed the
river covered with thin ice by lying down
and pushing their packs before them; and
at night they sought shelter from the
storm by budding in an Eskimo tent or
lying unprotected from the biting wind save
by blankets.
OF the 5000 or 5000 people in Dawson and
vicinity they believe at least one thousand
will be obliged to fee from impending
starvation. Up to Sept 8, when the Miller
party left Dawson, new arrivals numbered
from three to twenty people daily, and
there is no doubt that that ratio will be
continued all winter. Three hundred men
were working in the gulches, and in the
hills were several prospectors, all of whom
knew nothing of the shortage, and were de-
pending on the company stores for pro-
visions. One way of relief is open to the
miners. Five hundred or one thousand
could winter at Circle City, hundred
miles below Dawson, and draw their sup
plies by dog train from Fort Yukon. Circle
City has five hundred houses, and is said
to be the largest log cabin town in the
wcrld.
john +. Miller says there will not neces-
sarily be starvation, but certainly miners
viii suffer extreme privations. Five hum
dred men intended to come down the river,
but that is closed and they calnot get out.
There is no doubt that the people of Daw-
son have been alive to the situation for six
weeks. Our leaving" says Sims. was the
beginning of a stampede for grub. Trans
portation companies at St. Michael's and
Fort Yukon claim the liquor traffic has no
appreciable effect on the supply of pro-
visions. Not more than thirty tons of
liquor, they say, has gone into the country.
With the blockade of the Yukon every
possibility vanishes of treasures by the
steamer Portland No gold will come out
this year There is any amount of gold at
Dawson 1t is not unusual to see horses
loaded with dust. But the mines are owned
by men who know their value One sees 1t
on every hand. 1t seems plentiful, but. you
must remember, it is more plentiful in the
United States treasury and is just as hard
&c get. People who flock to the mines ex-
pecting to pick up gold in the grass roots
There is no DOUBT that large amount of
treasure will come from the Yukon basin
next year. If the miners can get enough to
eat 10 continue mining during the winter.
Gold sent out early this year Will not be
sluice boxes. Mr.. Miller says nothing OF
considerable value has been found this
summer. There is not an inch OF ground
unstaked the klondike. The following
named creeks have been located: Sulphur,
Quartz and Moose Hide, for twelve miles
above the mouth; Henderson, Dominion
and Victoria gulch. Henderson creek is
twelve miles above Stewart river, and Vic
toria gulch is twelve miles below Stewart
The steamer Faralon arrived from Dyea
and Skaguay at 1880 D. M, bringing 125 pas
sengers twelve of whom are from Dawson
City. The party brought gold not exceeding
in amount 900. The last party out from
Dawson left in September ard was headed
by II. A. Stewart of Sheboygan, Wis. With
him were j. c. Woolsey, of Tacoma, and
Sam Henry of Lincoln, Neb. The party ar
rived at Haines Mission, at Chilcat inlet,
thirty-two days after starting. They had a
pack train of twelve horses and $50 pounds
of provisions. They came out on small
river steamer from Dawson to the Pelly
river, thence poled to Five Fingers and fin
ished their journey over the Dalton trail
and Chilcat pass. They encountered several
snowstorms on the trail and suffered great
hardships
Nearly all the restaurants are closed at
Dawson on account of food shortage. Prices
of provisions are not advanced over regu-
lar prices but the companies are refusing
to take orders. More than half of the food
In the warehouses has been sold, but the
company refuses to distribute although 1t
is paid for, until it is learned for certain
whether more provisions will be brought up
the river. In case no more arrives the en-
tire stock will be rationed among the resi-
dents to prevent possible privation. There
has been no starvation yet, but there will
surely be a shortage. People are leaving
daily. Up to Sept. 4 hundred had
started out for Fort Yukon to try to get
down the river to Circle City and thence
by steamer to the United States.
No new strikes have been made at Daw-
son and only those owners that have food
for their men will be able to do much work
this winter. The Stewart party met ten or
twelve boats a day going down the river
toward Dawson. All of these Travellers had
enough provisions to last them through the
Winter.9f