The herald., 1897-08-28
CORDWOOD
MEASURE
Used for Estimating Piles
of Gold
ON THE DOCK AT DAWSON CITY
MR.. CAsSEL OF JUNEAU TELLS
THE STORY
Numerous Other Men Tell Of the Diff
Guilty of Getting There-New
Routes Proposed
Associated Press Special Wire.

Associated Press Special Wire.
SEATTLE, Aug. 27-E. F. Cassel, pres
ident Of the Juneau chamber of COM
merce, is in the city. He says that the
Canadian government has scored over
Uncle Sam by the esta blishment of sub
port Of entry at Dyea.
1.-THE order making Dyea SUPPORT"
said Mr.. Cassel, means loss to Amer
ican merchants aready of half a million
dollars, and before the summers rush to
fully a million. The American pros
pectors discovered the gold and the great
finds would have remained undiscovered
by the Canadians, yet they have put
vicious tax on the miners and our gov
ernment esta blished a SUPPORT of entry
to favor their merchants and miners
Thousands of Canadians today land at
Dyea and with their provisions and out
fits, which came from foreign country,
go through the United States without one
word Of interference from Americans. 1
| know of one case where an American
with $475 worth of cigars was called upon
|
SUPPORT order should be rescinded and
the Canadians be compelled to pay duty
If the sub-port is to be continued let Can
ada agree with the Americans that our
subjects shall enjoy the same rights and
privileges in the gold fields that are en-
joyed by the citizens of Canada"
Mr.. Cassel gives news regarding the
relative merits of the Chilcoot and Ska
quay passes.
He says: "An enormous number of
those at Dyea have gone over, but those
who have attempted to reach the fields
by the White pass have had bad luck. l
think it safe to say that only per cent
has been successful. 1t would be phys
ical impossibility to do much on the. pass
before winter. They tried to close the
pass in order to fix it, but failed. On the
Chilkoot pass they are pressing steadily
forward. l believe that those who go to
Dyea at once will get over before winter
sets in. Indians have used this pass for
hundred years"
A company is being formed, to be
known as the Dyea- -Klondike Transpor-
tation company, to transport travellers
and supplies from salt water to Lake
Linderman. The equipment will be so
spring will be sure of getting through
without delay. The Chilkoot pass will
be used exclusively. From rs to 100 men
will be transported daily together with
their supplies, and the company prom
ises that the charges will be less than
one-third the present rates. 1t is to be
ready for work February l.
BULLION BY THE CORD
Before I left Juneau" said Mr.. Cas-
sel II had talk with Archie Shelp, who
told me positively that on the dock at
Dawson was piled up gold dust, and that
the pile measured quarter of cord
1t took him two hours to get his sack free
from the heap on the dock. l saw let
ter from William Kerr which said that
the last steamer which had just left
there had taken away three and half
tons of gold"
A wharf to obviate the necessity of
landing goods on the tide flats and push
ing horses overheard to swim ashore is
to be built at Skaguay by Juneau COM
pany The wharf will be over a thou
sand feet long and is to be rushed to
completion al once.
A FORLORN CROWD
|
lector of customs, who left with party
of seven for the Klondike has written
to his wife from Skaguay as follows:
"There are about 5000 men and 1900
horses here making up the most forlorn
lot that you ever saw. About half Of
them have given up and the other half
curse or cry. Taking it all together, l
never saw such condition of affairs.
here, and am told they are in the same
condition. God only knows what will
become of those headed this way, for
none but those with horses will get
through.
II do not believe that one in hundred
will get through. Many have started
out but just as many have returned foot
sore and disheartened. Outfits can be
bought here for song.
"The authorities should stop the tda
Of immigration that is coming this way.
It is suicidal to prospector to come at
thos time for the blockade here will be
followed by one on the trail. 1 am firm
ly Convinced that even after the trail is
opened to traffic that the crush of tins
horses will be even greater on the
mountain than the crush of men here.
1t is discouraging to see the pitiful con-
dition of things here. One here without
horses is as helpless as child. I never
saw so many men weaken"
/ THE PORTLAND'S ARRIVAL
PORT TOWNSEND, Wash, Aug. 27.--
There was no sign of the steamer Port
land off Cape Flattery early this event. 6
and the belief is general that the ste
er has been delayed at st. Michaels on
account of the failure of the river boats
to arrive with the expected consign-
ments of Klondike gold.
A DANGEROUS DERELICT
SAN FRANCISCO, Aug. 27-News has
been received here that the hull of the
bark Matilda, wrecked on the Washing
ton coast a week ago, has gone adrift
ard is in the path of the steamers that
ply between Puget sound and Alaskan
ports. She has only windmill above