The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1897-08-30


each of whom brought only small part
of his stake. The total amount of dust
on the vessel is perhaps $175,O0O The
Portland was delayed by the failure of
the p. B. Weare to arrive at st. Michaels
and by a storm on the North Pacific
ocean. The miners on board, with the
amount of their total mining profits,
parts of which were brought with them,
are as follows:
]. Rowan. .$50OO0lF. w. Cobb. .$25 900
y, W Powers. g. oolW. zahn.::.... =. 600
W. W. Caldwell 550O0lB. F'arnharn.e.. 1906
" X 9ie Ziiiv S g SS M. H. camier' lOV'O
H. N. Stanley, who went to st. Mi
chaels for the Associated Press, returned
on the Portland. He says:
Il have been seven weeks at the mouth
of the Yukon at st. Michaels, where saw
all the miners coming out, and interview
ed them AS result, I feel it my duty to
advise everybody to stay out until next
spring. Wild, and in many cases exag-
gerated, reports have been circulated
since the first discoveries were made. The
strike, however, was, and is, one of the
greatest, and probably the greatest,
in the worlds history. Probably 1000. 900
was cleaned up this spring, and next
spring I look for from S., 900, 900 to $1,000,
600. The fields have hardly been opened
up yet, but those going in now must
bear in mind that everything in that
gion was staked long before any reports
reached the outer world, and that those
going in now must prospect for them
selves, buy claims from the present own
ers or work for the owners.
mo new strike had been reported up to
the time of my leaving, and another may
not be made for five years. although Alas
ka is enormous country, and will yet.
1 believe, produce more gold than we
dream of. But it is also, in many ways,
a bleak, barren, desolate country-a
country incapable of supporting any
great amount of animal life, and a coun-
try of such rigorous climate, both winter
and spring, that none but the most hardy
can live in it. Even they must have album
dance of food and warm clothing.
Il am aware that there is a popular i'm
preston that supplies can be bought in
the vicinity of the mines. They may at
present buy at six times Seattle prices,
but they are taken at even those prices
faster than they can be got in, and before
winter is half over, if even the present
population stays in, there will. be actual
starvation.
1.-The average man requires about one
ton of carefully selected food and cloth
ing for years supplies. In the summer
of 1896, about $500 tons of supplies went
up the river, and the new population of
1900 to 1900 suffered from want. OF this
$500 tons, probably 1850 tons was rum,
tools, furniture and supplies other than
provisions. This season, allowing the
most favorable circumstances, not more
than 400 tons of supplies can be got up
the river, fully half of which is rum and
tools. as we'll as supplies other than food.
There are more than three times many
people there last winter. Figure it out
for yourself.
" Grub was completely cleaned out
this spring, and if last winter there was
such scarcity that moose hams sold for
$50 each, flour at S12O hundred, bacon at
81 a pound, what will not happen this
coming winter? Why, will not people
actually starve to death?
LAS to shelter, 80 per cent of Dawson
was living in tents in July, labor is
scarce and houses cannot be built. How
are 1000 people to Withstand the rigors of
a nine months winter of semi-darkness.
when the mercury goes 20 degrees below
zero?
LAS to labor: 1t is true that last winter,
the winter succeeding the great strike,
men were scarce and wages were SIS
day; but if no new strike is made, what Is
to keep wages up this winter? There are
about $40 claims on Bonanza, Eldorado
and Hunker creeks that will probably be
worked this winter. An average of eight
200 men are employed, and there are s.
600 or more seeking work, what must be
the result? Wages must go down.
81 am told that much grub has gone
over the divide yet from what know
would wager my last dollar that not to
exceed 500 tons of supplies over and
above what the carriers ate will reach
the diggings. No man going in can arrive
with more than four months supply
iS rla u
Michaels. So there must be, but after
September Is it might as well be in New
York city, for to try to transport it by
dog train or sled over that 1000 miles of
icy river is absolutely impossible. There
Is not, nor will there ever be, a dog train
that take enough to feed itself over
1900 miles. Relief is, therefore, impossi-
BILE. Transporting over the divide in the
winter would be quite as Difficult
ITO draw provisions for the trip from
Dyea to Dawson any time before the
spring breaks is an impossibility. Relief
for those caught in the Klondike after
winter sets in is equally impossible. and
in the name of humanity I ask that a
stop be put to this wholesale transporta-
ton of people without supplies. Let no
man enter that region unless he carries
with him enough food and clothing to
last him year.
There are women and little children in
there today who should be sent out as
far as ST. Michaels before navigation
closes I hear much of the boats that are
building to go up the river, but aside from
one steamer ready on August IL no new
boat can be added to the carrying corps
this fall.
THE Klondike is land of ice and snow,
as well a land of gold. Let It not be
made land of great hunger, wretched-
ness and death. Let no one be allowed