The evening herald. [volume] (Shenandoah, Pa.) 1891-1966, 1897-12-27

AT DAWSON
Another Report of Threatened Starvation
This Winter.
CONFISCATION PLAN PREVENTED.
The Miners at Dawson Proposed to Appor-
tion out All the Food in the Place,
But the Captain Of the North
west Police Prohibited
the Scheme.

Skaguay Alaska, via Seattle, WASH,
Dec. 27.--John Lindsay, of Olympia,
Wash. who has just arrived from
Dawson City, says there win surely
be starvation there this winter. He
examined into the food situation thor
oughly, he says, and after satisfying
himself that there would be starvation
he sold his outfit, and in company with
three others started on foot, each man
drawing a sled carrying about 140
pounds Of provisions. Lindsay says
the Dawson people believe that there
is no great amount Of food at Fort
Yukon, as has been alleged. The river
rose sufficiently and remained open
long enough to enable a food supply
to have been brought from Fort Yukon
had there been any there.
The people Of Dawson, believing that
there was not ample food supplies at
Fort Yukon, refused to go there, pre-
ferring to remain in Dawson. Not more
than 300 or 400 people took advantage
of transportation companies offers to
take the people to Fort Yukon free Of
charge.
When the miners at Dawson found
that no more provisions would reach
the town by the river route they an
nounced that a meeting would be held
to take steps for apportioning the pro-
visions in the town. Those WHO had
plenty, they said, must share with those
who had none. Captain Constantine
of the northwest mounted police, in
terfered and told the miners that no
such thing would be permitted The
meeting was not held.
Lindsay says the output of the mines
will be greatly curtailed this winter
because Of the scarcity of food and
light Coal oil sold for S45 a gallon
and candles are as high as $3.50 box
of 100. Even If men were able to work
their claims they cannot get light to
do so.
These statements are borne out by
all the returning Klondikers, quite a
number of whom have reached here
the past week. Few of them, however,
take as gloomy a view of the situation
as does Mr.. Lindsay. DR.. B. L. Brad
ley, of Roseburg, Ore, says that food
is scarce, but he does not think that
there will be actual starvation. Neither
do W. B. King Of MERGED, Cal, p. ].
Holland Of Butte, Thomas Story of
Victoria or Robert Glynn of Seattle,
all of whom reached here this week
from Dawson, the most of them hav-
ing left there on Nov. @
AS an instance of the scarcity of food
in Dawson Lindsay relates the case Of
Dr. Vanzandts, formerly of Spokane,
Wash Vanzandts is an elderly man,
and being without provisions or money
he offered a gold watch for a sack of
flour. He could not get it, and re-
marked to Lindsay: God only knows
how I am going to keep body and soul
together"
Lindsay says 200 or more miners are
prospecting at the mouth of Stewart
river, but nothing is known as yet
what success they achieved.
Henderson creek. five miles below
Stewart river and 40 miles from Daw-
son, is a promising stream, and it is
being developed this winter.
The weather about Stewart and Big
Salmon rivers has been bitterly cold
10 degrees below being recorded at
Major Walshs camp, u miles below
the Big Salmon, on Nov. SO
The Yukon river between Dawson
and Fort Pelly froze completely over
on Nov. IS. The river is piled full Of
ice in great ridges as high as an or
dinary house, and a roadway will have
to be cut through 1t before dog or
horse teams can operate upon it. The
outlook, therefore, for taking supplies
down to Dawson in the immediate
future is not good,
Inspector of Mines McGregor left
here a week ago with a number of dog
teams and horses to make the attempt
to reach Dawson with about 20 tons
Of provisions, but nothing has since
been heard of him.