The record-union., 1897-08-31

SEATTLE, Aug. 30.-The following
letter was received per steamer Utopia
to-day to the Associated Press:
Skaguay, Aug. 23d.
The jam is broken on the Skaguay
trail. number of outfits have gotten
over, and there is a steady stream of
moving humanity mixed up in an al
most indescribable mass of horses of
all sizes, ages and conditions, mules,
steers, nailch cows, goats and dogs, also
vehicles of every description and kind
to be imagined Three steamers are
now unloading on lighters, which con-
vey the freight as near the shore as
possible, where it is loaded on wagons
or carried above high tide.
The Utopia is unloading at the only
wharf-a very shanty structure. Two
pile-drivers are at work on another
dock, which is intended to be sub
stantial affair.
A new sawmilI got up stream for the
first time this morning. Rough lum-
Der is worth $27 per thousand. but can
not be got half fast enough at any
price.
The city of tents is not being dis
placed but reinforced. by city Of
"shacks" of all sizes and degrees of
finish
Skaguay is the boom town of Alaska.
Every man whose heart failed when
he encountered the first hardship has
turned townsite boomer. Four weeks
ago Skaguay was not known; to-day
there are not less than 5000 people
here. in addition to those on the ships
in the harbor. They have surveyed
off the townsite, the first comers hav-
ing first choice. The United States
Commissioner is issuing some kind of
d certificate for a fee of s.; surveyor
another 50; then the squatter sticks up
his tent shack, or corral, and is ready
to skin the first tenderfoot that comes
along. Transfers by quit claim are
quite common. and as high As 5000
mas been paid for a choice location.
Skaguay has all the usual accom-
paniments of a frontier mining town.
Dance halls and scarlet women, rou
lette. faro. stud poker and craps find
devotees ready to tempt tickle for
tunes smiles.
There is no danger of a famine here,
though there may be shortages in Ger
tain lines. On all sides Smiling plenty
as if conjured by some enchanter,"
here abounds. Great piles of hay, grain,
-four, bacon, sugar and all the neces-
saries are in stock, apparently for some
time to come. There are not less than
1000 horses at work on the Skaguay
trail, but it is hard to get any one to
contract to deliver you over the sum-
nit at any price but you can get over
for about 80 cents a pound, if you are
tions. The contractors at this end Of
the trail do not like to contract farther
than the first hill, six miles out; then
one has to hire another outfit.
At Dyea the Indians are moving the
freight in an almost unbrOken stream
from the landing to Lake Linderman.
and it is no trouble to contract to get
ones entire outfit put over at one trip
for so to SO cents per pound No one
should come expecting to get over this
fail for a less rate, and no one should
bring boats. There are boats. set up,
knocked down in sections and single
boards on both trails from landing to
base of summit. but not one-half as yet
been taken over.
GOING TO COPPER RIVER.
SEATTLE, Aug. 30-The latest ex-
petition from Seattle in search of gold
win turn its attention to Copper River.
To-day Frank Porter of New York
Jack Moore and W. H Hamilton. both
of Philadelphia, purchased the sloop
Trixty T., and viii sail next week for
the Copper River. They take provis-
ions for one year. and viii confne their
efforts to discovering placer claims.
THE WEARE AT CIRCLE CITY.
SEATTLE, Aug. 30.-Anxiety as to
the fate of the Yukon River steamer
P. B. Wsare is set at rest by Traffic
Manager Charles II. Hamilton of the
North American Transportation Com
pany. who stated to-day that he had
advices that the Weare was tied up
near Circle City repairing her boiler
fues.
shortly after leaving Circle City, .
he said to day, 1.-The fiues began to leak
badly, and the Weare was at olee
stopped. A new set of f1ues is beirg
put in, and in two weeks the Weare
will resume her voyage down the river.
am sending north complete new set
of boilers for the Weare next spring, as
the ones she has are worn out.