The San Francisco call., 1897-08-29
SHOULD WAIT
UNTIL SPRING
Warning of a Correspondent
Just Returned From
the Yukon.
Plenty of Gold, but 1t Is Hard to
Get-Danger of Star
walton.

SEATTLE, WASH, Aug. cS.-H. A.
Stanley of the Blnehamton, n. Y,
Evening Herald, who under date
of June 30 sent out the first
Associated Press dispatch OF the great
strike on the Klondike returned to this
city on the steamer Portland tonight, and
on being interviewed by an Associated
Press representative said:
Il have been seven weeks at the mouth
OF the YUKON at st. Michael, where
I saw every miner coming out,
and interviewed them. As a result
I feel it my duty to advise
everybody to stay out until next spring.
My first dispatch as to the discovery was
absolutely true. and while wild and exag-
gerated reports have been circulated since.
no one, however conservative has thus
far disputed that story.
Tine strike was and is one OF the great
est. if not the greatest, IN the world his
tory. Probably 81, 100000 was cleaned up
this spring, and next spring l look for
from $4,000, 600 to 100000. The fields
have hardly been opened up as yet. How
ever, those going in now must bear in
mind that everything in that region was
staked long before any reports reached
the outer world, and that those going In
now must prospect for themselves buy
claims from the present owners or work
for such owner.
mo new strike had been reported up to
the time of my leaving, and another may
not be made for five years, although
Alaska is an 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 inca pable of
supporting any great amount OF animal
life, and country OF such rig
orous climate, both winter and sum-
mer, that none but the most hardy can
possibly live in it. Even they must have
abundance of food and warm clothing.
1t is therefore simply suicidal 10 go in
without years supplies.
II am aware that there is a popular i'm
preston that such supplies can be pur-
chased in the vicinity OF the mines. They
may at present, al six times Seattle
prices, bvt 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.
THE average man requires about one
ton of carefully selected food and clothing
for years supplies. The summer OF '9t
about $500 tons of supplies went up the
river, and the population of 1900 to 20OC
suffered from want. or this $500 tons,
probably 1850 tons was rum, tools, fur.
Eture and supplies other than provis-
ions.
This season. allowing the m ost iavorabI
circumstances, not more than 1900 tons ol
supplies can be got up the river, fully nall
Of which is rum and tools. as well as other
supplies than food. There are more than
three times as many people in there now
than there were last winter
Figure it out for yourself Grub was
com mpleiely cleaned out this spring, and il
last winter there was such a scarcity thai
moose hams sold for $50 each, flour for
$!20 Ier 100 bacon for 81 a pound, what
Will not happen this coming winter?
Why, people will actually starve TO death.
GAS to shelter, 80 per cent of Dawson
was living in tents in July. Timber is
scarce ana houses cannot be built. How
are several thousand people to Withstand
the rigors of nine months winter o
darkness when the mercury goes 20 de.
grees bcIow zero?
LAS to labor, it is true that last winter
the winter succe ceeding the great strike,
when men were scarce-wages were $1i
per day; but if no new strike is made
what is to keep wages up this winter?
There are but $40 claims on Bonanza
ii Dorado and ID unker creeks that viii