The San Francisco call., 1897-07-25
THE DASH TO DAWSON.
People May Go If They VIII but
Wait for Their Turn at
Steamer.

Omat1lIa. ....................ouIy 20
| State of California. July ~
! City of Puebia.......... July 2S
All connecting for Juneau.
The demand for passage to the klon-
dyke has not abated in the least, and he
| transportation companies are deluged
with inquiries as to the time boats leave,
when they are expected to reach Alaska,
the fare, and innumerable other ques-
tions more difficult to answer, such as:
DO you think it advisable to go?" 'Wlll
it pay ?' "With my constitution will be
able to stand it? All this when every
berth in every boat booked to leave Is
taken, and there is absolutely no chance
to get passage on any or them.
The Pacific Coast Steamship Company
has three boats which will leave for the
North within the next week. This morn
! ing the Umatilla sails for Port Townsend.
where she vii, connect with the City OF
Topeka, which leaves for Juneau July 2o.
She carries $50 passengers and Is taxed
to her utmost capacity.
| On the 9th the State of California takes
| $50 passengers to Portland for The spec al
Alaska steamer George w. Elder. Ihe
City of Puebla, leaving here July 80 for
the Sound, meets the Al-Ki, whicn departs
for Juneau and Dyea about August 2.
/ She is built for go passengers and the lSt
! is full already.
The company has several boats in dry
dock which are being overhauIed with the
| intention of putting them IN shape 10
make the trip TO Ala ka. 1t is not KIN own
when they will be in condition to start.
Every mail brings letters from all over
the country asking for particulars. Iele-
| grams have been received from tennessee,
! Texas. New York and Arizona. A New
| York man wired the Pacific Coast Steam
| ship Company TO save him berth.
| woman writes to know the elevation and
| population OF Juneau ana if it is advisable
| for healthy woman to m AXE the trip.
Here is letter received from DOCTOR:
Can you tell me what the chances are Tor q
| frst-class physician and surgeon in the in
| terror of Alaska? Also how many doctors
| there are in juneau?
| When will the next steamer leave and what
is The fare?
One man is negotiating with the COM
! pany to take ten goats with lin, While
quite a mum ber are going to take dogs TO
draw sleds, though it is claimed that dogs
| not used to the climate would be useless
| in the north.
At the offices OF the Alaska Commercial
| Company inquiries for passage have al
m lost ceased as 1t is now generally under
| stood that there are no more tickets TO be
| sold fOr the Excelsior. Inc company Will
not give out the exact number of people
| to 60 in its boat, but there will be IN the
neigh boTh hood OF one hundred, exclusive
OF newspaper correspondents. The Ex-
cesior is being loaded now with the pro-
visions TO be taken up to the company IS
stores, and they will be all on board by
| Tuesday.
This is the only boat the Alaska Comp pany
will send up this season that will carry
passengers. The Bertha will probably
start for st. Michael next Saturday. but
will take passengers only as far as Una
| laska. The reason for not taking them
| through o st. Michael is that it is feared
connexions could not be made with the
| boats for up the river.
The unfortunate ones who have the gold
| fever but were too late to secure passage
on the boats are offering those who Sc
cured passage a great deal more Tor their
tickets than they originally cost the
owner. None of the lucky ones, however,
seem disposed to give up heir berths even
at the large premiums offered.
They have their minds made up to go
to Alaska. and are going. In case one of
| them should desire to make a transfer of
his ticket it would not be permitted by
| the companies.