Kansas City journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1897-1928, 1897-09-16
STEAMER EXCELSIOR ARRIVES
WITH s1,OOO,OO0- ON BOARD.
BROUGHT sIxTY:-THREE MINERS.
ALL But TWO OF THEM ARE KNOWN
- TOpHAVE MONEY. -:
All, Believe the Klondi&e Country Is
, -, All. Confirm the Stories of
~ Impending Famine @
y T., Passenger List.

Comsnercial Company's steamer Excelsior.
which sailed from St. Michaels Alaska, on
August A lastS but was compelled to put
into Unalaska for repairs on account of an
accident to her propeller while at sea, ar
rived in port to-day, with siXty-three pas
sengers and about SI,000,000 worth of treas
ure. 1t was at first reported that she
brought down $2,50O,000 worth of gold dust,
but this proved upon investigation to have
been greatly exaggerated.
The Alaska Commercial Company alone
had on board about 100000 worth of gold
dust and nuggets While the passengers, as
wealth. the following is a list of those who
brought down $4,000 or more:
Ben Void, 100000; A. Harper, $4,000; Mike
Klatsen, $4,000; A. Andrews. $4,000; H.
Summers, $4,000. Hank Peterson, $4,000;
VIII Hayes. $4,000; f. Dinsmore, $4,000;
]. "A. McQuesten, $50, 900; Charles Raimson,,-
$4,000; John Horn, $4,000; o. Rapp, $4,000;
w. A. Sherman, $4,000; F. P. Leggett, $l2,-
600; H. Schafer, $4,000. At least twenty-five
more brought from 5000 to $4,000 each.
The miners assigned as their reason for
their reticence that in their opinion too
much had already been said about the
country and that too many were going into
1t unprepared. Frank Dinsmore and A. An
drews are reported to have made at least
600 each during their residence in the
Klondike region, but both decline to deny
or affirm this report. Dinsmore, who has
spent sixteen years in the Yukon country,
says this is his first return to civilization
in eleven years. He and his companions are
unanimously of the opinion that the rush
Is unprecedented, and none of the trading
companies being prepared to meet it, they
predict great hardships for all who stay
there during the coming winter. They con-
firm the stories already published of the
scarcity of provisions and add theft notes
of warning to intending prospectors to stay
away until summer.
OF those who came down from Alaska all
but two are knownto have money. All unite
In confirming the stories already told of the
Impending danger of famine at Dawson
City during the coming winter They saw
there are at least 1000 people now at Daw-
son City, and that more are swarming in
every day, but that the provisions are al
ready running short and the prospects of
getting more in are remote.
The, Excelsior's passengers are unani-
nous IN the opinion that, the Klondike re-
gion is richer than was at first supposed,
but are also of the opinion that unless the
emigration to that country is stopped there
will be terrible suffering.
Louis Sloss, Jr., of the Alaska CONNER
cial Company. was one of the passengers
on the Excelsior. He went to Dawson City
Tor the company, and reports that all good
Claims are taken up. There is no chance
Tor the new corners unless a rich strike is
made in some other section. Mr.. Sloss says
that his company's store at Dawson was
closed for but one day, TO receive freight
from river steamer He thinks provisions
Will be scarce, but hesitates TO say there
VIII be actual starvation. -
Ihere are about 800 impatient miners at
st. MicheaFs, most of whom will have to
stay until spring unless they have already
secured passage on the river boats. There
are plenty OF provisions at ST. Michaers
and every effort is being made to get sup
plies up the river to Dawson.
1t is difficult to say how much money
was brought down by the Excelsior The
miners are secretive, and will give no ac-
curate information. Some of them, it is
known. could not bring much and will be
glad to go to work down here.
The Alaska Commercial Company re-,
will not say exactly how much. When asked
as to the amount, Mr.. Sloss said: I'VE
brought more than came down on the Port
land. and We did not need Maxim guns to
protect it,
When the vessel left st. Michaels the
steamboat Humboldt crowd was camped on
the flats. They We're a very disappointed
lot, for none of them will get through. The
story that the passengers held an indig-
RATION meeting and We're going to lynch
e;S Woods. of Seattle, is denied.
best of the situation, and. hold down" the
fats until next spring. when water IS high
in the Yukon.
The river pilots reported water very low
In the river some time before the Weare
sailed from Dawson, but some weeks after
that the water raised little, and the early
rains sWelled the torrents considerably.
However; the water was still at what is
called the low stage" which means that
the Hamilton. Belle and other. steamers
will be delayed on their trips up stream, be-
cause of the necessity of going slowly, pick
Ing way over the bars and making new
channels. -t1sS
Passengers brought word that there nre
Iom 5000 to 1000 people in Dawson and
near there, but the Alaska Commercial
CompanY's agent estimated that. there are
only. about 5000 people at the mines about
since last April from all parts of Alaska
and about 500 from Juneau, Puget Sound
and other places
Following is the list of the Excelsior
passengers: Louis SlosS, Jr.. J. S. Webb,
BENJAMIN Void. wife and child; S. s. Sears.
J. Tolman, Bishop Rowe, Father Reno, NJ.
anderson; And e1as T. J. r1,, Grnbbs, Chris Donovan.
Benjamin Olsen. William o. Rapp Miss
Gussie Lamore, Frank Cordigan, Charles
RAYMOND, Frank Peterson. Eddie Parks.
Harry Schafer, NJ. Kurtsen. Z. Slinslead,
u. b. Leggett. Emmett Fitzgerald, ]. A.
Elvell, J. Murray. D. F. Lovett. Gus HUI
fersen, George w. Vogel, Joseph Bowman,
Q. Garrison and wife, w. A. Sherman.
wife, Frank Summers. Hugh Haggerty,
John Thorn, R. NJ. Pearce, William Booth,
John Simenson, w. L; Cannon. Ross Eek
art, Mrs. Lang and three children, L. N.
A. Metfield, Miss Talconer A. Harper and
Wife and seven children, Mary Karkaner
D. III. Henderson, Elmer McQuesten, NJ
Walker, R. Reeve and wife and two chill
dren.
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