The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1897-08-18

Excitement ran high AT tne Arlington
dock yesterday afternoon. and for an hour
there were threats OF gun plays" mu-
;inies and violence among the infUrlated
/ passengers on the steamship Hum holdt
The steamer was scheduled 10 sail AZ
2 o'clock. a notice being posted that pass
engers would be allowed 70 so aboard 81
o'clock. and that the steamer would cast
OF her lines and pull out into the stream
a.. Aeur later. The Humboldt Is still herr
however. and may not set away TIL to-
morrow morning.
At o'clock a mob OF excited and angry
Passengers gathered in the warehouse OF
the Arlington dock. Determination was
written on every countenanee. and
threats Of violence and hints of mutiny
st sea were made I'm GRGertunes. In tho
dock was stacked up q pile of -four.
sieighs and Yukon stoves aggregating in
al about twenty tons. the property OF
the passengers who were to sail North on
the Humboldt. The ship lay at the deck
ready 10 sail. but no effort was he.ng
made TO set this freight aboard. The
charges for transporting il clear thronah
to Dawson City had been paid.
Early I'm the afternoon Il was annonnc-
ed that this freight would not be taken;
that the steamer was loaded already TO
her fun capacity. and that the captain
had refused 10 allow another pound Of
freight 10 be put aboard.
Here was a dilemma What would the
prospective Klondikers do In the frozen
North without their sieighs and sacks OF
four9 The excuse given by the COM
pany was that much Of the freight left
on the dock was cumbersome and hard 60
stow away on the ship; further. IL was
stated that Tire company would give fodr
IN exchange for that left behind, on ar
rival at ST. Mlchaels. and that those who
lost by having supplies left behind would
have their outfits replenished from the
cSNpany's stores. which were packed
away deep down in the Humboldts hold.
At o'clock there vere omlnous rumb-
iings among the Humboldts passengers
on the dock. Mayor Wood, the general
manager Of the company operating the
Humboldt, made his appearance I'm the
crowd and was quickly surrounded by a
gathering OF excited and angry Klondik-
ers.
BnIiantine Faces the Mayor.
David Ballantine, an oid-tlmer from
| Montana. with sornhrcro, blue flannel
shirt and the general appearance OF be-
| ing bad man with gun cornered
| the mayor against a pile of shingles and
| asked him IL he was I'm a scheme TO
| starye the Humboidt's passengers after
| they had arrived on the Yukon.
| What do you expect as 20 do without
| -four in tha; Ged forsaken country" he
| yelled. gesticulafing angrtly. We've
/ paid the freight on these goods and We
don't want this ship TO sail without
| them
Before Mayor Wood could reply 10 Bal
/ lantine a dozen ISlondikers had asked
/ similar questions. and for moment the
mayor was mixed up in a. ugly crowd
as one would care TO run against.
I'VE have plenty of provisions on the
Humboldt" the mayor was heard 10 say.
In the din and tufnuit that surrounded him.
/ You Will get value for every pound you
leave here. i purchased twenty tons OF
-four, eight tons of bacon. ton of butter.
and other goods in proportion, IN San
Francisco. You will be supplied with pro-
visions from cur stores 10 the exact value
+ OF these that are lsft behind. But more
than this we are preparing for their trans
portation TO ST. Michaels by another steam.
or. They Will get there soon after We ar
! rive. and In plenty or time 10 be taken up
1 the river
How VIII you do that?" yelled one OF
/ the crowd.
Then the questions came thick and fast
+ the crowd gradually moving over 90 bls
pile of canned goods and shingles that
stood over on one side Of the dock The
mayor slipped out Of the crowd as a young
man with a corduroy coat and sornbrero
mounted the pile and called FOR the Hum
boldt's passengers to gather around him.
Meanwhile the warehouse had hlied W
/ with people, and nearly every passenger on
the steamer was in the gathering. A mum
Der of ladies looked on the scene from a
distance. interested spectators in the row
that was going on.
No Aeea 40 Hold the Vessel.
Before the young Klondker who had
. tA4 kf her M e.
himself heard a daEk-iooking man with a
black coat and dark muStaeha mounted fhS
impromptu stage and began talking rapid
iy 10 the crowd, appealing to them not q
90 any violence.
There's no need for you men TO tie VI
this snip ne said, exctt~diy. The com
pany proposes 10 do the square thing by al
of us. and IL you will simply give them
time 10 fix this"
Here his words were lost in a storm oi
protests, and the confusion OF many mcr
trying TO get their individual ideas as q
the solution OF the difficulty before the as
sembisge Finally there vas call foI
Mayor Wood. and that gentleman Joined
the group on the platform 70 make another
explanation OF the difnculry.
The mayor was pale ana evidently wor-
r!ed by the situation. II IL not pleasant q
b called before an angry lot Of men VINO
seem determined 70 do everything in theft
power 10 MAKE It& U&t%efAftE Tor you Ft4t
must have ia sned across the mayor > rnin0
but he put on a brave front. and coolb
stated his reasons for leaving the freighl
behind.
I'VE have not calculated accurately or
the amount Of freight the ship can carry.
he said. The company purchased az Sar
Francisco a large quantity of provisions
including -four bacon. butter and oihel
goods IN proportion. This freight now iiea
al the bottom Of the Hgmboidfs hold w
have offered 70 exchange our -four foi
yours. and are willing 70 Do all we can q
right this thing Some u yea want IN
snip delayed another day wh.is this freiEh
Is removed from the hold. / say 10 yOt
frankly that such action T. against th.
best interests Of every member Of this *
pedition. Besides. yOu have here a l0t d
stuff that ought never 20 have beeI
brought here for shipment % The Yukon
We wsll try 20 90 the best Ve can ~ eger1
man Of you. IL is proposed 70 ship thil
freight ~ another steamer leaving Tor -
+ Mschaeis after we hays gone. / am n0E
negotiating with the steamship Bristol. ARD
expect 70 lszrn what arrangements can b.
made al any minute for carrying your sup
plies to Ct &lchseis."
Es.slssoaF states tb. Case.
Fair as was the mayors siatenasn, q ~
case. Il asd not IN the least satisfy fni
nrossa Seymour TIE c. plain u tho Haver
hin party. Was called FOR. Tire tali younl
ztnaets mounted tns stage and said in ex
cited tones:
Il lead an expedition ffas VIII s9h, 70
our rights as quickly ss any man ners. ~
i are All brothers in this expedition. fCnswrs.
! say 20 yo9. hold tie shsp for t1ls. 81