The San Francisco call., 1897-12-14
Anxious TO Send Aid to the
Miners in Danger of
Starvation.
SUBMITS INFORMATION TO
CONGRESS.
Latest AdvIces Indicate That Un-
less Food Is Sent There VIII
Be Misery and Death.
special Dispatch to The CALI.
CALL OFFICE RIGGS HoUsE,1
WASHINGTON. Dec. Il

WASHINGTON, Dec. Is. I
The plan of using steam snow locomo-
tives to open and maintain communica-
| tion between the outside world and the
| klondike country has not been abandoned
| by any means. Secretary Alger was in
! consultation to-day with several repre-
/ sentatives o a company which has already
made ten OF these unique locomotives, and
the Secretary, who is intensely soIicitous
to extend aid to the miners suffering from
lack of food. authorized them to proceed
| to ship the machines to Alaska and make
the effort to get through the interior. The
plan is 10 use either the Chilkat Pass and
the Dalton trail or White Pass, with the
prefence to the former route.
The men, who were at the War Depart
ment to-day, assured Mr.. Alger that they
could take the locomotives up the hills of
either OF these passes. with the possibility
of requiring the assistance of cable power
in one place about half mile long. Once
over that place, near the head of Chiikat
Pass, there would be no difficulty, they
said, in making good time across country
over the snow 10 Fort Selkirk and thence
to Dawson.
In answer TO a Senate resolution calling
for such Information as the War Depart
ment posS esSes relative to the lack of food
supplies on the Yukon River, Secretary
AIge7 to-day submitted q letter reciting
his action IN sending Captain Ray of the
Eighth Infantry to that country 10 inveS-
tlgaie the conditions, and inclosing copies
OF that Utflt ers report. giving features
which have already been pu blisned.
Secretary Alger says: From these re-
ports 1t will be seen that as early as the
lst OF September. while en- route up the
Yukon, Captain Ray was in receipt of in
formation to the effect that unless some
relief was sent to the district, starvation
or at least great prlvatioD, would be in
evil table.
From other sources. including dis
patches from the Chamber of Commerce
OF Portland and Tacoma, which, while un-
ofnclal, the department believes TO be
| thoroughly reliable, it is ascertained that
since the 18th of August but 165 tons of
provisions have reached Dawson City by
river, and that the boats OF the wo trans
portation companies, with 2000 tons of
supplies for that place, were compe ed to
discharge their freights ct Fort Yukon,
owing 10 the condition OF the river be-
tween these two points.
1t is also learned from three independ-
ent sources that the population of Dawson
and vicinity in October of this year was
estimated TO be not less than 5000 and
probab bly, was much in excess of that num-
| Der, and that in the population OF Dawson
| City and the country tributary thereto
large numb OF American citizens are
! Tepori ed TO nave insufficient food 10 last
them through the winter, and that many
are absolutely destitute. When it was
sscertained at Dawson, by special mes.
! senger sent from Fort YUKON about Octo-
! Der Is, that no more supplies could reach
! the m ners before summer via the Yukon
! tOO or $40 people are reported TO have gone
4UO miles down the river TO Fort Yukon, a
! journey requiring from twenty-three to
! twenty sight days travel where il is esti-
/ mated there are about 200 tons OF proyis-
ions cached, and that at Miuook Greek,
about 6OU miles from Dawson City and
! Fort Hamlln, 523 miles from that place
down the river, the trading CO N panies upon
/ whom the N .ners depend wholly for their
| winters supply were compelled, owing to
| the lowneSs OF the river, TO unload re-
! spectively 100 and 200 tons of provisions
| from thei' 'teambUats bound from St
! Mchael Tor DIwson."
ne last Information in the m lining dis
trict bears date OF October II, when II was
! reported there were not in stores al Dawson
/ or those accessible TO the min ing region A
| single pound of bacon, beans or -four. and
| that those miners who had b zen in the
territory contiguous TO Dawson, depend
! ing on the stores there for their usual
! winter supplies find it impossible to nur
/ chase any supplies whateve-, except from
| friends or individuals who thought thew
! had a surplus, and the cost of FOOD for ths
! bare neceSSaries of life even under these
! circum stances were eXorbitant and almost
| prOhihitory, fifty pounds OF flour seIlins
al $lC0 to $125
| AltnOuEh there are manv tons eff sun
! plies a. Fort 81. Michael bout 177O niIes
! from Dawson City DOWN the Yukon IL
! will be i'm possible to get anv food from
! there bsfore next summer The onlv nos
slble route by which supplies can be trans
/ ported into the mining district at the
! present season would be either bv the
! Chill ko OF or White passes, through Lakes
! Llnderman and Bennett and down the
! Lewis and Yukon riv"rs over the ice or
! through the Chilkoot Pass and over DaI-
! ten trail appro oXimately 700 miles and h5O
miles respectively from juneau reouiriuc
! from thirty 10 thirty-five DAYS travel from
Juneau-a most hazardous and perhap,
! impossible trip, although 1t is believed II
! can be accom- plished.
! From the best stinformation obtainable II
is be wed that the use OF reindeer will be
| the means by which these >upplies can
be got through. if at all. 1t is therefore
recommend ed that reindeer be purchased
in Lap and to the mum Der OF 500 and per
m ission granted to bring reindeer drivers
| from that country. Tnis upon the infor
nation that it requires much skill 10 man
age these animals.
1t Is believed supplies taken into that
country need not be furnished to a great
extent a. gratuity, but that miners will
be able 10 pay he cost of such supplies
One Of the interesting items in the aori
cultural appr priation DILL is a provision
for $40, 600 for an agricultural experimental
station in Ala>Ka.