The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1897-09-14

ANVIK, YUKON RIVER, ALASKA, Aug %
(yia Seattle, WASH, Sept. 13).-When the
steamer Hamilton drew up TO this little
Indian village and wood station this after
noon it found the Alaska Comm ercial
Com pany's river boat Bella tied up TO the
bank. She is taking down some eighty
miners, nearly all of them with a big
sack As the Hamilton drew II the
Bella's passengers lined up on the shore
to greet her and the new comers. Many
of-tbose on the boat were quick to dis
cover acquaiaiances in the line on shore
and there- followed a noisy exchange OF
greetings. Louis Sloss Of the Alaska Com
me1cial Company, coming out for the
winter, was evidently astonished at the
number of those going up the river al
time of year when he and other wise ones
are going down. Answering the greetings
OF a mum Der o. acquaintances he said:
"Yo ou people have gone crazy"
Later Mr.. Sloss was informed that an
other shipload of people were waiting at
st. Michael for the Bella. He said at
once that lie would advise them to go
back whence they came, declaring fatty
that there is not food enough on the river
to supply them.
The people coming in over the pass are
not bringing food with them in sufficient
quantities, and a messenger had been
sent to be stationed at Chilcoot Pass to
warn such as might not have full supply
to go back. Both the trading companies
have quit selling provisions to any but
miners, and to them only in the most
limited quantities. A check is kept upon
all sales, end no more than provision for
"a few days was sold to any one person.
This precaution was found necessary, as
few of the weaithiest miners were buying
up all the stores as rapidly as they were
landed, to the exclusion of others. The
company's store was closed for a few days
afte- the arrival of the Bella, so that stock
could be taken and arrangements made to
defeat the schemes for cornering what
there was.
Mr.. Sloss said that this policy of limit
ing the sales will be continued. This plan,
however, works both ways. While 1t
prevents the heaviest operators securing
all they desire, to the exclusion of the in
dividual. it also prevents the individual
from securing enough to enable him to go
into the hills for the winter prospecting.
year" said Mr.. Sloss, land there is no
basis for com putting what demands will
be made upon our stores. We have not
taken provisions into the country in any
proportion to the number of people who
have gone in in excess of the amount and
the number of last year. That would
have been impossible, as the facilities
were not commensurate. So far as my
observation goes, too, the people who
were coming in over the pass were not
bringing provisions with them. There
lore, there cannot help being a scarcity
and consequent distress, and my advice to
such as these is to turn round and go back.
intend to advise the passengers who
came up on our boat, the Excelsior, and
who are now at ST. Michael, to go back to
San Francisco, and l will give them free
transporta ton if they will ccept it."
AS to the richness of the new diggings,
the near approach to them does not in
any wise alter or amend the gIittering
tales that were told by the first invoice of
suddenly enriched MIXERS. who dazzled
San Francisco only about six weeks ago.
III there be any alteration it is to
strengthen the story as originally told.
L ue elSuty hlHeiS Oi UodTu tue Deiid
are carrying out with them net weight
of gold valued at not less than three
quarters of a million dollars. 1t is i'm
possible to get al close estimate, for many
individuals are wary and refuse to give
the amount they carry, while they keep
such close guard over it as to leave no
doubt that it is treasure. Those who took
pains to make inquiries on the way down
give widely varying figures. One placed
it at half million dollars. another $4,000
ounces or 81, 100 600. Let either be true
this much is certain that the new dig
gings are rich beyond ything in the his
tory of placer mining.
"You will see more gold in one saloon
in Dawson City," said Hugh Haggerty,
one of the number, ''than you ever
dreamed of. Money or gold is nothing
there-grub is everything. If the boats
make another trip believe there will be
plenty, but if there is any interruption it
will be tough. Most of the men board
the Bella are going out, because they don't
want to take chances in there this winter"
Jack McQuestion, who has charge of
the Alaska Commercial Company's store
at Circle City, one of the earliest of the
pioneers and best known men on the Yu-
kon, had this to say concerning the situ-
alton:
"There are not provisions enough on
the Yukon for the people. There are
about $500 more people in this country