The record-union., 1897-09-23
Peaks Of Mountains Flanking the
Passes Covered With Snow.
The Smaller Streams Have Also Begun to
Freeze Over.
Many People Who Had Hoped TO
Reach the Gold Regions Before
the Winter Set In Returning to
the States Until Spring Has
Opened

SEATTLE, Sept. 22.-Winter has be-
gun in earnest with the travellers on
the Dyea and Skaguay trails, and all
who 90 not intend TO winter in Alaska
are Fastening out. The steamship
Queen arrived here to-day with eighty
passengers. Among these were United
States Marshal J. NJ. Shoup and Dis
trict Attorney B. z. Bennett. The
peaks of the mountains thanking the
passes are blanketed four feet deep
with snow, and the smaller streams are
encrusted with films Of ice.
When the Queen left Skaguay. Sep
fember 14th, there were many parties
struggling in from the mountains, and
it is stated that a majority will return
to Seattle and await the return Of
spring. Preparations are being made
10 winter number in both Juneau and
Skaguay.
Hundreds are turning back, but the
United States mail, in care of q. &.
Sproul, and assistants, viii go through
A letter received here announced the
safe arrival of Sproul with his party at
Sheep Camp, and on September Sth he
expected to be at Lake Lindernan,
where a boat would be built. The let
ter expressed confidence in the carriers
ability to reach Dawson, but Sproul
complained that coming out with the
return mail would be to ask for some
thing for which no adequate means had
been made by the Government.
One OF the most distinguished pas
sengers to arrive in the city on the
Queen was Burton Z. Bennett, who was
sent north by Grover Cleveland to fill
the Office Of United States District At
torney for Alaska. From what ] can
learn" he said, there is not and will
not be, enough food at Dawson City
this winter. With favorable weathe-,
the trading companies may get more
up the river than was anticipated, but
it is not likely. 1t will be impossible
under the most favorable circumstances
10 get sufficient in to supply all those
who are there. feel sure of that after
careful inquiry from letters I have re-
ceived from Dawson City. But as I
say, if Dawson City suffers, think of
the men on White Pass. The world
may not realize IT, but there are men
up north who are walking right into
death. The snow is probably flying on
White Pass, and If not, soon will be.
MANY propose to winter at Skaguay,
but from what I can learn hundreds
do not propose to stop there, nor will
they return to civilization. They have
the gold fever, as no other body of men
ever had it, Every time they hear Of
q strike in the Yukon country, they get
crazier than ever They will not stop
for snow; they will not stop for storms.
Pass all winter.
II am satisfied that while the snow
is coming down in all it's fury on the
pass and the wind is blowing awful
gales, this winter will see men on
White Pass. 1t is a frightful thing to
think of, but it is true, and these men
should be stopped. I would not be a
bit surprised to learn of many deaths
up there this winter 1t is the most
damnable rush 1 ever heard of or read
of. These men do not know anything
about the horrors of the White Pass
in the winter time, yet they keep on,
and just about the time that winter
is at it's worst some of them will be
caught on White Pass. They will never
escape.
II am satisfied that those who re-
main at Skaguay this winter viii be all
right. Spring viii soon be with them.
and they can start for the north. Once
there they viii all come back rich, if
they are willing TO stay and work for
a few years. There is gold in every
body of water, big and little. in our
country. Why, the people Of the States,
with all the newspaper talk, do not
know what the rush will be the coming
spring From letters I have received
from the States, I am sure there will
be 80 900 people in Alaska six weeks
after the spring rush has commenced.
Il think that the reports about SO
much crime in the vicinity of Ska quay
have been exaggerated. We are do
ing what we can to see that order is
preserved, and we have been fairly sue
cessful. Of course, there are some
criminals there. but crime is very small.
We have officers at Skaguay. They
viii winter there, and I look for no
trouble.
"One thing is certain, and that is tina:
the United States Government will have
TO take steps at once to give Alaska a
new Government. At present it is one
judicial district. I favor three, one for
Southeast Alaska, one for Western
Alaska, and one for the Yukon, in that
way the country would be much better
governed. If a murder is committed in
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