The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1897-09-14

Never IN is history has the Chamber
OF Commerce Of Seattle been aroused 20
the necessity OF immediate action more
than al present. and the emergency which
conditions have declared Justified The
sending OF the important telegram that
heads this column. u was unanimous
H. decided at a ADcclal meeting yesterday
afternoon 20 send 81 IS the president Of
the United states. acauainting him with
the awful fate that hangs over the
Hives and destinies Of thousands Of Ameri-
can miners VINO ar. IN many Instances
o1ilgions Of the shadow Of death that +
clearly outlined against the aurora be-
yond the gold fields.
The eandl,lsns existing, that a short
age OF fsod and inadequate shelter have
brought about. justify extreme meas
urer. and II there - the ilehtest hint CON
veyed IN the important dispateh quoted
afovs of tho situation al Dawson city
and the camps Sithln . hundred miles Of
g. cnbsne; meeting should immediate
Is follow It's receipt nj the executive mat
sion ia Washington city. America has
contributed TO the relief from distress OF
the world when the world has asked i.
Ships loaded with food have been dis.
patched 10 the four quarters OF the globe
10 save people from death and famine,
and now that It's own people are suffer
Ing the government will not allow cir
cumIocuilon of official procedure or red
tape 10 interfere with immediate steps for
the relief Of its citizens shut on from
the world and It's necessities by walls Of
ley mountains and stretches Of bleak
plains.
The food supply Of the Upper Yukon
districts is inadequate 10 more than sup
ply the temporary needs of those who wlll
soon be cut OF from communication. ex-
cepi by ths tedious and dangerous over
land sled routes. By which the malls are
delivered to the coast from the interior.
Back Ia the mountains. hundred miles
from pawaon City. men are working In
the pits that they have dug. ignorant of
the fact that the stores az Dawson City
and the river posts are closed These men
VIII work until their own supplies are re-
u
meni. then they viii seek the settlements
TO find want and starvation awaiting
them. The black wings Of death are now
outspread above the yellow lining of the
snow-clsd hills and. like a vulture. the
sable monster in It's most dreadful form.
Is settling down. IT, gloomy shadows hav-
ing beyond hope already engulfcd hun
dreds whose greed and ambition have rob-
bed them % their judgment. The picture
cannot be painted except IN sombeg colofs
and Il needs all the energy Of resource TO
brighten Il with necks Of light.
The special meeting or the trustees ~
the Chamber Of Commerce was called none
too soon. and IS action In wiring Presl.
dent Mckinley was none too prompt So
produce the result hoped for cab{rst
meeting could settle that The department
should provide the relief and the cnun-
Try stands ready 20 applaud any action
that Will contribute "a lt. M Cravss
stated the emergency in his opening re-
marks, and he was followed IN shart
speeches ~ Messrs Nadehu. Devine
Brainert, Webb Crawford Hoae sud
Pratt There was q consensus Of opinion
as 10 the nscczsity 0f immediate actlen.
action that would not Involve fhg Ynt r
ring OF the subject, according 20 4ipfe-
matte usua9e. to the TEDIOUS service Af t#e
mas between The departments and size
governor Of Alaska the latter. at ast a--
counts being on the beach az Sksgtsy
eneieasoFiag 60 suppress the liquor ,fame
with the Indians
Theve was 20 Doubt expressed az SIS.
terday'S meesigg ghat me government
wonl4 find ready cooperation ou ths r4rf
Of the Canadian authorities NJ ottawa
and tiet aCtlou VIII af once De taken
tending toward The rtnsf az the e,arsgsq
miners " the PIPER Yukon districts rAe
situation must he ~ltevea india has hefs
ont emaolaied htnas fer help ard s, has
been given. NaW tlis needs are nearer
homo and Nearer the hearts ~ Anserf,sr.
The attention ~ the Federal government
70 the demands made upan IL az thls fls,,
Viii fesuit - a form ~ government ASA
postal faciltjee ihat that country ,xh.-s
Is BON - c}ose-and has always b@en
treated IKE au orphan chfi8- dentauas