The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1897-08-12
DON'T GO TILL SPRING.
STRONG ADVICE FRoM An ISL
AMBER PASSENGER


18E TOT n0kSe9 6sxho0et&0-
Aiaers Deo9eA 20 Camp for tAs
Winter.
toward Klonalke tc. rai. uasia spring De-
tore starting for The Keld fields
Sscn = the message received from Ar.
O. h Van A.-angsn, who LETT here some
weeks ago with hundreds OF ether treas
IRE seekers Ard his word OF caution Is
seconded and Endorsed ~ al who have
reaeGsa Dyea or Skag1ay, the gatsways
70 me upper Yukon, and f.ai themselves
brought 70 hal, BY the imposs.aisiSy Of
getting through their supplies With The
present inadequate facilities for packing.
TIE road from here 20 Dawson viii he
married with dad meas bones writes
another prospective millionaire. who per
laps takes = somewhat exaggerated view
a. the situation hu. whose note 81 warn
Ing s nevertheless not 10 be disregardsd
All advlcss-ay both the Islander ard
the C11y az Topeka which arrived back
yesserday-agree OF the one important
posni-not half Of these who nave already
reached Dyea or SkaEuay will be abIs TO
get through TO the Kiondske this year. ana
ii viii Dc worse than folly. madness. for
others 70 attempt the passage until spring
anaoeks The rivers again
To deal frs. with the intelligence OF
paramount importance TO those who have
either themselves se, their faces toward
the h.ondske Or have friends On the way
or about 20 depart When the Islander
isfs on her return trip sad-syed COM
Taay waved her q gloomy fareweai--,ne
very same men in whose bosoms hope and
enthusiasm burned so brightly when they
set out from Victoria 80 SEEK wealth in
the lanG Of tae north. The rains Tad SET
IN, not the scCsable showers that residents
81 the Pacific Northwest know as rains,
but a persistent, penetrating downpour in
sheets OF water rather than drops, .nstar-
talrousiy soaking through all ordinary
waserpToofs ana chilling the wearers 10
the very bone. But the discomfort ard
the danger 20 the health were nos the
worst features OF the storm. or al all
events were not so regarded BY the ma
JoriSy- The rain descending in sheets had
made the route to Tagish lake practically
impossible the trail from Skaggay bay
being IN many places completely washed
oa1, while in others The pioddiag pack
horses have begged and expired, strug-
Cling 10 end footing where only PREACHER
Gus nire existed. As u result, the dreary
road between Skaguay and Tagish IL al
ready marked by details of melancholy
pSospectoEs forced into camp for an in
definite period, with little or no prospect
OF continuing their journey for many
months. and with outfits SO depleted iha;
their chances OF winning fortunes In the
otgstngs are reduced 10 the oAresg margin
OF possibility. To make their predicament
complete. the forage along the trail has
been exhausted. and those VINO neglected
10 take with them fodder for their STOCK
VIII nave the misfortune 10 see their pack
horses die before their eyes, with no means
Az command by which 10 save them.
AZ skaguay for the Winter.
When the Rosalie. George W. Elder,
George E. Starr. Rapid Transit. coquii-
lam. Danube and Bristol shall have dis
charged their participants In the rush. 1t
is speaking weii within the facts to say
that no fewer than sotD men, and many OF
these city folk, all unused 10 the priva
tons and hardshipz OF the wilderness.
will be found between Skaguay and the
lake. condemned by the memorable climate
there to remain until May or June at the
earliest. How many OF these Will sue
cumb to the rigors Of the northern win
ter is a matter for gioomiest conjecture.
The earliest parties on the road. with the
more intrepid and experienced viii doubt
less make their way through to Tagish
and there spend the winter In hoat-bulld-
ing and other necessary preparations. The
have started within the last two months
can hope 10 get through TO Dawson City
during ne present year.
Unloading the ISLANDER.
When the Islander arrived at Skaguay
on Monday week. the chief point OF de-
barkasion at the present time. she found
the promised wharf as yet uncompie;ed.
the workmen, in spite OF their S day in
hand. having contracted Kiondicitis as
badly as the people In remote cities and
taken their way 10 the mines The tedious
work OF diseharging the heavily laden
steamer by ships boats and RATS was &C
cordingiy adopted perforce. and so well
did all join in that the task was much
more speedily accomplished than anyone
would have dared TO hope. Thursday see
ing the last outfit transferred 10 land and
the cabins and hold of the c. P. n. flag
ship again deserted. During the progress
OF discharging '.ail hands, 10 use the
common expression, fa men at the lowest
estimate, were housed or the islander
through Capt. Irving's thoughtfulness.
As il rained all but continuously during
the greater part of the time. the CON
yenicnces OF the big steamer were never
more heartily appreciated.
IL only required this final courtesy Of
the commoaore's to seal the good opinion
formed OF him and his officers by the
numerous passengers who before the yes
sci weighed anchor for her return. took
occasion TO express their opinion OF the
islanders management and officers In Q
complimentary address. which Capt Irv-
irg will add with genuine pleasure TO the
large collection Of similar testimonials OF
which be Is possessed. The islanders
voyage 20 her port ~ destination was
broken by call at ST. Mary's island
tf.A ~-xs. ST.
was taken aboard. and speedily completed
the fornalitiss for bonding the outfits OF
the fortune seekers through the narrow
strip OF American territory lying between
Skaxuay and Tagish lake. These pro-
ceedings occupied but little time. the
work OF the American officials IN this re-
gard being performed with the utmost
courtesy. dispatch ard ability.
Dyea Almost Deserted.
Then Dyea was passed. an almost DE-
serted village. since Skaguay. four miles
distant. has awakened 70 the Importance
OF wharfage facilities. AZ skaguay So
or more earlier arrivals welcomed the pas
sangers by the Canadian steamer at he
same time giving the new arrivals their
first dash of cold water By telling thnm
4 few bald facts as TO the trip before
Thery7. There WAS first Of ali the qus=-
ton OF route 10 be considered With a
slight rrsponderanee OF recent evidence
In favor Of Aoore's for W'hitel pass over
the Ch.iSoot. Il Is at present reported
as incomparahiy the best for horses and
naturally thts has decided many in ga
favor For those who have not brought
pack horses with them. ne services Of
the lazy natives 81 Skaguay are IN
stFogg demand az - TO g cents a pound
for the Transports ton 81 ali kinds az
freight over she pass And ever az ;Ais
rate the demand greatly syesets the sup
fly SO that upon the advent os the ISL
ander many had already BEEN waiting fer
weeks at Skags1ay unti their surn should