The San Francisco call., 1897-08-28
IT IS BELIEVED THE STEAMER
WAS DETAINED.
Meanwhile All Kinds of Stories Flow In
Concerning the Fortunes Made on
the Kondike---Riches Of
Copper River.

SEATTLE, WASH, Aug. 27.-The people
OF the Puget Sound country know moth
ing more about the wherea bouts of the
steamer Portland to-day than they did
one. week ago. She may be out in the
Pacific. she may be at ST. Michael and
she may be on the bottom OF the sea
Newspaper men are on the lockout for
her; rumors about her coming are put
into circulation every few hours, put to-
night she is still SO lar away that no one
can see her VINO is inside the straits. For
a time the interest in her coming died
away, but there has been so much talk of
late to the probable amount she will
bring down that every body is wishing she
would return soon, just 10 settle the DIS
pute as TO the amount OF the cargo.
E. f. Cassel, president OF the Juneau
Chamber of Commerce, who is in this
city, says he is anxious that only the
truth shall be told, but asserts that his in
formation, which he considers reliable, is
to the effect hat the Portland will have
over three tons of gold. He claims that
be had long talk, just before leaving Ju-
ueaa, with Archie Schelp, who came
overland from Dawson Ciiy. Schelp posi-
tItsiy asserte.i that the Portland would
have over three tons OF gold aboard.
Schelp is credited with the statement that
it took him over TWO hours 10 get his sack
OF gold from the big pile on the dock at
Dawson City it measured one-iourth of a
cord. Cassel says that other letters which
he has received from Dawson City are to
the So me effect.
Tie Juneau Miner of August 21 pub
fishes q statement made by Scheip 10 the
effect that the Portland has over three
. tons OF gold aboard, at least he says it
was on the DOCK ready TO be shipped down
the river on the steamer which was TO
connect with the Portland.
w. H. Skiliings is the architect who de-
signed the W Washington State building at
the Worlds Fair. He Is now at Skaguay,
and writing from that point under date of
August 70 says:
Jack Day, The Dawson mail-carrier,
has Just arrived with the regular mail.
Day made a quick trip. Day purchased a
claim before be left Dawson from ID man
who was compelled to leave the country
On account OF sickness. He paid $500 for
it and il Will make HIM independently
wealthy. The man was so sick he could
not work it. Day says it seems funny
that the papers make so much fuss over
Jack Lippy down below. Why, III Daw-
son be was hardly a factor. There were
many who mad much better claims and
more money. Day is going to take his
wife in with him the next trip. Day told
me that from what he knew of people who
had gone down the river to come to the
States on the Portland the vessel would
bring out not less than $3.000 0OO.
Nevertheless, passengers on the schooner
Fred E. Sander, from Dawson City, say
that these stories OF great fortunes COM
ing down on the Portland are not true.
They say that she will have 81, COG. 600
probably not that much. All OF the spare
gold is being reinvested, they say, in the
new mines, and miners who are not doing
that are holding on to il, so that they will
be able to pay good wages this winter TO
plenty of men. Then when spring comes
they will be in fine condition for the clean
up 1t remains Tor the steamer Portland
to decide the question which is just now
exciting the world. Hundreds of miners
vino went north to Skaguay and Dyea
were srubstaked, and the people back OF
them are feeling much better to-day over
the letters from the north. The miners
seem to be getting over much more rap
idly than was for a time predicted they
would. OF course, hundreds still remain
on this side OF the mountains and will not
get over until spring, but those who went
a little earlier and who had money to pay
hacking rates seem to be making prog
ress. A dozen different letters received
to-day state that miners are last getting
over Chilcoot. One may hear both good
and bad reports concerning White Pass.
w. J. Henderson, formerly merchant
of this city, who is now stationed at
Juneau, writes 10 this city OF the condi-
ton of affairs at White Pass. He sayE
that the pass is all right, and that men
are getting over it every day. he states: