The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1897-08-31
Five Thousand Men Trying
to Get Over the
White Trail.
The MORTAL CINCH GAME.
Story Of Delay at Dyea Told
by a Willamette Pas
Senger.
MUCH OF THE FREIGHT is RUINED.
People From All Parts of the World
on the Trail-Some Do Not
Care for Expense.

A. NJ. Robertson, well-known book
dealer of this City, received an important
Eetter yesterday from a trustworthy cor
respondent at Dyea. The letter bears
Dyea date of August is, and says:
The way the steamship company is
using US is the worst imposition l ever
heard Of We we're landed here five days
ago and have not got sight of our freight
vet. The ship-Willarn ette-lies in Skag-
uay Bay, about four miles from here, and
the probabilities are that she will be there
three or four days longer before we get
our freight.
Nearly half OF tie freight that has
been unloaded so far is absolutely ruined,
horses having been placed imm ediately
over it and only a loose board floor be-
tween them and the freight. 1 think our
goods will be secure from damage in that
way, for the freight was stored in some
empty water tanks but judging from the
heat and steam that come from the tanks
a great deal OF the freight stored there will
be ruined. The tanks are air tight and to
store all kinds of freight for two or three
weeks in such place is not right.
-Four steamboat loads of people have
passed US, either on the road or around
here, and the boats have unloaded and
gone back, while the Willamette is poking
along, unloading as though a half year
rema ined to do the work.
"As to what l can hear from the mines,
they still hold out good. New strikes are
made right along. and there is not less
than 5000 people trying to get through
over the White trail. There are not
so many people on this trail, and l
hear that they are meeting with better
success than those on the other trail.
Seattle people are interested IN the
Skaguay Bay route, and are trying to
boom town at the landing, which is an
imposition on the people.
"Some people have been on the trail three
p months and have not got through yet. l
don't think it Will take US more than two
weeks at the outside to cross to the lakes
= If these people do not hold US until winter
sets in. We are having fine weather so
lar.
Everything in the transfer line Is
worked Ola the mortal-cinch plan. We
have to land our goods and haul them
a bove high water, which is more than
mile when the tide is out, for the tide
rises twenty-eight feet. To pack them out
would be too slow, for the tide would
catch them, as it does catch many poor
devil, and ruin his goods. As for US, we
bought boat and intend to lay right by
the ship, and when package belonging
to US comes out we will claim it and put
it into our boat, and so will get our goods
safe on shore at any rate. There are
thousands of boats for sale, as thew say 1t
is impossible 10 pack them in. We will
take our boat at all hazards for 1t is in
the interest of a sawmill on the lakes that
people here are advised that boats cannot
be packed. l have had enough of the
mortal cinch game already.
"a person would not believe what
mad rush there is to get in unless be saw
it right here on the trail. Some are going
with mules, burros, horses, oxen, bulls,
wheelbarrows, handcarts. and in every
way Imaginable. Two men here with two
horse, apiece and wagons are making $150
q day each. There are meh with pack
animals that are making $40 day to the
animal. Pack horses are selling at $3.50
EACH. II | could have secured our stock l
could have made $500 while l was waiting,
but the steam boat company will not I'M
load them until they get through at
Skaguay.
lakes he could coin money. If the thing
should keep up much longer he could
Ne axe fortune, but it would cost lots OF
money to pack in his goods Ii had
brought fifty pack animals l could have
made more money than anybody on the
Klondike is making. But am going to
the Klondike, if not this fall l shall cam p
on the trail and get there next spring. l
believe that people will travel through all
winter. There are people on the trail from
all parts of the world. Some of them do
not seem TO care tor the expense and mean
to get through at all hazards. The Will
Iamette had HOO passengers on board, and
l will guaran Zee that Is per cent of them
do not get through this fall. People are
turning back every day.
I'VE will not have to pay duty for sixty
days longer. There must be more in this
mad rush than we think. After all, no
body has brought out much money this
way. l presume that when they get the
money they go back the easiest way.
Vorrs sincereIv A M Tony"