The San Francisco call., 1897-09-06

SEATTLE. WASH. Sept. 5.-Things
have about reached a crisis at Skaguay.
Trouble, it is asserted, cannot be averted,
and the condition OF affairs is so alarming
that Government officers are gathering in
a squad 10 save Americans. The steamer
Queen arrived from tho north at 8 O'Clock
this morning and brings down the latest
news. 1t is alleged that gam blers and
other criminals, while robbing miners
every hour of the day and night, are doing
everything in their power to cause
blockade on White Pass and drive the
thousands of desperate men into a winters
camp at Skaguay, so that tie ro bbery can
continue. Some of the most notorious
criminals Of the country are there. The
old shell game is being WORKED with sue
cess almost on the summit of w nite Pass
by 'Soapy' Jim Smith, renowned crook
from ST. Louis. An ex-convict from Mon
tana is assisting him. Then, too, thieves
are at work. On AUGUST y one miners
tent was relieved OF S1490.
On the Queen were George B. Kittinger
of this CITY and Colonel f. S. Chadbourne
Of San Francisco, a State Harbor Com
missioner of California. From interviews
had with these men it is apparent that the
worst has vet to se told concerning the
horrors at Skaguay. Mr.. Kittinger, who
IS the Alaska representative of Millionaire
J. Edward Addicks, returned for addi-
tionai funds with winch to secure boats
and trans portation from their camp to
the lakes. Before Ieav ng the trail Mr..
Kittinger offered two men $500 thousand
for whipsawing lum ber at the lakes for
two boats. The men refused the job, and
Kittinger finally contracted to purchase
the boats at $500 each. kittinger says:
The feeling is most intense among
the miners on the trail Trouble of the
most serious nature is likely to break out
at any minute. The miners committee,
impelled by the wholesale stealing that
has been going on for weeks past, held a
meeting and announced that the first man
caught in theft would be strung up with
out the formality of trial.
''AIl the men in the camp have been
made desperate by the failure to get over
the trail and by the terrible hards ships
they have been compelled to endure in
the hopeless struggle against odds. The
miners have become suspicious of each
other and quarreis are of hourly occur
renee. Every mans hand is raised against
every other man. The Iawless characters
are much in evidence and dissensions and
discords have broken out among the
miners until such thing as cooperation
is impossible. Words are utterly made
Quate 10 describe the trail. You cannot
put it too strong. IF there were 300 there
instead of 5000 it would be diffe rent, but
with men ana horses-some of the latter
not more brutes than the men-there is
much struggling and fighting for chance
to get beyond the sum init. All efforts to
place the trail in shape for travel are ut
terly in vain"
The attention of the authorities o:
Alaska have b-en drawn TO Skaguay, and
Governor Brady and Collector Ivy feel
and have expressed the greatest concern
at the outlook. Colonel Chadbourne
talked to both these. He says Coll ector
Ivey detailed and announced TO him his
intention of raiding Gkaguay with a force
of deputy marshals, driving out the
whisky smugg!ers, saloon sacn ana dive
keepers and arresting the confidence men
and thugs.
This" said Colonel Chad bourne, 'fs
the only way in which they hope to
avoid crimes of all descriptions during
the winter. The whisky men and thieves
have conspired to keep the trail blocked
So that thousands viii be forced 10 win
ter at Skaguay. They know that the
authorities are not al bic to cope with them
and they figure on getting every dollar
ont of the tendeIfeet from the East before
spring sets in. All sorts of traps are laid
ior the unwary Fasteners and men from
the villages OF the Coast. Soapy Jim, one
OF the most notorious confidence operators
on the Coast, conducts a shell game right
out on the open trail. Jack Jolly. the
murderer who has just been released
from the Montana nitentiary, is on the
grounds and says that Skaguay is the
easiest graft in the country"
Collector Ivey said that il he could
break up the whisky smugglers and dive
keepers the camp would disperse, the gold
hunters return 10 Juneau and the Sound
for the winter and quiet would be re-.
stored.
Governor Brady is quoted as saying that
the situation is laden with trouble, and
that he intends notifying the department
at Washington of the condition of affairs.
The action of the Collectors deputies in
taxing the Canadian mounted police $50
per head duty for their horses has in.
censed the Canadians, and as they passed
mp the trail they openly announced their
intention of 'tcincbing" the first of the
4 m I'M that IN ka To sofS