The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1897-12-29

weather set in, the channel narrowed
as the shore ice crept outward from
the banks. Thus a constantly widen
ing roadway was formed, over which
the commerce of the city was carried
on. 1t was level and smooth, and logs
and lumber and merchandise were
transported over it by horses and men
and sleds and dog teams.
Upon this the "techarco" based his
conception of what it was to "go out
over the ice" The "techarco" is the
new conner" or 'tenderfoot," and the
word is Indian. 1t seemed a simple
matter to him to travel this wide
boulevard back to the land of plenty,
and in face of the desperate chances
that go with staying here the reso-
luton was easily formed, even by
those who had suffered most in the
long struggle to get here. That is the
bitterest feature of this experience
The toll and suffering and time and
money that it costs to get here, and
then, Immediately upon arrival, when
the trials were supposed to be at an
end. to find no alternative but to turn
back again over the long road just
Travelled, to tramp 1t this time through
the bleak bewilderment of the Arctic
winter, forsaken by the hope that
helped TO get here and accompanied
instead by disappointment, and this,
not because there is not all they had a
right to expect when they left home to
come here, but because, having ar
rived. they lack a few sacks of -four
and a few measures of beans.
The closing of the river, therefore,
does not check the exodus from the
city. 1t changes it's direction. Fort
Yukon, with the river open, was two
weeks distant, drifting down stream.
Now it is almost as far away as Dyea,
and not so desirable. Dyea is out"
and to most of these tired and disap-
pointed people that word leaves moth
ing more to be said. At Fort Yukon
the man with no money is simply ac-
cumulating debt. and the spring will
find him in a more helpless position
than ne is now.
With these considerations, the tents
of the ''techarcos,' which have always
formed a deep fringe along the water
line of the city. have been a market
place for the barter of odds and ends
of outfits. The men who determined
to go out reserved of what they had
only what they might need for a
thirty days Journey. With the pro-
ceeds of their sales they bought what
essentials for this they did not have,
such as dogs and sleds. Hundreds
had sold out. Very many even sneered
at the necessity of dogs, and declared
an intention to walk out and haul
their own sleds.
A hundred had already started, in
tending to get as far as possible on this
side of the river. A dozen of these
found difficulties they had not counted
on when only out a few days, and came
back.
Not all of these by any means are
techarcos. Many are d-timers here,
who have excellent claims, by the
working of which this winter they
might become rich. They have been
crowded out of their allotment of pro-
visions by this years multitude, and
are so crowded out of the country.
Their stories are interesting but in
the crush of misfortune that has set
upon newcomers and old-timers alike
individuals and their instances are lost.
l know of many cases of men who
had a full equipment and could live
very comfortably and enjoy advan-
tages they had not dreamed of when
they started for here-the advantages
that always come to the fortunate few
through the misfortunes of the many
! but who have sold out and will under
take this trying journey over the ice
They are afraid to stay here. They
know very many who ought TO go out
because they have not got any provi-
sions will not go out. They anticipate
/ robbery and violence at the hands of
these and they prefer the outer world
Their fears are we'll founded, Of
course. Jim Keerys saloon was broken
open and robbed of $22. 1000 in dust on
the night of November IA, few days
or nights ago. Keery has run out of
lamp oil. and so closes his saloon at