The united opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1881-1970, 1897-09-03
PROV ISIONs SHORT.
Much Suffering Sure to Exi+, In Dawson
This Winter.

Much Suffering Sure to Exist In Dawson
This Winter.
San Francisco, Aug. 30-W. A, Ryan,
one of the special correspondents en-
route to the Yukon gold fields, writes
from ST. Michaels under date of Aug
10 to the effect that there is grave danger
of famine on the Klondyke this winter.
According to all reports received from
the upper country it will be impossible
to land sufficient food at Dawson City
to support the population already de-
pendent upon that base of supplies.
r. T. Lying, local agent of the Alaskan
Commercial company at st. Michaels,
declares that there already 1000 idle men
in Dawson City, and new parties ar
irving every day, via Chlkoot pass,
while the total amount of freight landed
there this year will not exceed 1000 tons,
of which not more than three-fourths is
provisions. Miners returning from the
klondyke, who left there in July, report
that the food was running very low
then, and it was disposed of as fast as
discharged from the steamers. Old
timers realize the situation and predict
distress and death as a result of the
klondyke craze.
William OgilVie, Dominion land sur
veyor who mas been making topograph-
zeal surveys of the British possessions
along the KlondylIe, has been recalled by
the government for consultation as to
Important matters affecting the new
gold fields, and he is now en- route to
Ottowa. via San Francisco. He will
make report embodying suggestions
for new mining laws, governing the sale
of liquor and taking wood for fuel, ETC.
He made a census of the new fields and
finds 70 claims produced $S26,O0O, and
says that $4,000 is no exaggerated esti-
1rate of the amount that will be produced
by $50 claims on bonanza, Hunkers and
Ell Dorado in three years.
Thomas Magee, a well known real
estate man of this city, who is en- route
to the I<londyke gold fields with party
of San Franciscians, writes from Lake
Bennett, B. c., under date of Aug. 10,
confirming previous reports of the ter
rible conditions of the White pass trail
from Skaguay, and relating the almost
insurmountable difficulties to be en-
cOuntered by the gold hunters who prefer
that route to the more formidable Chill
koot pass. He and his party left Ska
quay on Aug. 10 with nine burros, and
during the four and one-half> days con-
sumed in making the trip of 40 miles
to Lake Bennett, met with innumerable
adventures.
twenty-five times some of their pack
animals were begged up, necessitating
not only the unpacking of each load,
but also the lifting of the animals bodily
from the mire. Another trouble was
the narrowness of the trail in Places
which necessitated the unpacking of the
burros and the transporting of the sup
plies by hand over these spots.
The Magee party took boat up from
San Francisco in sections, but was COM
PEELED to leave it 1t the beach at Skaguay,
as it was utterly impossible to carry it
over the trail. At the head of Lake
Bennett, however, they found firm of
boat builders, who charged no more for
good boats than would be paid in San
Francisco ($140).
Mr. Magee thinks that the majority of
the crowd now at Skaguay and Dyea
will have to abandon all hope of getting
into the Yukon country this year, and is
certain that the late corners have no
chance of doing so.