The herald., 1897-09-14
Flee From Starvation at
Dawson
A THOUSAND DOLLARS EACH
WILL COVER THE GOLD THEY
BRING OUT
All Agree That Winter Will See
Scurvy, Starvation and Death
on the Yukon
ssociated Press Special Wire.


Associated Press Special Wire.
SEATTLE, Sept. 13.-The steamer
Humbold arrived this morning from ST.
Michaels She brings IA passengers and
about 5000 in gold. The Humboldt also
brings news that the sidewheel steamer
Eliza Anderson. from Seattle. reported
lost, is safe at Dutch Harbor.
Her passengers have by this time en-
tered Bering sea on the schooner char
tered for that purpose. Two passengers
on the Anderson were so frightened
that they returned south on the steamer
Humboldt.
Mayor Wood of Seattle, who chartered
the Humboldt, is still at St. Michaels,
but letters received from him indicate
that all is we'll with him and that the
stories of dissension and strife on the
part of members of the expedition are
untrue.
The Humboldt brings advices which
reiterate the stories of untold wealth of
the Klondike and Yukon and verify pre-
supply in the interior There will be
privation, sickness, starvation, scurvy
and death on the Yukon this winter" Is
what the returning gold hunters say.
Only seven have money, and /. Is i'm
possible to induce them to say how much
they have, but the purser of the Hum
boldt gives the following figures: G. A.
Wanger, $500; E. Turner, $500; j. F. Crie-
der, $4,000; w. Urquhart, 5000; ]. D. Rog-
ers, $4,000; D. F. Atkins, $4500; Captain
]. Whitesides, $4,000; j. N. Secretan, who
came back on the Humboldt, and who
has but very little cash, says he came out
to avoid starvation at Dawson. Said he:
"Thus far, upwards of 1900 men have
pushed their way over the passes from
Skaguay and Dyea and have arrived at
Dawson City. The influx of miners over
the passes has frightened the old timers
| in the interior, and all that can command
money are coming out to winter in the
states and thus avoid what they believe
will be winter of hardship and suffer-
ing; perhaps murder and thievery."
IF YOU ARE GOING-DON'T
KANSAS CITY, Mo-, Sept. 13.-F. W.
Gates of the ranch firm of Vail & Gates,
Los Angeles Cal, and Arizona, who is
in the city, has just received an interest
ing letter from G. w. Anderson, whom
he grubstaked to go to the Klondike
The letter is dated Skaguay Pass, Au-
gust 9th, and says in part:
II have now been about two weeks on
this trail. I cannot describe the hard
ships Of those who are struggling and
enduring all the hardships that either
man or beast ever endured in our en-
deavor to get over the mountain before
the lakes and Yukon river freeze up. 1t
Is estimated that there are about 1000
people on this and the Dyea trails and
camped where the ships landed them on
the beach Many are giving up in de-
spair and will try the Dyea route; others
are going into winter quarters. We have
had one continuous storm for about
three weeks, mostly rain and hail. Very
few have been through to Lake Bennett.
The mountains are very steep and rocky.
The flat places are all boggy. Many
horses have been killed. It is impossible
to hire packing done over this trail.
Those who are hiring are paying from
| so to go cents per pound.
This trail has been greatly misrep-
resented by the sharks and real estate
town at Skaguay bay. They reported
a passable trail, open for horses, before
I left Seattle, which caused most every
body coming to ship their outfits this
way. I know of but two parties that
have been over this trail to the lakes
yet, and we that are on the trail are con-
tributing to have the trail made.
my advice to all who anticipate 60
| ing to the Klondke is not to come this
route. They say there will be famine
in Dawson unless the parties going in
take plenty of provisions. So 1 have
made UP my mind to take plenty with
me, and l will be o K for the next year.
even if am compelled to go into winter
quarters before reaching my destina-
tion."
LAND TITLES
PORTLAND, Or, Sept. 13-John u.
Smith, United States commissioner a;
Dyea, writes to the Evening Telegram in
! this city, under date of September 5.
He says:
1.-The air Is full of all sorts of business
schemes. There are representatives of
many moneyed corporations figuring on
tramways and railroads. The right of
way is what sticks them all. Alaska is
great country. but it is very hard to
get title to any more of it than you can
spread yourself out over.
1.-The trails ought to be improved.
. which could be done at small expense,
and would be a great public improve
ment, but Alaska laws are so limited
that no one can even get the right to
make trail or get right of way for a
road.
1.-The matter has come before me semi
officially, and 1 have ruled that only
bridge can become private property un-
der squatters' right of possession, and
that no individual can control the trail
If anyone builds bridge he can charge
toll thereon or keep people off it,
"The men at Dyea and Skaguay are
the most peaceable and law biding that
I have meta great deal more SO than
I expected. There have been a few
fights, and under the provocation of the
elements it is a wonder they get along as
well as they do. There have appeared in.
some papers few sensational articles