The times., 1897-09-29
MINERS WILL NOT STARVE
John Sidney Webb Tells of His
Observations in Alaska.
PLENTY OF WORK AT DAWSON
There Have Been Over Three Thou
sand Tons of Food Shipped to
Mining Camps Clothing and Fur
piture Refused as Freight -Stean,
Sledges Not Practicable.

John Sidney Webb, the Washington ats
torncy and representative OF the Alaska
Commercial Company returned to this
city from ALASKA day or two ago. He
journryed as far inland from the coast as
American territory extends and crossing
the 14ist parallel of Longitude continued
his rip into the Northwest Territory as far
sou beast as Dawson. He visited Circle
Cify and Forty Mile Creek on the American
side OF the boundary and tells an interest
ing 'ory of the condition of affairs in the
placer mines OF the Yukon Valley.
MIR. Webb thinks that the highly colored
s,ories of impending famine and consequent
cannibalism which come to Eastern ears
have been grossly oyerdrawn. He believes
that there are not 5000 or 5000 people az
Dawson as has been reprcsen ed. He
says that at most that is merely all esti-
ma e, and he gives it as his opinion tlrat it
is far too high.
lie believes that the supplies viii be
ample To sustain the settlers through the
winter, though, of course, there will be
Suf1eTll2 among titONS no ififO ii4siiN
an fl-advised pilgrimage TO the country
Men without Il rnvate STOCK OF provisions,
and without the dust TO buy at the
stores, will probably have some rough cA-
pcrieuces 10 relate next spring, but the
same experiences VIII fall To the lot Of
people similarly situated in the great
cities Of civilization this winter. There
viii be pleiit OF woEK to be done at Daw
SON this winter, and many opportunities to
earn q living, but whether tue number or
opportunities viii be equal to the nurn-
Der OF people seeking them is a propoei'
tion which cannot be- settled now
During the summer the Alaska ConIner-
cial Company shipped into the gold CAMPS
over three thousand tons of grub sup
plies Is not the WORT u use, because tne
commercial companies have practically
abStained from conveying clothing and
furniture, and .tave absolutely refused
/ TO transport machinery. TIE trading COIN
panies i'll refusing to give up space III
their ships to tnIngs UCHe. than food WEI 4
aetnated iiy a knowledge OF the per!3ts
plight Of the settlers should any other
policy be pursued, and by the iu.tner
knowledge that civilization would bold
the companies morally accountable shoi.d
there be famine in that isolated e5iOn.
Fol these reasnns the companies have
been throwing steame. loads Of meat and
Hour into the mining district all summer
ard early fall. In addition to hold ana
deck loads, these steamers have towed
! great barges. Tee only misndp OF conse
qneuce was the grounding Of tile steam
boat Weir, which Kept her fast for twenty
! fite ia VS. and caused her To lose one trip.
She was floated witnOut any loss OF cargo.
Mr. Webb does not know the amount of
| stGff sent up the YuIol by yotler companies,
/ bnt is sure that the company which he
! represents shipped over 1900 tons. Com
| pared with the tonnage OF food, the amount
of whisky sent up lie river was very small.
| Mr. Webb left Dawson on a ugust IS The
steamers were iaakiug their last trip down
! the river. and by This time Dawson is de-
! serted by all steam craft The steamers,
however. will not winter at st. Micha is, as
has been popularity thought, but at Andre
afski, 400 miles eastward frumSt Michacls
Tne reason for this is that provisions may
be put through two months earlier next
season than f tney were shipped from St
Michacls.
Tie river from Andreafski TO Dawson
is clear OF ice much earlier than that part
oi the river below. Above, the river i.
wide and shallow and the ice breaks vi
early This ice tfen floats down int,
Norton Sound, where great gorges are
| formed. and which resist the heat Of this
sHr for several weeks.
The boats after making their last trip
down the Yukon, loades with provisions
steamed up to Andreafski to spend tie
| winter. 1t ought also to be mentioned
that the upper Part of the river floses
| frs, .ir Webb heard nothing Of tie
| organization at Ia wson Of {, citizens Pro.
| tectfve 4 Associatiun which would insis {
that all men not properly proyisioned
for the winter snouid 20 down to st
| Michael's. order was maintained at Daw
son by a force of twenty Canadian police
siT. Webb saw several of the rich claims
! around DawS son and heard of others. Al
though the placeFs are rich, he things
that the sums reported to have been
| washed out have been overS6ated.
lie believes that many of the miners
viii return 70 Circle City and Forty Mile
which places are now abandoned. lie saw
only ABOUT five men at Circle City, all
| tie others having been attracted to Daw
son by reports Of richer finds. The placers
| ~ tIt = IlciittH points 1ldfltd are IFulit
able and the claims viii finally be re
samed by the men who abandoned them
The future OF quartz mining in far-in
land Al8sla cannot now be foreseen Tn,
placer deposits have, of course, been
| washed from those quartz veins, which
have disintegrated Whether there are
still gold-beaFing quartz veins is con
jective, with the probability in favor o
their existence. Because the plaeers are
rich, it does not follow necess arily thai
the veins are rich Only high-grade ores
can .,e made TO pay, that far i'll the in,
terror, says Mr.. Webb. The cost of trans
portation on machinery would be very
heavy, but then it IS likely that trans
poFtation facilities VIII improve.
All the auriferous ores found along the