Kansas City journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1897-1928, 1897-08-13
PERILs BEGIN LONG BEFORE ALAS
KA Is REACHED.
VESSELS ARE OVERCRoWDED.
SHIP OWNERS ALMOST CHIMINAILI
RECKLESS.
UnseHwOrthy HuIISs Impressed Into
Service to Carry KIondIke-Cra1y
Gold Hunters TO the North
-Dikaster and Misery
in store.

Seattle. wash. Aug. 12.-The news that
the Mexico had gone down IN Northern
waters created a great sensation III thIS
city and on the entire coast, but people
generally expected that some such catas-
trophe would happen. The Mexico was
amoug the best steamers on the run oe-
tween here and Alaska, but since the hloh-
dixie fever took possession Of the world an
sorts of steamers have made trips between
hers sud ST. NiiChacIs and Dyea. Marin
ers. Il is believed. have been employed VINO
are not competent.
Il was stated in last nights dispatches
fhst the rocks which wrecked the Mexico
y ere unknown. Sea captains familiar with
the Alaskan coast here assert that the
rocks are well known, and they believe
the accident was due to the inexperlence
Of the pilot He will. it is said lose MS
license.
Captain Thomas Of the ship had never
before made the trip on the Mexico and
knew but little of Alaskan waters.
4 the Mexico had gone down while en-
route for the North wholesale death would
have followed. The same would result II
any other steamer going North at pres
eut we're to go down. The passengers are
corraled like the sheep and cattle and
hcrses aboard With few exceptions they
are compelled to sleep on the deck. The
Portland. which went North recently, was
boarded by government inspectors anu
Owrers compelled to remove a portion OF
the freight The steamer Willamette, which
went North recently. is an old collier WITH
ou- passenger accommodations ana the
pas sengers were packed live sardines IN
the hold and between decks. There was
much complaint from overcroWding' ana
three horses suffoCated before the snip
reached Port Townsend.
Charles Caesar, special Correspondent
Of a New York newspaper, reached mere
recently. intending TO 90 North yesterday
on the steamer Eliza Anderson. AFTER see
ing the boat and interviewing friends he
refused to take passage on it. The Ander-
son sailed on Tuesday night for st. Mich
tells by the outside passage, loaded to the
guards. IL is a rickety old hulk ana was
built in Portland in 1853. 1t is a sidewheel-
ct. whose machinery is out OF date: she
has never been permitted to sail the Arctlc
seas before. Friends of many aboard the
Anderson tried TO dissuade them from TAX
ing the trip at this time Of the year, as II
was feared here that it would never be
The Arctic ocean during the equinoxial
season is exceedingly dangerous, ana
storms are frequent. In the face OF a
stCrm a ship would be blown on the reefs
OF the coast of Alaska, where, for stretch
of 900 miles between the Aleutian Islands
and Cooks inlet, there are few places OF
human habitation. Between here ana Dyea
the passage is a comparatively safe one IL
the navigators in charge are familiar with
these waters. Otherwise 1t is full of hid
QCn dangers. ana many a BOOu snip Ids
gone 10 pieces on the rocks.
In the rush TO Klondike there is criminal
recklessness on the part of ship1wnerS IN
the way of overcrowding and scant accom-
mediation, on the part OF authorities in let
ting men recklessly go to their doom with
out adequate warning, and on the part OF
gold seekers themselves by crowdlng INTO
the country insuflciently provided with the
neCessaries OF life. In another six months
the American continent will In sorrow be
reading OF disaster by sea, starvation in the
,nA - ~ md ri q M
relatives Of absent ones will be regretting
with anguished hearts that they allowed
their departure on a hopeless voyage.
Several steamers which have returned
from Dyea 10 this port have passed some
fifteen crowded steamers en- route TO
Skaguay. Their captains state misery
among the overcrowded fanatics has al
ready commenced. Delicately reared and
weakly store clerks are there with a few
dollars In their pockets, no clothing but
what they have on their backs, and weak
already from arduous travel, while elderly
merchants past the prime of life. with little
capital. are roaming around Dyea with no
definite object in view and unable to know
what to put their hands to.
Many steamers, crowded beyond their ca
pacity five times over, have had to put in
20 British Columbia ports after thirty-siX
water. At this rate of sailing and using
up provisions they would not get into Dyea
FOR six weeks.
Two unseaworthy tugs have passed
Union. British Columbia, loaded down with
$50 souls and. in their top-heavy condition
would tip over at the first heavy wave.
Owing 10 difficulties put in the way of
legitimate miners by the Canadian govern
ment the lot OF the successful miner will
not be unalloyed happiness. A royalty of
- per cent is to be imposed for all gold
taken from the diggins over $500 week
and every other claim is to be reserved TO
the government
To enforce these laws, Canadian mount
ed police are going through by steamer
until. II is said. nearly the entire Canadian
force stationed in Manitoba. 80 strong will
be transferred TO Yukon. They are taking
Maxim guns with them and immense guam
titles Of ammunition. Half the force will
he stationed at Taggish to collect royalties
and enforce law.
Forage along the trails has been already
exhausted. and pack horses will soon be
dying by dozens. There are now 5000 men
between Skaguay and klondike.
Tho blockade OF kloudikers st Dyea and
winter. Captain Annex. who was the pilot
oi the steamer Islander which has Just re-
turned from the North. says that things
HTe in very bad shape. Affairs could not be
much worse. Two thousand people are
C-mped along the rocky shore with but
Few horses or pack animals at hand. and
they have practically no chance OF getting
over the pass. one of the United States
commissioners. by using his official infiu-
puCe and paying 500 In coin, managed TO
Get the Indians 10 pack his outfit over the
ChilCoot pass TO the lakes. OF the others
who went from Puget sound without horses
not one in fifty will get across the mount
sirs this winter.