The herald., 1897-08-29
On Her Next Trip the Portland Hopes
to Bring a More Valuable
Freight-No New
Bonanzas

Associated Press Special Wire.
PORT ANGELES. Wash, Aug. Is
The steamer Portland arrived here at
1880 o'clock.
Captain Kidston, in command OF the
Portland, reported a pleasant voyage
and explained the delay of three days
in reaching Port Angeles by stating that
a very serious storm at st. Michaels de-
layed the discharge of his cargo He
laughed when told of the reports that
the Portland was carrying over 100000
in gold. AS a matter Of fact, he said,
tere was only about 1925, 900 in gold dust
and nuggets aboard his vessel UP to
the time he had left St. Michaels he had
heard of no new gold fields.
Among the Portland's passengers from
st. Michaels is Timothy Bell, who has
with him 10000 in gold, which he dug
from a claim that cost him $l25
William Ogilvie, dominion surveyor,
says the six hundred claims now staked
out will yield $60,000,00O.
From a number of the Portland's crew
it was learned that Captain Kidston had
expected the Weare, one of the COM
panys boats, to come down the Yukon
with about a million dollars worth OF
nuggets and gold dust, but as she did
not arrive in time he decided to bring
it down next trip. The United States
cutter Bear, it is said, will guard the
Portland on her next trip from st. Mi
chaels to Seattle. AS most miners will
wBaske wBas rvaallaaabie aalaaaaRbiHp ohs ny that Tine 1t
AN EXPERTS ADVICE
SEATTLE, Wash, August 2s.-H. A.
Stanley of the Binghamton, N. Y, Eve
ming Herald, who under the date of June
30 sent out the first Associated Press dis
patch of the great strike on the Klondike,
returned to this city on the steamer
Portland today, and on being interviewe ed
by an Associated Press tative,
said:
Il have been seven weeks at st. Mich
aels, where I saw every miner coming
out and interviewed them. AS result
feel it my duty to advise everybody to
stay out until next spring. My first dis
patch as to the discovery was absolutely
true and while wild and exaggerated re-
ports have been circulated since, no one,
however conservative, has thus far dis
puted that story. The strike was, and is,
one Of the greatest, if not the greatest,
in the worlds history. Probably $2,-
100000 was cleaned up this spring, and
next spring 1 look for from $5,O0O 900 to
$7,000000. The fields have hardly beer
opened up as yet. However, those 60
ing in now must bear in mind that every
thing in that region was staked long be-
fore any reports reached the outer
world and that those going in now must
prospect for themselves, buy claims
from the present owners or work for such
owners. No new strike has been re-
ported up to the time of my leaving and
another may not be made for five years,
although Alaska is an enormous coun-
try and will yet, 1 believe, produce more
gold than we dream of. But it is also in
many ways a bleak, barren. desolate
country-a country incapable of sup
porting any great amount of animal
life and country of such rigorous eli
mate both winter and summer that none
but the most hardy can possibly live in
it. Even they must have abundant food
and warm clothing. It is, therefore,
simply suicidal to go in without years
supplies. l am aware that there is a
can be purchased in the vicinity of the
mines.
They may at present at six times
Seattle prices, but they are taken at
even those prices faster than they can
be got in and before winter is half over
if even the present populat ton stays in,
there will be actual starvation. The av-
erage man requires about one ton of
carefully selected food and clothing for
a years supplies The summer of 1895
about $500 tons of supplies went up the
river and the population of 1900 to 1000
suffered from want. OF this $500 tons
probably 1900 tons was rum, tools, fur
niture and supplies other than provi-
sions. This season, allowing the most |
favorable circumstances, not more than |
1900 tons of supplies can be got up the |
river, fully half of which is rum and
tools as we'll as other supplies than food. |
There is more than three times as many
people in there than last winter. Figure
t out for yourself. Grub was completely
cleaned out this spring and If last win
.er there was such scarcity that moos
hams sold for $50 each, flour for $12O per
hundred, bacon for 81 pound, what will
not happen this coming winter? Why,
will not pople actually starve to death?"
las to shelter, 80 per cent of the peo-
lie were living in tents in July. Timber
3 scarce and houses cannot be built
low are several thousand people to
tand the rigors of miner months winter
II darkness, when the mercury goes 10
egrees below zero? AS to labor, it is true
hat last winter, the winter succeeding