The Dalles daily chronicle. [volume] (The Dalles, Or.) 1890-1948, 1897-09-15
DR.. SIDDALL RETURNS
ARRIVES IN SEATTLE ON HIS WAY
HOME FROM SKAGUAY.
Vivid Description OF the Scenes Attend
ing the KlOnkIke Travellers
Enough to Deter Anyone
From the journey.

The news was received last night hat
DIR. Siddall had arrived at Seattle on
his way home from Skaguay and the in
telligence created much excitement and
interest among the DOCTORS friends.
The details he gives in the letter pub
lished below fully warrant his decision
not to attempt what in all reason is
hopeless task, and all the DOCTORS ac-
puaintances are glad he has turned from
what will be a distressing winter. He
is now in Ellensburg, but will be in The
Dalles within few days. The letter was
written to q friend in The Dalles and
furnishes graphic and truthful account
of the terrible circumstances surround
ing the gold-seekers:
SKAGUAY, Tuesday, Sept. z, 1897.
MY DEAR FRIEND:
I have done everything in my power
to get to Bennett lake and I cannot
without paying more than 1 think I
ought to. The party 1 contracted with
to put us to Dawson City for 20 cents a
pound failed, and now they charge so
cents on each trail and the trails are in
such terrible condition that not five per
cent will ever see the lake this fall and
not one per cent will ever see Dawson,
as after they get to the lake they then
have to pay from $3.50 to $500 for boat.
With the ice already forming every
night at the lake, old timers cay it
looks like an early winter and cannot
think of going $50 miles on ice and pay
such awful prices, and think the only
common-sense way is by St. Michaels.
This route will take next spring and
be Just as far ahead as if 1 could go in
now. have cold all my outfits and made
bargain for a seat in boat for Dawson
City for 5000, but when we get in there
we would not have any grub and the pa
pers are full of reports about possible
starvation.
l shall sail for Seattle on the steamer
Seattle today at 5 p. m. and it makes me
just sick, as it is the first time in my
life that have run up against snag
and had to turn back. Just think, so
cents a pound to the lake would be
$1000l We don't want to buy Alaska
to get to Dawson City particularly, as
there are no new strikes reported.
I have seen several from there who
came through this way, four who left
Dawson City on the 4th of July and one
on the 30th-the very day we left Port
land. There is no doubt but that the
KIondike is awful rich, but anyone 60
ing IN now will have to hunt for some
thing that may be there. It was Just
that way in Cariboo.
Neither of the parties have got all
their outfits to the lake yet and many
had a splendid lot of horses, but the
trail is so bad pen cannot describe it.
There are some 1900 head of animals
now on the trail and thousands of men,
some coming back and going by Dyea
while others come from Dyea to try ii
over this hell on earth of Skagqay.
This Is the worst place for rain you ever
saw and I wish you could just take one
look on such an awful and miserable lot
of men. 1t is pitiable to look at theiI
cad faces.
| We had the first funeral here on Sun.
day. He was'an old man SO years anG
dropped dead from heart failure. His
wife was here and returns to her home
| in Snohomish, Wash. 1t was q sad af
fair to see us lay him to rest IN this
miserable Alaska. They were trying tc
get through to Dawson. The wife was
Rebekah, and appreciated our kind
ness so much. D. SIDDALL.