Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1897-08-14
THE PASSES ARE BLOCElDED.
Many Gold Hunters Discouraged In
Reaching Dyea-
Some Are Selling Their Outfits and
Returning, While Others Write
to Friends Not to Start Out This
Fall, as They Cannot Get
Through. to the Klondike.

Astoria, Ore, August 13.-The Orc
gon Railway and Navigation Com
pany's steamer George w. Elder has ar
rived from Dyea. The Elder left Dyea
| the 9th inst. She confirms previous re-
ports that both the White and Chilcoot
passes are blockaded. The route from
Skaguay and White pass are more level
and easier travelling, though twenty
five miles farther. But the prospector
is landed on Lake Bennett, the second
lake above Linderman, where the trav-
elers by the Chilcoot pass are landed
Beside there is plenty of timber on
Bennett lake to build boats while there
is none on Linderman.
Nearly all of the Elders passengers
were landed at Dyea, the vessel lying
a mile and half out in the bay. Pas
sengers and goods were lightered
ashore at a cost of $40 per ton for
| freight. officers of the Elder say that
not one-half of the people will get over
the mountains this winter. Many are
selling their outfits and returning. Let
ters from parties who went up on the
Elder advise their friends not to go this
fall. as they cannot get through.
San Francisco, August 19.-During
the past week the Klondike fever has
abated somewhat in this city, owing
probably to the discouraging reports
received from Dyea. There are plenty
of people who announce their inten-
ton of trying the Chilcoot route in the
spring. and of those who are anxious
to go at once large proportion seem
disposed to travel via st. Mlcnaels
and up the Yukon. Promtors OF eXpe-
ditions by this route are ready with
profuse assurances that the trip can be
made before the closing of navigation,
but in all cases they are careful not to
bind themselves in any way to take
passengers through this fall. AT the
offices of the steamship companies 1t
is reported that the inquiry for tickets
is diminishing,
Tacoma, Wash, August 13-Mrs. Eli
A. Gage, Second Vice President VIII
liam Weare, Of the North American
! TRANSPORTATION Company. and William
H Hubbard have engaged passage on
the City Of Topeka, which leaves for
Alaska on the 18th. They will go to
Dawson City over the Chilcoot pass.
! The City of Topeka will take 500 pas
| sengers Mrs Gage speaks glowingly
Of the Klondike region, saying that
while there she never heard Of case
of dishonesty. She tells pretty story
| of Mr.. and Mrs. Berry, who were re-
turning from their honeymoon, spent
profitably in the Klondike. Mr.. Berry
was planning to buy the farm on which
he had worked, and Mrs. Berry was
considering the pleasure she would feel
in the possession of a diamond ring.
| Mrs. Berry is the lady who picked up
some thousands of dollars worth Of
gold on the dumps between housekeep-
ing cares. Mrs. Lippey picked up S6,
| 000 The two ladies wandered all over
! the district in which their claims were
| located and were treated with the
greatest respect by the miners. They
| dressed in furs, with bear skin hood
and wore leggings, and were out in the
! below zero weather a great deal and
enjoyed it.
Seattle. Wash, August 13.-One Of
| the largest and best equipped of the
parties that have started for the Klon-
| dixie from Seattle has arrived from New
/ England. The men are organized on
a military basis, the captain being Ar
| thur Z. Seymour. Charles H. Mosley
is secretary, and A. E. Rogers treas
| urer. Each member of the party orig
| inally contributed $1,000, and each
! agrees to share alike in all the expen-
ditures and profits of the expedition.
Mr.. Seymour organized the party and
| is chief Mr. Williams is "A years old
and a California forty-niner. Their
passage was engaged by telegraph some
/ days ago, on the steamer Humboldt,
| which is due to sail from Seattle for st.
! Michaels next Sunday morning, and
| their tickets guarantee their arrival at
! Dawson City before the river is frozen
| up.
The hardships and disappointments
J that await hundreds of persons push
| ing on to the gold fields are told by T.
| B. Corey, formerly superintendent Of
the Oregon Improvement Company's
coal mines in this State. In a letter
! dated at Lake Bennett, July 81, he says:
Il find that some Seattle people
| have been between Dyea and Lake Lin
deman two months. packing their stuff
| over. 1t is the hardest work l ever
saw. l can tell you right now that I
would not pack my stuff over that trail
| for all the gold on the Yukon. just
/ could not do it. l see lots Of men laid
up with sore feet and lame backs. who
will be Of no account when they get in.
| There is bound to be hard times on the
/ Yukon this winter. Lots OF men will
| be stuck for the winter at Lake Linde-
/ nan"
The steamer Mayflower. towing a
/ large barge loaded with supplies. has
/ left for Dyea. She will take the inner
passage. and the captain anticipates no
/ trouble in reaching his destination.
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