The San Francisco call., 1897-11-30

TO stand aloof during this proceeding, and
he and his fourteen men would be pro-
vided for, otherwise they would interfere
at their own risk. Davis offered his men
for the protection of the stores, the man.
ayers of which also organized their own
forces. equipped them with Winchesters
and placed them on guard. 1t is under
stood that those who took part in the
meeting were chiefly of the unprovisioned
rifraff, as the miners generally repudl-
ated it,
Two attempts at breaking into private
caches within town were discovered that
same Monday night The thief in one case
was fired upon, but fled and made his es-
cape. In the other he was required to
throw up his hands at the point OF a rifle
and marched to the barracks of the
mounted police. A number of robberies
were reported from the gulches and the
police were kept busy.
This was the situation there Tuesday
night, with robbery rampant and men
with rifles on guard at the companies
stores awaiting a threatened attack.
At 10 o'clock that night the whistle of
the sawmilI at the end of town sounded
long and shrill. 1t was followed by a
cheer. The gambling games stopped
and the saloons emptied themselves OF
dismal occupants. What it meant was
uncertain. Away down the river was
stronger light, and as the crowd watched
a cloud of sparks rose above it. There
was a CIV of ''Steamboat." 1t was one
of the long overdue steamboats,, al hope
of the coming of which had been given
D. Probably the fall of mamma had
something of the same effect uPon the
children of Israel. The gloom lifted.
The peop'e of the town gorged the boat
landing, and frnged the bluff above the
river, cheering like schoolboys or ma
MACS at the boats steady approach. An
immense bonfire was lighted near the
wharf, and brass band marched up and
down the water front signifying its joy
in the uncertain notes of a waltz. A steam
boat meant at that moment all the steam
boats, for what one might do all might
do, and the threats of starvation, the
suspension of work at the mines, the
literal death sentence of the town was
suspended.
Bets were made as to the name OF the
vessel or the company II belonged TO. 1t
was twenty minutes from the time she
was sighted until she effected landing
=. tpf ba
the North American Trading and Trans
portation Company boat, the boat that two
months before stuck on the bar going
down and caused the Portland's passen-
gers that delay which resulted In their not
getting here at ALL The Weare had now
redeemed herself. She had been brought
up by Captain Selim Weare, himself one
OF the directors of the company, who was
probably responsible for tie vessel getting
through. She tried the channels at which
the Hamilton had failed, and found them
impossible. Weare consulted the Indians
at Fort Yukon and they told him that the
water was as high as usual at this season,
but that the channels had changed. as they
often do. when they do" said the In
dians, 1.-THE water always forces way
nei." Mr.. Weare told one OF the most ex-
perienced Indians to go and find the other
channel. Finding it, he might name his
own figure for the service. The Indian
found the channel and the boat came
through.
The enthusiasm with which she was
hailed at Dawson, however lasted only
until she was well tied up to the wharf
She was then Immediately boarded by a
crowd of miners, who made a rapid in
spection of her cargo. 1t was very disap-
pointing. The Weare was expected, if
she came to bring about 500 tons of pro-
visions. She brought about $50. She had
got over the bar with 2l0, but the
miners at Circle City held her up with
rifles and took from her about thirty tons
So her arrival not only did not materially
relieve the situation, but her officers held
out little hope of any other steamer get
ting here. The steamers had unloaded
and gone back to ST. Michael, save the
Bella of the Alaska Commercial Com
pany's fleet, and she was not due at the
time the Weare lett Yukon. The Weare
was unloaded as quickly as possible, the
work being carried on all night with The
hope that she m light be able to make an
other trip to Yukon ana return before the
ice came. She left the afternoon of the
day following her arrival, and she carried
passengers packed into her as thickIy as
they could be placed. Among them was
Joaquin Miller, who went with the hope
of getting out thut way. Two women
were passengers, also, 10 winter at Yukon
or Circle City, 800 miles nearer to the
provision cache.
The Weare brought but few passengers.
She refused to bring any from Fort Yu-
kon or below, but few OF the gold seek
ers from the Portland stranded there
came through as deckhands. She picked
NY few others who were slowly laboring
up the stream in polling boats.
On the afternoon following the day OF
the departure of the Weare there was an
other cry Of Steamboat in the street,
and in less than an hour afteryard the
Bella, an Alaska Commercial Company
boat with Captain Dixon in command,
tied up at the wharf. She brought thirty
five passengers and but sixty tons OF pro-
visions. Her arrival was even more dis
appointing therefore than had been that
of the Weare.
1t was very cold the afternoon of her