The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1897-09-08
KL0NDIKES DANGERS.
Another Official Warning Sent Out
From Washington.
THE SITUATION Is APPALLING.


ment Omcial Now In Alaska the Mad
Rush For tho Gold Fields should Be
stopped at Once.
Washington. Sept. s.-The treasury
department today made public the fol-
lowing letter received from a govern
ment official now in Alaska on the way
to the gold fields. stating at the same
time that the writer. whose name Is
withheld. had been 70 years In the
service and was thoroughly reliable:
II deem 1t my duty to write you on
a subject that does not come strictly
within my line of duty. as 1t trenches
somewhat upon the functions of the
treasury department. l have had a
long talk with Mr.. Ivey, collector Of
customs for Alaska, who Is at present
at Skaguay three miles below here.
The Skaguay trail Is the most largely
used overland route (though by no
means the best to the Klondike. Ivey
informs me that there are now be-
tween tidewater and the lake some
thing like 1900 people and about 1000
horses. The commander of one of the
16 vessels are chartered to land car
goes at that place between now and
Sept. Is. and that the number of pas
sengers will average 200 to each ves-
sci. making 5000 more people who will
attempt to go in this fall.
II have talked with some of the most
experienced traders and miners In this
vicinity, and they are unanimous In
the prediction that not over 20 per
cent of this vast number will get
through to Dawson before winter sets
In. The other 80 per cent will be caught
on the trail, and those who survive and
get back to tidewater will have to win
ter at Skaguay or return south. If
the rush continues two weeks longer
hundreds will Inevitably perish on the
trail, which Is extremely dangerous
after the first of October.
"The postmaster and Indian trader at
this place (Mr. Heron) states that more
than a thousand men have gone up the
Chilcoot Pass during the past 80 days,
and that TOO of them are still this side
of the lake (2i miles from here). YES
sells are arriving every day or two, and
at the present rate Of influx another
thousand will enter the trail by Sept
TO- Mr.. Heron is of the opinion that
not more than 20 out Of hundred Will
get through, and he says this trail Is
far more dangerous than the Skaguay
after the SHOWS set in. He says If the
rush continues another week the re-
sultant loss of life will be appalling.
I attach the greatest weight to what
he says, for the reason that it Is to
his pecuniary interest to have as many
as possible come this way, yet he ad-
vises an immediate stoppage of the
stampede.
"It Is difficult to suggest way to
stop this thrush of people, but Mr.. lvey
intimates that If the inspection rules of
the treasury department were properly
enforced it would materially decrease
the number of passengers on the in
coming vessels. Nearly every vessel
that arrives here brings twice as many
passengers as the law allows it to
carry, and many of them are condemn
ed craft which have been fitted UP for
this trade. Mr.. Ivey will no doubt dt
once present the facts outlined above
to the proper authorities, and 1 merely
give them to you for your information.
The situation is appalling, and it Is i'm
possible for me adequately to describe
the mad rush for the gold fields. had
no conception of it's immensity until I
saw.
II have talked with several men who
have recently arrived here from the
Klondlke, two of whom left there less
than 80 days ago. They unanimously
agree that, while there is a rich gold
field there, the facts do not not justify
the present stampede, and they say
there is bound to be much suffering and
actual starvation. Provisions are al
ready scarce and the prices of many
articles absolutely prohibitory in the
case of a man of ordinary means"