The San Francisco call., 1897-08-26
Over Three Millions in Gold Coming Down
on the Steamer Portland--T hrlling
Stories of Life in Dawson.

Guiding a dance hall. The Government
officials closed The dance hall just before
left for some violation of the liquor law.
A great deal OF drinking is going on and
the saloons do rushing business. Some
of the men seem to be drowning their
troubles with the packing and trail in
whisky. There is also considerable gam
bling. Skaguay will be good town this
winter"
Other passengers on the Willamette tell
different story. Thomas Stanton went
north, intending to cross White Pass He
returned because, as he says it will be i'm
possible to get over this winter. He
claims the Skaguay trail proves every day
to be more impracticable. He says he
went as far as Porcupine River and gave
up. He says the trail by wav of Dyea is
much better.
Abe Bell. a resident of San Fran cisco,
returned after selling his outfit. He says
10 per cent will not get over this year.
When asked If many had given UP and
returned he said: There are but few on
this steamer. but just wait until the next
one comes down. They will be tum bling
J. NJ. Houghton, who is the engineer on
the steamer, says that most of the people
at Dyea and Skaguay are arranging to re-
turn. The trails, he says, are in fright
full condition. On the Skaguay trail they
are attem pting to blast out road around
Porcupine, but are making poor headway.
He estim ates the number of men at Skag-
uay at 5000 and about 1000 at DYea, al
though 1t is hard to make guess, for so
many are coming and going.
How many miners returned ON this
trip?"
None of those who went up with US
returned, but probably twenty who had
previously gone came back. Others will
though"
John Hickey of the United States ship
Concord came down. He said: "If a man
wants to make mule of him self and can
stand the work he should go to Skaguay.
Seven dollars day is freely paid to pace
ers and they are boarded free. Even as
high as $40 has been offered to packers,
and there were not enough men. Horses
were sold for as high as $3.50 when the
Willamette arrived, but the large num ber
brought. up on that steamer and on the
barges made the M cheaper. One cannot
pack more than 100 pounds on a horse
owing to the awful condition of the trail.
One dollar per pound is paid for packing
over the summit. The Indians are now
getting 40 cents per pound. Boats seem
TO be useless and are selling for almost
nothing.
90 h n
at Skaguay, and the whirr of the roulette
balls, the shooting of craps and faro goes
on merrily all day long Everything is
very quiet owing 10 the fear of the
miners police. There has been no trou-
BILE of any kind. Some OF the Klondikers
are drunk great part of the time. 9th
ers are fast losing their money over the
Juneau gam blers' tables. There are a
number of women in the dance hall and
it is taking lots of money from the Klon-
dikers. One young Seattle fellow made a
big winning the other day.
The third officer OF the Willamette tells
several stories that are worth printing.
He says that two prospectors. James Rice
and man named MCGEE, were arrested
at Skaguay and taken to Juneau charged
with selling poisoned whisky to ten In
dians with the result that the Indians had
a narrow escape from death. The men
were bound over to trial at Juneau, the
bonds being placed at $500 each.
The third officer is also quoted as saying
that all the saloons in Skaguay have been
closed and $4,000 worth OF whisky seized
by the vigilance com mittee.
The Willamette brought down three
men from Michigan who went north with
the intention of going TO the goldfelds.
After reaching there and experiencing
some hard luck they gave it up and are
now en- route for home.
The Willamette officers re port that dock
ing rates have gone up at Dyea. They
were charged $50 for dockage and 81 a
head for horses and cattle to pass over the
dock, in addition to 50 ton for freight.
The Willamette's crew consisted of
twenty-five men when she went north.
Eighteen deserted to go to goldfelds. and
it was necessary to get new men in Ju-
neau and Sitka to bring the boat back.