The L'Anse sentinel. (L'Anse, L.S., Mich.) 18??-current, 1897-08-07
Advice Is Disregarded and the
ThrOng Hurries on to Meet
Hardship and Death.
STEAMERS ovERcRowDED.
Many Tons OF Food Will BE
Detained on the Way by the
Closing of Navigation.

San Francisco, Aug. 2-The most
striking feature among all the
Yukon developments is the report
from Port Townsend that already
there is hopeless jam of freight,
ETC., this side of Chilcoot pass and
that with the limited facilities for
packing it. over the range to the
lakes but comparatively little of it
will get into the Yukon valley this
year This report was to be expect
ed. Within two weeks some thous-
ands of tons of supplies, baggage,
etc., have been massed against the
mountain barrier. The Indian pack
ers, the mules, horses, dogs, etc,
available for getting the freight over
! the pass to where boating begins
are just about guaged to the old de-
mand before the rush began. Now
an avalanche of impedimenta has
/ landed on the seaward side of a steep
and snowy mountain. One man can
/ pack fraction of his own outfit
over the sleeps. y mule can pack
1 but about 230 pounds up the toll
some ascent. And there you are.
+. 1t is possible for people to get their
stuff to Juneau and on to Dyea on
overloaded and multiplying steam
ers; but men will be in a nice fix
when their baggage is landed in a
mess of several thousand tons at the
foot of the wall, with navigation
about to close,on the other side and
boats to build.
A JAM AHEAD.
J This is the situation here that the
people leaving by hundreds will face
at once. And still the steamer ac-
comodations are sold two weeks
ahead and the freight moving to-
ward the jam increases daily. Pos
| sibly the men who are shipping
mules and burros to Juneau will
make lucky play. This new con-
dition on the coast has a mighty
bearing on that threat of winter
famine in the interior. Each ton of
provisions blocked on the way is
that much less to eat on the Yukon
between now and next summer, and
each man who in his eagerness aban-
dons part of his supplies and pushes
to get through himself, at least, is
one more consumer OF limited sup
ply. But if anybody thinks that
this news has any particular effect
on the rush here they are badly mis-
taken. The crowding of steamers
and the search for new ones to crowd
goes on. This will develop much
ingenuity, and will entertain the
world with the Chilcoot Information
al Transportation exposition of 1891
1 The Sawmill on Lake Bennett will
be able to supply but fraction of
the demand for lumber for boats.
OF course, "a large proportion of
those who are going with the rush
are not going to dig gold, but to win
it from those who do. Legitimate
and illegitimate, wise and foolish
business schemes are crOwding in.
The stories of $50 blind stud poker
games with thousands on table
have started such an exodus of
gamblers that the Sausalito Monte
! Carlo is likely to be deserted They
are even planning horse races for
! the klondyke.
| CRowDING OF STEAMERS.
The chance for people getting
stuck on the wayto. Dawson by the
Yukon river routS is also to the
front as possibility to be talked
about. This fate is probability for
anyone who try the trip by private
conveyance, as some are planning
! The Excelsior and Portland will con-
meet at st. Michaels with the river
! steamers of the respective COM
panies, which will leave just in time
/ to get to Dawson before navigation
closes according to the habit of the
river. The crowding of freight and
passengers may cause delays. There
are bars and snags in the river, and
/ these or any early freeze may stop q
stern wheeler S progress a thousand
miles from next to anywhere. That
would be interesting. The nearest
| Indian settlement or mission along
the river would become the goal OF
q toilsome tramp in the snow.
The steamer Puebla arrived Sun
day, bringing no miners and rem
nant of the gold dust brought out on
the Portland few days ago, amount
ing to sl6,6l4. Two more OF the
miners who came down on the Port.