The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-07-28
WARNING GOLD SEEKERS.
The Head or the Alaska ompan Says The!
Will Tempt Fate ir They Start Next Fall.

The Head OF the Alaska Company says They
VIII Tempt Fate If They Start Next Fall.
la FRANCISCO. July 27.-Another shipload Of
Klondike prospeotors sailed to-day on the
steamer State of California for Portland. where
she will connect with the steamer George w.
Elder for Juneau. Seventy were booked for
the Yukon, and the greater part wore tender
feet who never . any experience. Three
wero bell boys from q leading hotel. Four girls
on the wharf sang: "Oh. there'u DO warm
times on the Klondike tonight" a paraphrase
Of q popular negro melody, which gained Gp-
plause from tho crowd.
Tho craze still continues here, but the warn
ings in regard to the danger OF not reaching
the Klondike In season to avoid snow are hav-
ing their effect. as are also reports from Dyea
that Indians and pack mules cannot transport
one-quarter of the supplies which have been
piled up there during the last week.
Eastern expeditions which expect to start
from hero as late as the middle Of August and
60 by way of st. Michael will surely como to
grief, as they cannot possibly get more than
half way up the Yukon before the river freezes
over, and transport for the remainder OF tho
distance will have to be by tho slow and costly
methods OF sledges.
Louis Sloss, the head of the Alaska Commercial
Company, said to-day: 81 regard 1t as q crime
for any transportation company to encourage
men to go to the Yukon this fall. With the
present and prospective rush. 1t will DO Inn
possible to got enough provisions through to
supply the demand. The Seattle people who are
booming the steamship lines may be sincere. but
heavy responsibility will rest on their shout
ders should starvation and crime prevail In
Dawson City next winter.
I've have tried to give the facts to all appli.
cants and discourage this wild rush of clerks.
professional men and women who are unused
to any hardships and whose chances OF getting
out Of the country alive will bo very slender.
even though they should make money. Con
ditions are radically different from those In
California In the early days. Those who crossed
the plains or came by the Isthmus found here q
genial climate and plenty OF food. They also
turned to other yocations when mining proved
Improbable. But on tho Yukon, II a man cam
get work as a miner, he must leave the country
or starve. II it is winter no cannot get out, and
90. should the food supply run low, hundreds
will perish miserably. Hence I repeat 1t Is q
crime TO encourage this rush, which can only
end In disaster for three'quarters of the new ar
rivals"
Notwithstanding this warning from the heat
OF the company. the Alaska Commercial Com
pany's steamer Excelsior will sail tomorrow
afternoon loaded to the guards with freight anc
with 40 passengers. These include about
dozen newspaper correspondents and artists
who 20 Tor San Francisco and New York news
papers. and a number OF whom will winter a
DaM son. This vessel will BIO the last on thi
route which has any assurance OF getting 1t
load to the upper Yukon before tho river freezes
The sending oil two companies of United State
troops from here to the Yukon and hfty.slx mel
rom seattle has caused much comment to-day
but 1t is not thought possible to hold the men 10
their torn OIL enlistment. even though iVe y
.tA times ordinary pay Is given. Experience Il
the carry days in California showed that mol
could not be retained in tho Government sci
vice any more than sailors in the navy whcl
thoy saw fortunes being made by prospectors VI
every hanu,
o TOWNSEND. Wash, July 1.-THE excite
n.cnt is still on the increase here over tho kloI
dixie gold discoveries, and the City OF Topeka
SAILING Tomorrow, has already refused NOR