The record-union., 1897-09-11
Brings Latest AdViCes From the
KIOndike Regions.
Much Suffering Predicted in the Gold Fields
This Winter.
Miners From Dawson City Report
That Food Is Very Scarce-The
Water in the Yukon Very Low
The Wreck of the Weare.

PORT TOWNSEND CWash), Sept.
10.-The steamer Cleveland, from st.
Michael, passed into the straits at 2:3O
this morning. She had thirty-seven
passengers from St. Michael and S1oo,-
000 in treasure Miners from Dawson
report that food is scarce in Dawson,
and that hundreds have started for
Juneau. The winter is closing down
rapidly.
The Excelsior is reported at Una
laska with broken propeller. She
will be several days late at San Fran
cisco.
The amount of treasure on the Excel
sior is not known It is variously esti-
mated at from S1500O0 to half a mill
ion.
About 1000 tons of provisions is all
that can reach Dawson before the
freeze up. The Humboldt's crowd will
not get through The steamer was
practically tied up at Unalaska.
Mayor Woods Of Seattle was in fear
OF being lynched. None of the eXpedi-
tions viii go through.
The Excelsior left St Michael on Au-
gust 2Sth. or one day after the Ma
tional City. The steamer Cleveland
was then in port taking on cargo and
ballast for Seattle and when the Healy
came down the Dawson passengers
We're divided as to the advisability Of
proceeding to Seattle or to San Fran
cisco The majority booked on the EX-
celsior.
The water in the Yukon is reported
low and the wreck of the Weare was
due to slack water on a bar that is
usually covered by about six feet.
There are plenty of provisions at
St Michael and a good many tons
have been shipped up the river, but
it is not thought that they viii get
through The small boat taken on the
deck of the National City would not
work and win have to be rebuilt be-
fore it can be operated. None of the
National City, Humboldt or Navarro
passengers viii get through this sea-
son.
Those for started for the Klondike
late win have to winter at St Michael.
There is plenty of food there for every
body.
Nearly all of the passengers from
the North are agreed that there will be
a famine in Dawson unless a good
supply of provisions can be put
through. Those who reach the city
without supplies viii surely suffer.
The steamer Bella was also at St.
Michael when the Excelsior left She
made a remarkably quick trip down
the river. She was only seven days
from Dawson The Healy would have
made good time. but an accident occur
red to her machinery.
The Weare was wrecked sixty miles
below Circle City, and when the Healy
passed her the Weare's passengers
We're trying to kedge her off the bar.
The Healy went down stream short
distance and turned back. She came
back to where the eWare was strand
ed and made an effort to pull the big
steamer off the flats The Weare
would not bulge. She had been sew
enteen days on the bar and the sand
had filed in about her and it was i'm
possible to move her. The Healy then
took on nearly all the Weare's gold
and part of her cargo and started for
St. Michael
The situation at Dawson City is not
at all encouraging. The rush from
Alaska and Northwest Territory points
filled the town with idle men and very
few new strikes have been reported.
There have been comparatively few ex-
ploration parties from outside districts
that have shown any disposition to 10
cate on claims any distance from Daw-
son City. It is useless to repeat that
all Dawson claims are taken up.
A great deal of sickness prevails. The
weather has been warm and fresh food
scarce. Deaths from scurvy have been
reported from a number of mining
camps. and even canned food supplies
are short. 1t is certain that the K1on-
dixie is wholly unprepared to handle a
bis. crowd of hungry newcomers.
The steamer Weare of the North
American Trading and Transportation
Company. en- route from Dawson City
to St. Michaels. struck on a sand bar,
thirty miles below Circle City on July
18th. The river was at very low
stage. and the passengers remained on
board until August 18th, when the
steamcr. HeaIy. bound down the river,
took them off and conveyed them to St
Michaols. where they took passage on
the steamers Excelsior and Cleveland
for san Francisco and Seattle. The
Weare was hard aground, and 1t Is
doubtful if she will get off.
The story of fabulous wealth of the
KlonGike. Bonanza and Ell Dorado
and other creeks tributary to the Yu-
kon j. retold by the returning miners,
but TIE warning which has already
been given to wait until spring is
emphasized by everyone on board the
Cleveland. They say that hundreds
must 90 hungry this winter and that
many viii certainly starve to death as
the food supply in the mining regions
IS fa~ below what viii be required to
keep alive those already in and around
Dawson City.
on July 26th the stores Of the Alaska
CONNIE rCial Company and the North
American Trading and Transportation
Company We're closed and notices post
ed on their doors that no more provi-
sions would be sold until the arrival
Of another steamer from st. Michaels.
The steamer Excelsior left St. Mi
chaels two days before the Cleveland
but when three days out she broke a
propeller blade by running on bar
in Behring Sea and pulled into Dutch
Harbor for repairs. When the Cleveland
left Dutch Harbor on September Sd it
was expected the Excelsior would com
piete her repairs by September 9th and