The record-union., 1897-08-17

Sel through the swamp, but he cOuld not
carry an outfit of the lightest kind. An
organization Of 100 men was formed to
build a corduroy road over the swamp,
but it viii require much time and hard
ship to do the work. Men who attempt
ed to cross the mud flats with horses
had to shoot their horses and leave the
carcasses in the mud.
From Dyea the trail lies across the
Dyea River and through Chilkoot Pass.
So far no one has been able to take
merchandise of any weight through
the pass. The Indians are lazy, and it Is
hard to make them pack. The day /
was in Dyea a meeting of the prospect
oTs was held in consequence of an at
tempt to raise the price of freight. A
party made a contract with Indians to
pack their baggage across the pass for
30 cents a pound. The prospectors
passed a resolution that any person
found giving more than ~ cents a
pound would be run out of camp. The
only law known ct Dyea or Skaguay
is the will of the prospectors. The lat
ter make regulations to fit each case
that is presented. and in not few cases
might, not right, takes precedence.
/ 1t cost 80 cents per passenger and -
/ q ton for freight to cross the Dyea
/ River The stream is about forty feet
+ in width, but it rushes along like mill
race, and it is impossible for man to
cross it afoot The two young men who
tried il were swept from their feet and
drowned in the Dyea. although the
stream is only four feet in depth
Many young men who were unused to
hardship have made the fatal mistake
! of essaying the Chilkoot Pass. | saw a
number of them lying along the road,
where they had given up exhausted. l
asked them what they intended doing,
and they said they did not know. No
man should try that country unless he
has robust constitution and in the best
of physical condition. The young fel-
low who was killed was a fitting illus
tration of the end of those who are ply
sically unprepared for the trip. He had
left Dyea only lightly laden and had
reached the summit of Chilkoot Pass.
Here he could stand the pangs of hum
ger no longer, and he stole the bacon to
save his life His act brought him a
more speedy death and perhaps saved
him from more terrible end. The
prospectors held a meeting and decided
that anyone caught stealing from any
iprOspector should be shot.
An attempt was made to get the
name of the young fellow, but it was
combatted by the majority, and the
/ BODY went to a namelesS grave.
THE majority Of the Klondikers are
deeply discouraged over the high
freights and the lack of transportation
facilities. Many of them are offering
part Of their outfits for little or moth
ing. I was offered $500 outfit for 500
Flour was down to so cents a sack and
beans 10 cents a, sack. The people want
ed to get out of paying the freight
across the pass. There were several
tented saloons in the two camps, and
rotgut whisky was selling for % cents
a drink
"Skaguay will be the most thiclSly
populated city in Alaska this winter
At Dyea before the prospectors came
there was only one little Indian tradins
post, and at Skaguay there was moth
/ ing. II is a terrible thing to think OF
the fate in store for the unfortunates
who will have to winter at the two
places this year. The wind comes down
! through the two passes icy cold, at the
rate of from so to 100 miles an hour,
and the ground is covered with snow
conditions which the prospectors are
lily prepared to meet. The suffering
and death will be something awful.
mo wonder the prospectors are dis
couraged and heartsick, and there viii
be a number Of them return to civiliza-
ton before the winter closes in. l have
Travelled considerably and have been in
some hard places in my life. but the
most pitiable sight I ever gazed upon
was that cluster of rocks with the 40C
passengers camped on it. They waved
their hats and handkerchiefs to US in
sad farewell. and it was the last fare
we'll of many of them. There Were
tears falling on that rock and there
were moistened eyes on the steamer as
We slowly steamed out to sea.
Many of the prospectors have un-
dertaken the trip through Chilkat Pass
with just barely enough to keep them
until they reached Dawson. 1t was inn
possible to take more up the steep and
narrow trail. When they get to the
diggings God help them, for they viii
be absolutely without provisions, and
what they will do God only knows"
OGILVIES REPORT.
WASHINGTON, Aug. 16.-Secretary
Gage has just received from the Minis
ter of the Interior of Canada an official
report on the Klondike mining district
1t is a condemnation Of the reports o1
William Ogilvie, the Dominion Land
! Surveyor, and contains other matter
from other officers of the Canadian
Government who have previously visit
ed the region or are there now.
At the outset the Minister states that
the report Is published in response tC
numerous public demands. The OBJ
ject," he says. is not TO induce any one
to go to that remote country at the
I present time Until better means o1
communication are established a mar
undertakes serious risks in going there
unless he has sufficient resources tC
tide him over the long winter. After
September egress from the country i:
practically impossible until the follow
ing June, and a person that has mo-
been successful in locating a paying
claim has to depend for his subsistenc,
upon finding employment. Wages are
at times abnormally high, but the labor
market is very narrow and easily over
stocked
1T is estimated that up to the middl,
of May 500 to 1 900 persons had crossed
the Dyea this year. Several hundred
more Will go by steamers UP the Yu
kon. Whether employment will b'
available for all, and for the consider
able population already in the district il
somewhat doubtful. 1t will therefore b,
wise for those who contemplate goin:
to the Yukon district to give seriou,
consideration to the matter before com
ing to a decision