The herald., 1897-08-31
Miners Are Passing Over
the Trail
STRANGE VEHICLES IN USE
HAULED BY ANYTHING GOING
ON LEGS
Prospectors in the Macmillan River
Region Report Strikes Richer
Than Those at Klondike
ted Press Special Wire.

Associated Press Special Wire.
SEATTLE, Aug. 30.-The following let
ter was received per steamer Utopia to-
day by the Associated Press:
Skaguay, Aug. 23-The jam is broken
on the Skaguay trail. A number of out
fits have gotten over and there is a
steady stream of moving humanity
mixed up in an almost indescriba BILE
ditions, mules, steers, milch cows, goats
and dogs, also vehicles of every descrip-
ton and kind to be imagined. Three
steamers are now unloading on lighters,
which convey the freight as near the
shore as possible, where it is loaded OH
wagons or carried over high tide.
The Utopia iS unloading at the only
wharf--a very shaky structure. Two
pile drivers are at work on another dock
which is expected to be substantial
affair.
A new sawmill got up steam for the
first time this morning. Rough lumber
is worth $27 per thousand, but cannot be
got fast enough at any price.
placed, but reinforced by a city of
"shacks" of all sizes and degrees of fin
ish. Skaguay is the boom town of
Alaska. Every man whose heart failed
him when he encountered the first hard
ship has turned townsite boomer. Four
weeks ago Skaguay was not known; to-
day there are not less than 5000 people
here in addition to those on the ships in
the harbor. They have surveyed off the
townslte, the first corners having first
choice. The United States commissioner
is issuing some kind of certificate, fee S.
surveyor another IS; then the squatter
sticks up his tent shack or corral and
is ready to skin the first tenderfoot that
comes along. Transfers by quit claim
are quite common, and as high as 5000
has been paid for choice location.
Skeguay has all the usual accompani-
ments of frontier mining town. Dance
halls and scarlet women roulette, faro,
stud poker and craps find devotees ready
to tempt tickle fortunes smiles.
There is no danger of famine here,
though there may be shortages in some
lines On all sides smiling plenty as if
conjured by some enchanter" here
abounds. Great piles of hay, grain,
-four, bacon, sugar and all the necessary
articles are in stock apparently for some
time to come. There are not less than
1000 horses at work on the Skaguay trail,
but it is hard to get any one to contract
to deliver you over the summit-at any
price-but you can get over for about 30
cents a pound if you are willing to wait
and contract by sections. The packers
at this end of the trail do not like to
contract farther than the first hill, six
miles out; then one has to hire another
outfit.
At Dyea the Indians are moving the
freight in an almost unbroken stream
from the landing to Lake Linderman,
and it is no trouble to contract to get
ones entire outfit put over at one trip
for 30 to 80 cents per pound. No one
should come expecting to get over this
fall for a less rate and no one should
bring boats. There are boats set up,
knocked down, in sections and single
boards, on both trails from landing to
base of summit, but not one has yet
been taken over.
SHORT SHRIFT FOR THIEVES
An unknown man has been shot on the
Skaguay trail by a committee of vigil
antes and his bones are now rotting be-
meath a pile of rocks within few rods
of the pass. This news was brought
down by the steamer Utopia, which ar
rived this morning at 8 o'clock from
Skaguay. The story in general is all
that can be learned, the details being
unknown among the Utopia's six pas
sengers. Some time ago a sack of flour
oil tot or n a n
who was encamped near the summit. A
committee of six was chosen to ferret out
and punish the thief. The men went to
the tent of the suspected man and found
the missing sack. The man begged for
mercy. but the committee, satisfied Of
his guilt, decreed that he be imme ediately
shot. The man was dragged from the
tent and tied up tight to pole. The
committeeman stood off short distance
and at word shot together. The thief's
body was pierced in six places. Feeling
their duty done and sick Of their task,
the vigilantes left at once. not even
waiting to put the bleeding form be-
meath the ground. For three days it
hung there in full view of those passing
with their packs. The oGor emanat ting
from the decaying body became so Of
fensive that two men cut it loose, ano
carrying it up hillside, covered it with
a pile of stones, and even that did not
suffice to squench the stencil which in
fected the atmosphere.
The Utopia left Skaguay August 20.
The steamer Detroit sailed for Dyea
and Skaguay this afternoon with fifty
passengers.
The latest expedition from Seattle in
search of gold will turn it's attention TO
Copper river. Today Frank Porter of
New York Jack Moore and w. H Ham
ilton, both of Philadelphia, purchased
the slocp TriXty T. and will sail rex:
week for the Copper river. They take
provisions for one year and will confine
their efforts to discovering placer claims.
RICHER THAN KLONDIKE
TACOMA, Wash, Aug. 30.-A letter II
the Ledger has just been received from
the North Fork of the Macmillan river,
Alaska, from George Lennon, address
IL IT.