New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-07-25
TOPICS IN CALIFORNIA.
THE MINING EXCITEMENT AND IFS DAN
GERS-COLONEL CROCKER'S WILL
AN AGED LADY DEAD
fpY TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIBUNE.

fny TELEGRAPH TO THE TRiDuNE.l
San Francisco. July 24.-For nearly quarter
OF a century this city has seen no such mining
excitement as that over the Clondyke discoveries
IN Alaska Last week the craze had only fairly
begun This week the arrival of the miners
from the north, by way of Seattle, added iuei
70 the flames. and the i-advsed exhibition in
a public window of a collection of nuggets
worth $50 900. the richest find of the whole s,a'
son. has made the gold fever rage as it HIS
ragged for ten days at Seattle. The same policy
of public exhibition of gold dust and nuggets
was pursued in Seattle, with the result that
men are resigning good places and leaving their
families with scanty means, in order TO Try
their luck in this golden gamble under the Arc
tic Circle. All regular and legitimate returns
look small to the man who has been reading OF
q fortune taken out of the frozen earth Of
Alaska in four months.
What the enthusiasts ignore are the desperate
chances OF physical disability taken by every
miner, the danger of lack of food, and the prob
ability that no paying claims can be found.
Several newspapers here have done good WORK
in printing letters which show the dark reverse
side of Alaskan life, and Louis Sloss and other
members of the Alaska Commercial Company
have told the plain truth to thousands Of eager
inquirers who have crowded their office daily in
to travel.
They have warned all applicants Of the dan
ger Of famine next winter, and Of the urgent
necessity Of every man who enters the country
taking at least one years supply OF provisions.
All those in Alaska now, except the new ar
rivals will have to be fed for it is the exception
when man takes more than one years sup
plies estimated at one thousand pounds Yet
hundreds have started and other hundreds will
start in the next two weeks by the Juneau
route, with only six weeks provisions-Just
enough to insure subsistence on the road. At
this season there is snow on the Juneau
route except over the Chicoot Pass, and hence
every pound of supplies must be carried on
mems backs over the twenty-seven miles OF
rough mountain trail that leads from Dyea, the
terminus Of navigation, to the Chicoot. There
are few Indians in the country, white men cam
not be hired for this work, and the supply or
dogs is limited, the prospect is that nun
dreds of outfits will be abandoned this side or
Chilcoot, to enable the miners 10 reach the Clon-
dyke before snow flies. Should winter come
earlier, the suffering ON this trail Will be enor
NOUS BY ocean and river route via st. Mi
chaers, there are also dangers at this season
The Yukon is very shallow in August below the
ramparts and boats frequently stranded on
sand bars Should this happen to the Excelsior
which leaves here next Wednesday, she may be
locked in the ice at any point on the river I'M
til the ice mets next spring. Take 1t all in ALL
this Yukon trip is full of peris and priVauons
The effect of this rich strike Of sold in Alaska
cannot fail to stimulate trade IN San Francisco:
Already the influx Of gold and the purchase OF
outfits by miners have materially increased trade
in clothing and provisions. From present signs
next spring will see an enormous business IN out
fits and supplies for the new mining region Wnich
local men NAV secure if they are enterprisinG
This with the good crop of wheat and high prices
for it. will mean better year than California
has seen for five years.
The will Of Colonel Charles Fred Croker, first
Tho Sfn1f hoy a
surprise because of the lack of any requests 10
the educational institutions and scientific socle-
ties which he aided so generously during the iast
ten years of his life. The reason Tor TINS neglect
is found in the circumstances Of the drawing or
the will. II was made two years ago. Just before
Colonel Crocker started on a tour abroad, ana
simply as a measure of protection for his three
children. He was full Of life ana energy thal,
despite several warnings he had received of dan
ger from apoplexy, he had no thought OF sudden
death in his prime. Then came the fatal stroke
swift and sudden. and the unconsclousness mat
permitted no codicil to his will. But while not
remembered in his will, a half score or lnstitu-
lions were aided more literally by Crocker our
ing his life than J y any other Californian.
4 noteworthy career was ended this week in
San Diego when Mrs LOvey Aldrch, one Of
seven surviving widows Of Revolutionary SOL
diers died in her ninety-eishth year; one re-
tanned her sight and hearing to the end, and did
not look more than eighty. She was Of New
Hampshire birth. and knew Daniel Webster and
other famous NewEnglanders
Litigation over the will of the late mining mill
ionaire Creole. at Los Angeles promises TO con
sumo some Of the estate, which the great shrink
age in Colorado silver properties reduced IN -FOUR
wears from 50 600 900 TO 100000 Creole left the
bulk Of his property to a four-year-old adopted
daughter but his will is being contested by ms
wife. upon whom he settled $4,000 last January,
when he formally separated from her
The killing of the renegade Piute Indian,
Mouse near Phoebe Nevada rIds Northern Ari-
coma Of a dangerous man. who had waylaid and
murdered number Of prOspcctors and team
sters He was tracked for nearly hVe hundred
miles and shot in a running fight
pyrrrrcU Avn UU1JES AT ROCK ISLAND