Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1897-12-04
MINERS STARVING.
Thousands Now Fleeing From
Dawson City.
Threatened Famine Already In Sight
Letter From Mining Expert.

NEW YORK. Dec. 2-John D. McGilivray
mining expert sent to the Klondike gold
fields, has Just arrived In Dawson City, after
a tedious trip up the Yukon. His report
shows o desperate state OF affairs. 1.-The
situation" he says in part, Tin Dawson, and,
in fact, all along the Yukon, has become
distressing. There are about 1000 persons
in Dawson for the winter. Two weeks ago
Captain Hansen, manager OF the Alaska Com
mercial company, arrived here, having come
with all haste from Fort Yukon to warn the
people of their danger, and since then 700 or
800 men and few women have been taken
down the river in small boats. The steamer
Wearc arrived two weeks ago, with about
200 tons Of freight. This raised false hopes,
and, to make matters worse, the Belle was
reported to be on her way up. The Canadian
officials decided that some steps must be
taken to relieve the situation and issued
this notice, which was posted up about
town: we have carefully looked over the
present distressing situation in regard to tho
supply OF food for the winter and find that
the stock Is not sufficient to meet the wants
OF the people now in the district. We can
see only one way out Of the difficulty, and
that Is an immediate movement down the
river OF all those who are now unsupplied
to Fort Yukon, where there Is large stock
of provisions. Within n few days the river
will be closed, and the movement must bo
| made ut once. 1t is absolutely hazar. ous to
build hopes upon the arrival Of other boats.
1t is almost beyond a possibility that any
more food will come into this district.
For those who have not laid in Il
winters supply to remain here any
longer i Is TO court aset" Of sicknes from
scurvy or other troubles. Starvation now
stares every man in the face who Is hoping
and waiting for outside relief. Little effort
and trifling cost will place them all in COM
fort and safety within few days OF Fort
Yukon, or ut other points below. where there
are now lying stocks of food. The officials
considered the advisability of confscating
all OF the boats here, to be distributed among
those who might desire to leave. In the
meantime, several hundred persons made ra-
pid preparations for their departure down
the river. 1t is quite probable that nearly
1000 will go, and they go feeling certain
that they will find an abundance of food ut
or below Fort Yukon. However, at best
they will hardly find more than enough to
sustain life through the winter The high
| est estimates of the amount OF the freight
down the river do not exceed 1000 tons. With
the persons who are now preparing to 60, or
considering the ACCESSIBILITY of going, there
will be In the lower country probably
more than 5000. Much Of tho freight is
not food, and there is probably not
enough to fully supply morethan 1000. Win
ter Is now setting In and every avenue OF
relief is closed. No more food can come by
the river from st. Mi,hael's or over the
passes, and the people of the Yukon must
settle down to n life of prvation, without
hope of relief from any source, until the
middle Of next June.