The sun. (Wilmington, Del.) 1897-19??, 1898-04-24
FIZZ ON KLONDIKE.
Ten Thousand "SmalI BottIes''
Ordered for saltwater Bills"
Patrons In Dawson.

Patrons In Dawson.
There will be warm time in Dawson
City when saltwater Bill' Gates re-
ceives his first consignment of 10000
bottles of California champagne.
The floors of his new "Palace of Amuse-
mcnt for Gents and Ladies" will swim
with real old fizz, and the size of the
average head on the Klondike will APP
proximate Andree' balloon.
For months, "Swiftwater" has figured
it, the Yukoners have been ycarning for
a gentleman's drink. "Forty rod' of
the most ferocious brand has been the
nearest approach to it so far, and, as is
well known, forty rod" is not a drink
for ladylikc gent in the new diggings.
After the river opens up this year
''forty rod will not be in it. "Swift-
waters first cargo of sparkle will have
reached Dawson then, and the festivities
will he due.
F. B. Mulgrew, traffic manager of the
Alaska Transportation Company, made
the deal for the champagne with the
Klondiker early last week and his breath
was taken by the lightning rapidity of
Fales arrangements.
Mulgrew called on him the day before
he left for the north to see about ship
ping some goods, provided market
might be found in Alaska for them.
Mulgrew had already agreed to send
some light wines to st. Michael to parties
holding Government license there, and
he sought ought Saltwater to try to
sell him stock Of wines for his Dawson
resort, which is to furnish the river city
'Barbary Coast pleasuers within few
weeks.
1--WE got some good California cham
pagne,' said Mulgrew.
Glow much can you put in Dawson
for me by Augusta said Gates
'Ten thousand bottles, 'replicd Null
grew, with thoughts Of staggering his
questioner.
Make it a hundred thousand and III
sign and pay down. was the cool re-
joinder.
This was Bills idea Of quick business
and he was disappointed when informed
that it would be impossible TO fill so vast
all order. So the paper was drawn up
and the bold signature OF William B.
Gates witnesses that he agrees to pay and
deliver in dust or nuggets, ut ST. an
ounce, the price per bottle set upon the
wine.
"You see,' said Gates to Mulgrew, 81
want to get Il supply and be sure of 1t.
hate to go back to Dawson-and Pm
starting now-and say to tic boys that |
amt fixed for good.
tI fall rni, Tho 20 larc Inva unt 1ittln
use for me if get there flying light. |
Just want to be able to put out my flag
and have on it 'SwiflWater's cargo of
champagne will be here soon and there'll
be enough to 60 round.
The transaction involved over 500, 900
and hile the lawyers were preparing
the contract Bill kept on insisting that
he would be "short' with less than 100
600 bottles.
When he had finally affixed his name
to the document he leaned back in his
chair and with thump on the table
that made ink blots on adjacent things,
he said "That means 100000 for me
and the eternal gratitude of every
mothers son that ever handled pick
on the Yukon. =
"Life's dull enough at the best in that
country, and it would be a - shame if
the boys can't get a gentleman's drink
when they've got the dust to pay for it.
I'm going to set the ball rolling in Daw-
son and I'll bet a thousand ounces that
before the winters in champagne will
be the only beverage that goes in Daw
son.
"Dawson's going to be the greatest
mining camp in the world and there's
more money going to be spent there in
the next two wears than ever changed
hands anywhere on earth.
81 expect to make million right in
my Palace OF Amusemcnts and Ladies
and Gentlemcn's Place Of Rest. It's to
be the graudest place that ever Il leg was
shook in or gentleman bought wine for
a lady.
"Ex-Sheriff james, Of Napa, is one OF
my right hand men and things are going
to be run in style. I've bought more
liquor for the boys than they can get
away with in year, and that amt no
small creek full"