The Lamar register., 1898-03-26
ElNpINc Ngw colo FlELps.
I>iondike May Turn out Richer Thsn Was
Supposed Last Fall.

Supposed Last Fall.
Skaguay, Alaska, March L. (yia Sc
| attle, Wash, March 1S).-Ben Atwater
arrived here last night from Circle
City and Dawson. y. W. T., bringing
100 pounds Of mail from the above
places. Atwater's former home was in
Morrison, Illinois. He went 10 the Hu-
kon country in 1886, and has resided
there ever since.
Atwater. accompanied by IL. @. Pet
tit of Snohomish, Washington, left Cir
Gle City January 10th and Dawson
February Sth. with dog teams. The
trip up the river and lakes was hard
one, the weather being bitterly cold.
Atwater says there is food enough In
the Klondike country to last the pres
ent population two years. As conse-
quence of the food scare, the output of
the mines viii be curtailed- He esti-
mates it at about SS,0oo,oOo.
Atwater says that many claims
which were considered to be only wild
cat properties on various creeks are
turning out we'll Dominion is paying
finely and viii have big cleanup
next spring. sulphur and Hunker are
also good. and SO is Indian. Quartz
ledges have been found ON the latter
creek, which looks we'll There is
AulAG u StAAANAitAN az aAt AAASutAA VI NAt'
Stewart. but no reports have as yet
been received from the prospeetors
who went UP the river early in the
winter.
A stampede occurred from Circle
City about January 10th to American
creek. about 800 men leaving for that
section. Atwater met three or four
hundred from Dawson making their
way to American creek American
creek is fifty miles from Forty Mile,
and about twenty-five miles below the
international boundary on the Alaska
side.
The reports from the MInook coun-
try are very encouraging. A courier
from MInook arrived at Circle City just
before Atwater left that place with
about fifty pounds OF mail This At
water brought out. The courier had
with him quantity of gold from
Minook. and he stated that the pros
pectors had struck Il rich in that Sec
tion.
Atwaier says there are but few
cases of scuryy at Dawson. Tho hos
pital there has but four or five inmates.
and these have either met with accl-
dents or are suffering from chronic
diseases. The general health OF the
people Is good.
As n result Of the agitation here
against the "surc-thlng" men, led by
''Soapy" Smith. United States Com
missioner Smith and Deputy United
States Marshal NIcInnis closed all
gambling houses ON Wednesday night.
II is said that an arrangement was
made whereby the gambling Will be
restricted to so-called legitimate
games, and all sure-,hing or bunco
games will be prohibited. The sure
thing men are leaving the town In
twos and threes.
The weather here for the past week
has been mild and springlike. and the
warm south wind and the sun are play
ing havoc with the winter trail. which
follows the river for a distance OF
eight miles. Hundreds OF people are
making their way over the divide.
however. uDdcterred by wind or
weather.
Snow has entirely disappeared from
the streets, which are muddy beyond
conception.
The strike of the longshoremen for
T5 cents an hour has been declared or
by a vote Of the local union. The
wages now paid are 80 cents an hour.
the steamship companies agreeing not
TO employ Indians in hauling freight
on the docks.