The silver lance., 1898-02-18

"That along the Tannaquah, Minook
creek, Birch creek and the head Of For
ty Mile, there are diggings that will
pay from $40 to $40 per day per man
now lying idle, as they will not pay ex-
penses at the present period. l am sat
fsfied that with adequate means of
transportation and cheaper food this
will develop into one of the greatest
gold-producing regions in the world
"A railroad from the head of Cooks
Inlet, Prince William Sound, to the
mouth of the Tannanah, from which
point supplies could be delivered by
light draft steamers along all the nav
igable tributaries Of the Yukon, will Sc
cure our people the commerce of this
whole country. 1t would give a route
to the open sea that could be operated
all winter and act as check to the Ca
madam route"
A report dated Fort Yukon, October
26th, deals with Captain Rays trip
from Circle City to Fort Yukon, he
having left the former place on the
10Th instant, and reached the latter
after a perilous trip.
At Fort Yukon about $50 people were
found gathered and there had been
some threats of taking supplies by
force. The report adds:
Lieutenant Richardson, by prompt
and decided action, had checked all
turbulence, and by cooperating with
the agents of both companies had ar
ranged that all destitutes should be
fed. Those willing to work were to be
allowed to cut wood for the compan-
les at $5 per cord, and when they had
earned sufficient money they should
pay for their supplies.
1.-The sick and INDECENT should be fed
without charge, and the bills for such
issues to come to me to be submitted
for the action of Congress. This action
is now being taken"
Apparently Captain Ray left Fort
Yukon for time, as under date of that
place of November 1st he says that
since his return matters have assumed
very serious aspect.
The Alaska Commercial Company
had a cache of 200 tons four miles
above Fort Yukon, and the N. A. L.
and T. Co cache at Fort Yukon. The
Alaska Company's agent reported to
him a meeting was being held to fur
ther a movement to seize the COM
pany's cache.
He adds: II went up with Mr.. Rich
| ardsOn, and, soon after arriving there,
was waited upon by a committee from
a miners meeting, who stated in their
demands that there We're seventy-five
of them, and they demanded that they
be furnished on credit with an outfit
of provisions and clothing for nine
months. This Mr.. Davis. the agent, de-
clined to do. I explained to them that
I would give orders on the stores for
| food to feed the destitute, but as the
companies offered work at good wages,
the able-bodied should accept it, and
those having money would be allowed
| to purchase reasonable outfit OF pro-
visions for the balance of the year.
| II came away without getting any
definite answer out of them, leaving
! Lieutenant Richardson at the cache for
the night. I received a note from him
saying he believed they intended to at
tack the cache at 10 a. m. next day. at
once issued notices taking possession
of the cache and had them posted that
night on the door Of the storehouse and
in all the companies, and early next
| morning started from here with twen-
ty-ffve men volunteers. l could not
arm them efficiently, being able to
raise only five rifles and few pistols,
SO / deemed it wise not to take any
thing but pistols concealed.
Soon after starting word came to
me that they had passed a resolution
to arrest me, should I attempt to go
to the cache. When I arrived within
one and one-half miles of the cache
was met by one man (NobletD, who
stated the miners wished to have me
| come to their camp to talk over the
| situation, which / declined to do. He
then came out in his true colors, and
said they had determined to prevent
| my going forward by force, and, at a
| signal from him, twenty-five men,
| armed with rifles, came out of the tim
ber and covered the party. Noblett said
they had possession of the cache.
"As Lieutenant Richardson was
there and as had not heard any fir
ing, / knew his statement was false
and said so, at the same time starting
on and told them they might open the
fight if they wished to. He then said
that as conditions were changed by
my seizure of the stores and they were
10th to disturb government property,
that il l would wait few moments he
would consult with the committee and
asked If I was still willing to feed the
destitute. l stated my terms to feed
the destitute. and as long as the COM
panies would take wood they were to
go to work at the rate of So per cord,
and if they could not get work. they
would be fed If possible until the river
opened; that bona fide miners could
obtain outfits provided they went into
the field.
''In a few moments he (NobletD re-
turned and said they accepted the
terms, and l went to the cache where
1 found between thirty and forty men,
who said they had nothing, and l
caused all to be fed. l have hoisted
the flag over buildings and placed a
guard.
This is not a case of worthy desti-
tute miners, it is a case of premedita-
ted robbery. and had they been able to
get possession of either Lieutenant
Richardson or myself, the cache would
have been lost. A number of very des-
perate and lawless characters have
been forced out of Dawson, Northwest