The Portland daily press., 1898-01-17
a MINING TOWN.
Marvelous Change Four Months Has
Wrought in the Condition ana ToP"A"
tion of Skaguay.

|
Skaguay, Alaska, Dec. 1b.-fou'
months of American enterprise has piaceo
at the head waters of the Lynn canal
city with a population OF nearly s'oo.
souls, and scarcely a week passes wienou'
adding from 100 to 200 more Argonauts'
all bent on the same purpose-tne aoco'
mutation of gold.
Some will engage in business mere,
while the vast majority will push on
ward at the first fall of snow to country
the greater part of which Is unknown,
and many of these poor adventurers Will
never again behold the light OF oivillza-
tion. Few appreciate the hardships con-
fronting them, and less are prepared TO
meet them.
Some will attempt to get over the pass
and, forced to abandon the attempt, Will
return to Skaguay to engage in business
here. 1t makes but little difference wna1
the business is, for the professional man
of yesterday may be the bartender OF to-
dav. II is any way to make money IN
this most cosmopolitan city, and many
man who prided himself on his gentliity
and neatness at home may be handing
drinks over bar, while his frlenos IN
the States suppose he is washing out goio
by the pound.
To those who have.never been fortunate
enough to witness the growth OF min
ing camp it is well nigh Impossible 70
portray the rapidity with which tnrlV-
ing city will be erected on ground wnlon
would have been deemed useless.
Skaguay today and Skaguay four
months ago are two different places. On
tho 18th day of last August there was
nothing but few tents erected on the
beach, with no Indications of streets and
alleys, business blocks and comfortable
homes. Today nearly all classes OF mer-
camille goods are offered for sale In stores
that would do credit to any city OF ten
times the population; streets and alleys
are properly laid out and in many cases
graded, comfortable homes have been
built and church erected by the citizens.
When first saw Skaguay it was from
the deck of the steamer Queen on the
morning of Aug. 49, Then, by actual
count, there were but twelve small tents
pitched on the beach just above high
water mark. About one-half mile of tide
land, as level as floor and strewn with
driftwood, met the eye until the view
was interrupted by dense forest OF pine
and spruce ranging from one mountain
to the other. From base to base 1t Is
about three-q uarters OF mile, the two
walls of solid granite cohverg1ng toward
each other until, within three miles from
the water they nearly meet, and form
canyon through which the waters.oi ene
Skaguay river pour with unceasiug roar.
People then had no idea of stopping here
any longer than absolutely necessary, but
within the week many arrived Intent on
obtaining some of the cash brought In
by the countless horde. The inevitable
saloon and gambling den opened for bus
mess, first in large tents, with bars
ana tin cups made to answer the purposes
of glasses. Such signs as "The Bonan-
za.'F liThe Klondike.'' ''Ths Pack
Train were prominently displayed and
numerous "grafters'' were constantly ciN
culating among the crowds OF new com
ers, soliciting their patronage. Many
were the various devices employed to
reach the pockets of the tenderfeet, and
most prominent of all was the "shell
man." who conducted his business on top
of a barrel.
An enterprisiug Juneau party brought
in a large stock of general merchandise
and the success with which he met in
duced others to follow the same legtti-
mate lines of business. The first manu-
featuring plant to be established WAS
sawmill, and as soon as lumber could be
produced frame buildings sprang up in
every direction, and the tents fast dlsap-
peared A civil engineer hung out his
shingle and, styling himeslf lofty engi-
neer, was besought on all sides by peo-
pie anxious to secure a town lot. This
necessitated the proper plating OF the
town, and lots were taken up for two
miles in the timber, where then 1t was
deemed so far in the wilderness that they
would be useless, but now those same
lots are selling at $75 or Sl00.
Hotels and restaurants were next in or
der, and all did thriving business 1t is
a point to remark that no one has en-
barked in business of any nature here
who has not made success.
Three wharves nearly milo in length
each have been constructed on the water
front, and passengers may now allght
from steamers and walk In comfort to
the busines part of the town-quite con-
trast to the method of disembarking pas
sengers with their outfits on the rocks,
where they were compelled to use every
vogue only one month ago. The nearest
postoffce was at Dyea, some five miles
distant by water, and rs it was rather in
convenient to go there for mail and per-
heps be disappointed, an enterprislng
Yankee established 3 postoffice OF Ibis
own, where he handed you your letters
and papers at cost of five cents each.
This same individual, wishing to evade
the laws concerning speculation in post
age stamps, refused to sell them at all,
but charged you ten cents to mall let
ter IL he furnished the stamp. and hvo
cents il you furnished it. Although we
have been in dire need of government
postoffice here for three months. Uncle
Sam has only just sent us a postmaster,
who Eegins his duties January l.. This
delay on the part of the Washington
officials has been the cause of no end of
ridicule on the part of the many Canadi-
ans passing through here.
A night in Skaguay is a sight never
to be forgotten, and as one visits the
many dance halls and gambling rooms
he.will see men of every nationality and
every walk in life The slums of our
lnrge cities seem to have opened the gates
and deposited here the very lowest types
of moral deprayity.
Electric lights now take the place OF Oil
in most OF the SGOrps and 1arOcr bu1idlDC6