The herald., 1898-09-27
Men FROM ST.MICHAfL
BRING FEW NUooHTH. BUT HARD
LUCK STORIES
SOUND STREAMS SEARCHED
But tho Kotzebue and Kowak Reports
Of Strikes Prove to Be Utterly
Unfounded
Associated Press Special wire.

PORT TOWNSEND, WASH. Sept. 26.-
The steam schooner Fulton arrived to-
night. fourteen days from st. Michael
having encountered several gales during
the voyage. She brought fifty-nine miners
from nearly every mining district In Alas
ka, and among the crowd. according to
statement of the purser. there 10 between
sos,OOO and 100000 in gold dust
Among the passengers were John Elmer
son of Minnesota and Charles Daniels OF
Honolulu, who left Kotzebue sound Aug
ust % They have proepected nearly every
stream emptying into the sound. but found
nothing beyond small cOlors. They had
heard nothing of the reported strike on the
Kowak river. About 1900 men were on the
beach awaiting an opportunity to return
south. All the business houses which had
opened there to catch the trade Of the
miners had their goods packed ready for
shipment to some other point.
Seventeen prospectors are known to
have been drowned during the season al
Hottom inlet. Many others are missing
They are supposed to have lost their lives
In attempting to ascend the small rivers.
are brought out. Capt. Robert J. Dun
ham Of the river steamer Rideout says that
a number OF new strikes along the creeks
in that district are reported and the pros
poets are most favorable. He also re-
ports the discovery Of two veino Of coal on
the Yukon river about ninety-five miles
from its mouth. The coal Is being mined
and sold to the steamers at SIS per ton. II
will render navigation on the river much
cheaper as wood Is scarce and expensive
During the trip up the river the steamer
paid s47oO for wood. The coal Is easily
mined. one man being able to take out
from five to seven tons day.
State Senator J. W. Range Of Seattle
who Is among the returning Dawsonites
said before leaving Dawson that Col. Da-
Wis president OF the relief committee Of the
combined secret orders. told him that the
average death rate was five per day during
the past two montha The highest in on
day was eighteen.
On hcr way down the Fulton found the
schooner Louise ]. Kenney. which was re-
Gently wrecked and abandoned by her
crew. The Kenney was successfully hoat-
ed and taken to Dutch harbor where she Is
now undergoing repairs.
Hard Luck Stories
PORT TOWNSEND, WASH, Sept &c.
The steamship Topeka arrived late tonight
from Lynn canal ports, with $50 Klondik.
ers, ninety per cent of whom have little ol
no dust to show for their experience in the
land Of gold. and they all express them
selves as being glad to get out alive. Three
thousand cases Of typhoid fever is the
estimate placed on the number Of sick in
Dawson September 6. A large number OF
deaths occur daily, Of which no record is
kept. 1t Is estimated that about 20 per cent
of the people Joined the rush to the
Stewart River. Nearly every foot Of avail
able ground has been prospected but nc
gold was found. That section has been
deserted by all except few who hope to
create another excitement next season
Among the Topekas passengers was Jos.
I.adue, the founder of Dawson. He says
that many who return are men that even
If the country we're one solid mass Of gold
would not make anything, consequently
they give the country a bad name. He
admits there Is a good deal of sickness
but says that Dawson has a hospital for
all the camps. When anyone is taken sick
anywhere along the river ne Is sent to
Dawson. which gets the credit.
Mostly Broke
VANCOUVER, B. c.. Sept. 26.-Sixty-
five Klondikers arwrived on the steamer
Horsa today. A majority were broke. Two
men, William Sundstrom from Chicago and
another, came out after having been trnv-
cling all the time since year ago last
August on the Edmonton route. They werc
lost in the Rocky mountains for week.
Several more on the trail. but only few
can reach Dawson, they gay.
Several accidents have recently occurred
on the Skaguay railway Two men, 1t is
said. were buried under slide and their
bodies have not yet been recovered.
California Mining
MEDFORD, Ore. Sept. 2e.-The greatest
mining excitement ever known in North
ern California has been caused by a rich
strike claimed to have been made in the
Siskiyou mountains, one mile from the
Jackson county line in Northern Califor-
MIA, on what Is known as Sterling Butte