The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1898-03-27
BUT LITTLE SICKNESS
SOMEBODY HAS BEEN LYING ABOUT
SKAGUAY
The Number of Deaths There Not
Beyond the Ordinary - Thou
sands of Tons OF Freight Piled Up
at Sheep Camp-Skaguay Post
Glitce Closes Two Days to Catch
Up with It's Work.
Correspondence The st, Paul Globe.

Correspondence The st. Paul Globe,
SkAGUAY, Alaska, Feb. 2S-There
is no unusual sickness here now, nor
has there been. In fact, the percentage
is small, considering the number of
people here and the exposure to which
so many are unused. Whatever else
this country may produce there is no
question about its producing the big
gest liars in the United States.
The papers at.Seattle and, I presume
elsewhere, are advertising a completed
railroad from Dyea to Lake Under
man. There is about four hundred
yards of tramWay in operation near
the summit of Chilkoot pass, with
capacity of 1900 pounds per day. This
is all. There has been no freight taken
from the summit to Lake Linderman
this winter except that hauled by men
or dogs. Stock cannot be used between
the summit and the lake, owing to the
great depth of the snow,
/ was told by a man whom con-
slider reliable that there are four thou
sand people at Sheep Camp and from
there to the summit. and from six to
eight thousand tons Of freight piled up.
More than half the people coming on
the boats go to Dyea, being Influenced
to go there by the papers and runners
on every boat.
Fifteen boats were unloading at the
docks here yesterday, and today there
is a terrible jam. The docks are not
large enough to handle the business.
We have been unable to get our freight
off, as the ship has been unable to
get to the dock until today.
The weather is warm again, and we
have but little fire in the stove. The
streets are sloppy and now at 10 o'clock
p. m. it is thirty-four degrees above
zero. Cecil has the only cutter in the
place and 1 took a ride up the gulch.
Wide sleighs can be driven about five
miles up the trail,
The postoffice has been closed two
days to distribute mail. The postmas-
ter and his assistant are greatly over
worked, and it is impossible to get
good service. 1t is said they burn the
newspapers, as they get no time to dis
tribute them. 1t has been impossible
to get postage stamps, and they have
been selling at a premium. A two
cent stamp sells for five cents on the
street
There are large numbers Of people
going over the trail with no previous
experience in camping out in cold
weather or in dressing for the cold,
and they are the class that suffer most.
although there has been but little suf-
ferjng in this manner considering the
conditions. Nine-tenths Of the reports
in the papers about big finds are with
out foundation. While it is true that
the Klondike country Is very rich it is
all taken up in that vicinity and the
vast army Of men coming here must
find new locations or go back diSap-
pointed
The days were very short when I ar
rived. but are growing longer rapidly,
much faster than in Minnesota. We are
away down in a hole, and 1t Is impos-
sible to tell when the sun rises or sets.
1t is quite light now at o'clock in
the morning and at 6 in the evening.
1t is very pleasant when the sun shines
and the wind does not blow, but 1t
would be a relief to look off on level
stretch of ground. A crook in the can
al shuts off all view in that direction,
so we can see nothing but high noun
tain walls in every direction.
There is a wonderfully large number
of buildings going up. Most Of them
are good class Of business houses.
Quite a number are of corrugated iron,
which will lessen the danger from fire.
1t takes SO long to get freight here
and the conditions are changing so rap
idly that it keeps one guessing what
kinds of goods to order.
| have received letters from many
asking about chances for work and OPP
portunities for going into business.
While there is a great deal Of building
and various enterprises requiring labor,
| would not advise any one to come
here for work. as there are more than
enough men here now to supply the
demand, and no one should come with
cut money AS to business Opportuni-
ties. the town Is we'll supplied with the
various stocks of goods necessary to
supply the demand.
w. H. Fletcher.