The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1898-06-23
Hardships Encountered in the
Race for Gold.
NOTES FROM THE NORThLAND.
Al Valdes 40 Men Want to Come
Tauana, With the Resolution to
search for Fortune There-Death
in snow and Rupids-River " aiers
Too Swift for PROJECTORS Boats.

The retreat from Copper river has COM
rnenced and the vanguard of the home
coming army reached Seattle yesterday on
he Al-ki They are even more detected
and weataer-bea ,cn than the men who re-
turned from Skagway last fall after toll
ing several months through mud. Fifty
men who have spent hundreds OF dollars
AMI months Of time crossing the terrible
Na!des g.acier and travelling on the ireacA-
Gus rivers beyond made up the deiega ton
They are Oh their way back to Eastern
homes and farms, many OF which We're
mortgaged 10 pay for the expenses OF the
disastrous TIP.
A H. H0stet;er, OF la Grange. Ind.
.as with me go men that crossed he
Tasnuna lake and reached the konsinA
river. On.y one party mad been further III
than that point and they returned halF
starved, having lost their outfits IN the
rapids. They found no gold. Hostetter
tells of the death of a young Fastener
named Miller, either BY suicide or acct
cent. Miller was with the big party that
was furthest ahead. One day he went out
with his shot gun and was not seen af-
forwards. He was very despondent az
finding no gold after all his hard work and
many OF his friends believe that he took
his own life. There is a possibility that
ne was drowned in the rapids.
A Massachusetts man named Beird I'M
doubtedly lost his l.fe in the big snow
storm in the last week Of April. say those
who returned yesterday. He was out on
the glacier away from his party when
TIE s,orm came up ana was never seen
again. Searching parties looked unsuccess-
fully for rs body. lie did not join any OF
the parties that got across the glacier.
Hostetter said that It was reported
when he left the big camp on the other
side OF the lake. that seven men had lost
their ives IN the rapids. HoStetter could
not learn any of their names and does not
put much faith in the rumOr. He said that
i large number Of outfits were lost in the
rapids and that the use Of boats had TO
be given up. This necessitated long
tramps through the marshes which line
either Side Of the river. Everything had
to be packed or the back and travel was
very slow. Hoste;ter said tha; most of
the 200 men in advance were going 10 work
their way up the river and if they found
nothing strike into the head waters of the
Tanana.
The party that came down on the Al-ki
chartered the steamer Woicott to bring
them 10 Juneau from Copper City.
There were sixty-one of then: and it cost
about SIS for each man. Several Of the
men are stil at Juneau, not having
enough money 10 come further. Mr.. john
son. of s.. Louis, tells about as 1iscour-
aging a story as any OF the returning Ar
gonauts lie said yesterday TO a Post
Intell.gencer reporter:
About no men have turned back and
are waiting at Naldes for some means of
getting out OF The country. Some have no
money and viii have to remain there I'M
I'll the government sends help. They viii
not starve for tons of provisions have
been abandoned It Is impossible TO sell
outfits. The soldiers are at Valdes wait
ing for the re.Grn of Capt. Abercrom5ie
with horses. Then they expect to go 10
the interior"
H. .. Robe. who has been scout and
guide for the Copper river government
exploration party, returned on the Al-ki.
RE IS les.rous of cnlstEg 10 fight against
Spain and Will probably go 10 San Francis
co for that purpose. He says the soldiers
are crazy u get into the light and are
locking fer orders 10 join their company
d. san Francisco.
Those VINO were interested in the Vol
cot; charter and who came - Juneau on
her AZ" Y. Rogers. +. w. Helm w Froth-
inglIm Gus kedn. e. W. Thompson
James u. Spring. :. Crow. c. II. CIandg.
{. Linder. W Peterson. Il. W. Kayle
w. <. Heaning. George A. Edwards r
7. Rhodes. NJ J. Walsh. q Re.mer. c
Jenery. y. + Win. 6. w Ca!hsoa. 4
". Palmer. ]. Robinson, u. X. pan!eson
NJ, +. Murphy. a t King \. Hen9iuS
q. S!vernon q. kragstaI. r Durin. y. +
Copeland. I. Biorge. O. Hagen. j. J. Syls-
worth. r Moiin NJ. JohaUsen. y .. Nell
son. r W. ChAusSe. ". II. Vance. I'd.
Christensen. Ton +. Sept. " Taylor
Ny Ham BioCk.ey, ]. l. Bush. -. Hawkins.
Dcnohue W. :. Mailman. W. n. Young
J n. Hunt II. .. Roger. +. ". Hcae. NJ
Ec.uap. James McSheey q Hos.etter, u.
e. CAmp3sll. ". II. SIRIUS. y. DeMatthies