Evening star., 1898-02-11
capt. RAYS REPORT
Conditions in the Alaska Mining
Country.
At CIRCLE CITY And FORT YUKON
Suffering Along the River and the
Trail.
E CITY AND FORT YUKON
PROPER OFFICIALS NEEDED

PROPER OFFICIALS NEEDED
The War Department today made public
the advices received from Capt. p. H. Ray
of the Sth Infantry, who was sent to Alas
ka to report on conditions in the mining
country. The reports embrace a period
running from October 8 to November 8, and
are dated from Circle City and Fort Yukon.
They show very serious state of affairs,
that trouble is threatened al various places
and that there is serious danger at some
points of lack of food, owing in large
measure to the failure of the transportation
companies to get in sufficient supplies In
report dated Circle City, October 8. Capt.
Ray recommends, should the department
decide to establish post on the upper riv-
er, that the mouth of Mission or American
creek be chosen as the site. with a sub
post. If necessary. at Circle City The best
interests of the service. he says require
permanent garrisons to be located well
away from mining towns, so that the
troops, If required to act, will not be biased
by local influence. On the food question he
says:
1.-The question of food here is a very
serious one, and the action Of the NJ A. L.
and 7. Company is causing much friction
l use my best endeavors to reconcile all
differences peaceably and get all people
who are without provisions down to Fort
Yukon rs soon as possible, where there is
an abundance Of food. I learn that while
food is scarce in Dawson City, the miners
in the outlying camps are fairly well sup
piled. The stores two) are selling very con-
servatfvely. The eating houses are all
closed save one. While consider the situ-
alton critical, do not believe there will be
any great loss of life beyond that incident
to G climate so rigorous this. That there
will be much suffering along the river and
the trail owing to the rashness and ignor-
ance of people unaccustomed to this cli-
mate, no well-inforned person here will
deny; but there is nothing that should
cause undue anxiety or alarm among peo-
pie in the states who have friends in this
country. There are fabulous stories being
circulated. and will be published, about the
prices paid for food. I have verified in
stances where s1o0 was paid for fifty
pounds of fiour. but such cases are rare,
were outside deals and not the prevailing
price,
Seized the Stores.
A report dated Circle City October g..
deals with the subject of miners meetings,
several OF which Captain Ray witnessed
and noted their actions The first occurred
the night he landed at Circle City. when he
found that a committee of miners had TAX
en- charge of the boat Dixon and were
about to discharge her cargo. They stopped
at his request to KNOW what they were do
ing. and the chairman said they proposed
to take so much of the provisions as they
needed to supply their immediate wants:
that the transportation companies had
failed to land supplies during the past sea-
son. so that there was little or nothing in
the storehouses, and, as there was no pros
pect of another steamer arriving this au-
tumn, they considered their action justfi-
able to enable them to work their mines
and save themselves from starvation. The
chairman said they had appealed to agents
Of both companies and the only answer
they could get was that no stores would be
landed a. Circle City.
Captain Ray spoke to them of the des-
perate condition of affairs at Dawson and
urged them to take no more than necessary
and let the balance go on. This they con-
sented to do. and he then asked the agent
of the company to open the company store
house and check him all stores landed by
the committee, no part of such stores to be
removed without cash payment at the COM
panys own price.
The second meeting was held the day
after Captain Ray. who meanwhile had left
Circle City, had returned, October 2. Great
was expressed at the failure
of the master of the Weare to proceed to
Fort Yukon, as fully fifty persons belonging
in Dawson had come down as a volunteer
crew at the request of Manager Healy to
handle her for the round trip, so that they
could obtain winter supplies. They ag-
gressfvely demanded that the vessel should
proceed, and as several had been drinking,
there was much wild talk. Captain Ray
adds:
Frozen Up Mt Circle City.
'As there were quite q number of people
In town not in sympathy with violence that
could rely upon, 1 secured all the arms
and ammunition 1 could and quietly pre-
pared to defend the stores. The committee
waited upon the master of the Weare, and
te promised that he would get under way
In the morning If possible. I inclose a
copy OF resolutions served upon him. The
next morning the ice was solid around the
steamer and she could not be moved. She
must remain where she now lies for the
winter Provisions on the steamer were
exhausted on the Sd. and the volunteer
crew were ordered ashore without food or
shelter. They appealed to me. / took them
before the agent of the company. who,
after hearing thei: case, admitted that the
was responsible; that he would
furnish them shelter and food until such
time as the river should become passabln
and they could reach Fort Yukon. The
whole matter has been much aggravated
by the drunkenness and inefficiency of the
master mariner of the Weare.
Great injl ry will result to the CONNER
ciai interests along this great highway If
scme radical steps are not taken to protect
all persons from such Interference with
their legitimate business. At the same
time, there should be some power to force
carriers to transport goods for
any person Offering. At the present time
neither CT the transportation companies
VIII transport pound of freight for other
t. aders or private parties, forcing all peo-
pie coming into the territory to be wholly
dependent upon their stores for their sup
plies at their prices. A large majority of
the people now here are peaceable and law
abiding. but in absence of any person in
authority to appeal to for the settlement,
of the many differences that are constant
ly arising they are compelled to act out
side of the law, and when Influenced by
passion, prejudice or liquor will commit
acts that jeopardlze great financial inter-
ests and from which there can he no ap-
peal.
Need of Omcials.
while here 1 am constantly being ap-
realed to act where / have no authority.
can only act as an arbitrator or mediator
in the cause of peace. The appeal con-
tinues to come to me to knew when, If
ever, the government is going to send in
zfp ta1c 20. for tIxa lou,