Evening star., 1898-04-22
REAL FIzz on THE kLosDukE.
Ten Thousand "SmnIl Rottles- Or
dered for Dawsou

From the San Francisco Chronicle
There will be a warm time in Dawson
when saltwater Bill Gates receives his
first consignment of 1o.0W bottles Of Cali
fornia champagne. The floor of his new
Palace of Amusement for Gents and La
dies will swim with real old fizz. and the
size of the average head on the klondike
will approximate Andree's balloon. For
months, so saltwater" has figured it, the
Yukoners have been yearning for gem
tleman's drink. Forty rod of The most
ferocious brand has been the nearest ap-
rroach TO IL so far, and, as is well known,
forty rod is not drink for a laGylikc
gent in the new diggings. After the river
opens up this year forty rod Will not toe
in il. ''Swiftwater's first cargo of spar
kle will have reached Dawson then, and
the festivities will be due.
F. B. Mulgrew traffic manager OF the
Alaska Transportation Company, made the
deal for the champagne with the kIondiker
early last week, and his breath was taken
by the lightning rapidity OF Gates ar
rangements. Mulgrew called on him the
day before he left for the nortn to see
about shipping some goods, provided a mar
ket might be found in Alaska for them.
Mulgrew had already agreed TO send some
light wines to st. Michael TO parties hold
ing government license there, and he
sought out "Swiftwater' to try TO sell him
stock of wines for his Dawson resort,
which is to furnish the river city Bar
barry Coast pleasures within a few weeks.
I've got some good California cham
pagne.' said Mulgrew
How much can you put in Dawson for
me by August said Gates.
Ten thousand bottles" replied Mugrew,
with thoughts of staggering his questioner.
Make II a hundred thousand and III sign
and pay down. was the cool rejoinder
This was Bills idea of quick business and
he was disappointed when informed that il
would be impossible to nil vast an order.
fhG1 lAT nal a
signature Of William Il. Gates witnesses
that he agrees TO pay and deliver I'm dust or
nuggets. at Sls an ounce, the price per bot
tie set upon the wine.
You see," said Gates TO Mulrrew 81
want to get a supply and be sure of il 4
hate to go back to Dawson-and I'm start
ing now-and say TO the boys that / amt
nked good. tell you the fellers has got
little use for me il | get there flying light
1 just want to be able to put out my flag
ana nave on IL 'Swiftwater's cargo of
champagne will be here soon and there'l
be enough to go round -
The transaction involved over Slnotsp
and while the lawyers Were preparing the
contract Bill kept on insisting that he
would be short" with less than 100 90, bot
Ties. When he had finally affixed his name
to the document he leaned back i'm his
chair, and. with thump ON the table that
made ink blots on adjacent things ho said:
1hat means SlOoOuO for me and the eter-
nal gratitude of every mothers son that
ever handled pick on the Yukon. LIES
dull enough at the best in that country,
and it would be a shame if the boys
can't get gentlemans drink when they've
got the dust to pay for it. I'm going TO set
the ball rolling I'm Dawson. and I'll bet
thousand ounces that before the winters
in champagne will be the only beverage
that goes in Dawson.
"Dawson,s going to be the greatest min
ing camp in the world, and there's more
money going to be spent there in the next
two years than ever changed hands any
where on earth. | expect to make a million
right in my Palace of Amusemenis and
Ladies and Gentlemen's Place of Rest. ll's
to be the grandest place that ever a leg
was shook in or a gentleman bought wine
for a lady. EN-Sheriff James of Napa is
one OF my right-hand men, and things ara
going TO be run in style. I've bought more
liquor for the boys than they can get away
with in year, and that amt no small
creek full