The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1898-03-10
FIRE IN DYEA.
''EVery Ones Home" Hotel
Completely Destroyed.
Five Persons Perish in the Con-
flagratiOn.
HAD TWENTY GUESTS
Who We're Sleeping When the
Fire Broke Out.
Demand For Postage Stamps
Exceeds Supply.
HAD TWENTY GUESTS

Seattle, Wash, March 10.-Passengers
on the steamer Humboldt, which has
arrived here from Dyea and Skaguay,
Alaska, bring the news that on the
night of March 3, a fire occurred in
Dyea in which it is thought five persons
persisted. The fire broke out in the
Every Ones Home hotel completely
destroying the hotel and adjoining sa-
loon and dance hall over twenty per
sons We're sleeping in the hotel The
bodies of Bert Mesk, of Portland, and
Russells, of Juneau have been taken
out.
The body of an unknown woman had
also been recovered. 1t was thought
that the remains of two more men were
in the ruins. The fire occurred a short
time before the Humboldt left that
place and full particulars could
not be obtained.
Port Townsend, Wash, March TO-
The tug Sea Lion arrived here today
from Skaguay, having left that port
after the Humboldt. She reports that
fire on the steamer Wh1teIaw was not
so serious as had been reported. Be
yOnd the destruction of some hay, in
which the fire originated, no damage
was done. The fire broke out While
the Whitelaw was discharging cargo at
her dock in Skaguay. The pumps were
Immediately put to work and the flames
were soon eXtinguiShed. Schooner BeS-
sic K, arrived at Ska quay last Friday
with her cargo intact.
Was hingtOn, March 10.-An interest
ing letter showing rather anomalous
condition of affairs as regards postal
matters has been received by First AS
sistant Postmaster General Heath
from Clara H. Richards, the postmist-
resS at Dyea, Alaska She transmits
the complaint of the president of a
trading, company because she would not
deliver the mails for more than two
persons to any one individual who
might be waiting in line at the Office
window.
Under date of February "a, Miss
Richards writes:
There is a line several hundred feet
long in front of the office all day and to
stop the whole line to wait for any one
person to call for a list of names
amounting sometimes to six hundred
and even a thousand from the outlying
on the general public" She also limits
the sale of stamps to 25 or so cents
worth to one person, and it is impoS-
sible to keep a supply on hand and pri-
vate spectators, getting possession Of
them, charge Is high as 25 cents each.
Miss Richards adds that the assistance
given her thus far in conducting the af-
fairs of the office has been entirely vol
untary and that as a result of the al
legged business her bond has been in
creased from $500 to $1,000 without in
Seattle, Wash, March 10.-The steam
er Farallon sailed for Alaska last night
with 112 passengers.
The last persons to arrive from DaW-
son were Pardue, Solid, Kirkman. and
Pierce. They left February Z, and
made the trip out in "A days.
Very cold weather was experienced
Mr.. Solid, whose home is in Colfax
Wis, says that when he left Dawson
there were between 80 and 40 cases OF
scurvy there. He could not tell how
many were sick along the creeks. He
knew of no deaths from the disease.
Provisions at Dawson are selling at
regular summer rates and there is very
little demand.
Concerning the new strike made at
Walsh creek, near the Big Salmon riv-
er, Mr.. Solid says that four pans of
dirt ran from 80 to rs cents per pan
The pay dirt has not been reached yet.
Thirty-two claims had been located.
Between Lake Lebarge and Lake
March many people were met slowly
working their goods down the river
At the mouth of Sixty Mile creek, they
met man and his wife who had been
thirty days coming from the Hootalin-
qua river to Sixty Mile creek.