The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1898-02-02

washington, Feb. General AIer-
ram, under instructions from Acting
Secretary Meikeljohn of the war de-
partment, yesterday opened, at Seattle
the dispatches brought by Special Mes
senger Wells from Captain Ray, the
departments special representative in
the KIondike, and forwarded an alb
stract of them to the department by
telegraph. Acting Secretary Meikeljohn
was so much impressed with the state
ments wired that he submitted the dis
patch at once to Secretary Alger, who
is now convalescent at his home from
q long illness and. after consultation
between these officials, the paper was
sent over to the White House, where it
formed the subject of consideration by
the cabinet meeting today. II IS said
at the department that the report of
Captain Ray fully justifies all that has
been done by Secretary Alger and As
sistant Secretary Meikeljohn under the
authority conferred by congress to re-
neve the situation in the Klondike.
KLONDIKE CONDITIONS.
The report of Captain Ray is par
ticClarly acceptable in view of the con-
fiicting statements as to the conditions
in the gold fields that have been made
by persons that have come out this
winter, for il is not doubted that he
had a broader field of observation than
the others who have made reports, and,
with the thoroughness and caution as
to exact statements that form the
guiding principles of all army officers
when called on to make reports in the
line of duty, this report is taken as
establishing the facts for all official
purposes. The state of affairs in the
Klondike as thus revealed is worse than
was suspected at the war department
and, indeed, so large is the task that
remains to be executed in order to in
sure the safety of life and property on
the American side of the line alone,
that the war department officials have
concluded to advise congress as TO the
facts and place upon the legislative
branch the duty OF devising ways and
means to meet the exigencies of the
case. The abstract of Captain Rays |
report, as telegraphed by Major Rob-
inson, is as follows:
CAPTAIN RAYS REPORT.
Seattle, Wash. Jan. 31-To the Ad- I
jutant General of the Army, Wash I
ington, d. c.: Complying with tele-
gram of today, five letters and two /
packages from Captain Ray addressed ,
to you, in hands of Special Courier Z. ,
II. Wells, Interpreted by me. Substance 4
as follows:
= >
fer to action and attempted robbery of Z
caches; recommend that United States |
government take steps to effectually |
check immigration to interior of Alas
ka of all persons not fully supplied to
last two years. Give as reasons no way
TO earn a living. and that no placer
discoveries have been made within last
eight months either in Alaska or the
Northwest territory.
NO F7NTpT GyAEN--T
There is no employment for a large
number Of people in any capacity; all
values are speculative. There is no
fixed standard for labor. There is not
now or likely to be within u months
adequate ana efficient means of supply
ing people now in Alaska or northwest
territory Is of opinion that per cent
of all people who have entered during
the past year have earned their living,
and hundreds are now scattered along
the rivers destitute of food. clothing
and money People coming in have not