The record-union., 1898-03-28

when the news of the February finds
cached there. despite his 'years-for he
was no longer young or physically
strong-he could not resist the impulse
90 join in the rush for claim.
Starting with a single companion
from Dawson, lightly provisioned in the
bitterness of an Arctic winter he ap-
parently endeavored to utilize a short
cut over the table-land lying between
Eonanza and Dominion creeks, ana
there lost his way Prospectors return
ing from the stampede to record found
the two on the summit of the ridge, ter
ribly frozen, Mr.. Hamlin having lost
consciousness, which he never regained.
His comrades feet were so badly frozen
that immediate amputation was neces-
sary. Both were carried back to DaW-
son on February 18th, and received the
best Of hospital attention. 1t was the
following morning that Piche started
for the coast, and before the close of the
day lighter travelling prospector had
caught up to him with the news that
Mr. Hamlin had passed away.
At Skaguay confusion and dissatis-
faction prevail. The health conditions
Of the town are, during the. cold
weather, the reverse of alarming, nor
does the much-talkedo of lawlessness OF
the resident element greatly distress
the average miner. The town is, how
ever, divided under three-ring rule,
the "Soapy' Smith faction being in its
decadence, the United States Marsha.
| and bis assistants having greatly
abused their power for personal ad-
vancemcnt. and a combination for prof
| it between the resident American GUS
toms officer and the Sylvester bonding
monopoly taking whatever the pros
pective miner has left
| The modus operandi has been, in the
| latter connection, to refuse to put IN
force, as obviously intended, the Treas
ury regulation of February I'd having
! for it's object the passage of bonded
goods through the American strip. Cop
! les of this regulation were officially de-
! livered by Collector Ivy on Sunday last,
| and the same evening that official left
| having indorsed the Canadian officials
| Interpretation of the ruling. The fol-
! lowing morning the resident American
| officer introduced a contrary and widely
different Interpretation of his own, and
| gave orders that but one broker should
! be employed of the three up to that
time doing business the Sylvester ofhce
| being thus created a monopoly and fix
! ing a rate indorsed by the customs offl-
| Ger of : per cent on the value of all
outfits for bonding them through to
Lake Bennett. The manifest unfair
ness of the charge appeals equally to
! Americans and Canadians, the former,
| if ANYTHING, being the more energetic
| in exnressions of Indignation and de-
mands for reform.
! Just before the Ningchow sailed from
| Skaguay on Tuesday last the majority
of the gambling element decided that
it would be best to bow to the inevitable
and get out "Soapy' Smith had before
this resigned and transferred his atten-
tions to Dyea The Ningchow had sixty
or seventy gamblers and sure-thing
men as passengers, landing them here
! to-day in time to catch the city OF
! Kingston for Seattle.
The trial of John Kelly, Harry Brooks
and ]. d Corbett for the murder of sam
Parkes. alias Sam Roberts, had taken
place a few days previous, Corbett en-
tering q confession and the trio being
sent to Sitka for trial.
Gottlieb Schneider, for the killing of
his partner, Herman, also had his trlai
! before Judge Ostrander of Dyea, and
secured an acquittal on the plea of self,
| defense.
Still another shooting was reported
Monday morning, the victim in this in
stance being John O'Neill of Seattle,
who received a bullet through his leg
| in the course of a barroom difficulty.
He will recover.
The Ningchow reports that the re-
verse Of prohibition is the rule in all
of the Alaskan ports, wide-Open drink
ing being the rule, and the only effect
of the recent order being, as stated last
| Tuesday. the closing down of the Ter
ritOrial brewerieS.
Piche declines to place an approxi-
mate estimate on the spring output,
which, he says, will be immense.