The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-03-23
PROVISIONS UP IN DYEA.
The s1OO-a-sack Flour Story IL Exploded
Into - Pieces-Dan Regain Writes
to a Friend AT ElIiston.

The s1OO-a-sack Flour Story IL Exploded
Into - Pieces-Dan Regan Writes
to "a Friend at Eiiiston.
Dan Regain, an old-time N. p. rail-
o man who left Elliston the 18th of
last month for Alaska, writes from Dyea
under date of March 4. His letter is ad-
dressed to his friend, N. Dougherty, q
merchant of Elliston. He says that he
arrived all o. X. and was feeling well
when he wrote. He was a passenger on
the ill-starred Corona, but got out of
the wreck on top. He writes:
I'VE had a nice trip on sea, but came
near being ditched, which, 1 suppose
you know from having read accounts
in the newspapers. We had an exciting
time getting from Skaguay here, which
is six miles distant. The big boats do
not come in here, so we had to take a
barge, and the old barge got stuck in
the mud and we were compelled to de-
sert ii and take small boats, and then
we couldn't get to land. We were car
ried to shore on the backs of the men
who ~bargained to take US there on
boats. You never saw anything so
ludicrous; l never laughed so much in
my life. But we got here. however.
and it was all a very pleasant trip.
"Well, / don't see any difference be-
tween this place and Montana; it's not
so cold here, but the wind blows more
or less all of the time. 1t has been hot
here for the past week, and the snow
has rapidly disappeared
1T is a sight to see the great number
of people going over the trail: they are
as thick as flies. They have dogs,
horses, mules, goats and eve donkeys-
in fact, any kind of animal that can
pull a load is used. 1t is, indeed, a Won
derful sight and the greatest excite
ment ever known on a similar stam-
pede. Why. Klondike has set the whole
world mad; people are becoming fran
tic. Where 1t will all end is the ques-
ton.
This town and Skaguay are no good
to stay in. Everything is o~verdone.
Provisions are not so high here-fiour is
81 a hundred; meals, so cents: beds. so
cents, and clothing isn't SO high as re-
ported. There are lots of houses going
up. much building, and maybe business
Will be better i'm the summer, although
IL is overcrowded now.
"As fast as they can, people are NOV
ing on up to Sheep Camp. IA miles from
Dyea. We are doing a little every day
and getting along nicely, but it's pretty
hard work all the same.
Many people are selling their outfits
and going back and more are getting
sick; it's an easy matter to catch a
cold here. There are all kinds of frauds
in this town, but the camp Is very quiet.
Tents are strung along for miles and
miles. Every incoming boat Is loaded
to the guards with men and provisions
bound for the Klondike diggings. It's
lots OF fun, II nothing else. Why. talk
about a fair day in the old dart. it's not
in it with this place every day. We
will be out of here in a day or two. and
you will hear from me when l reach
the gold fields. Tell Logan that II he
had his singlefoot horses here he could
sell them for 500 a head"
NArs-. - eks. .sev q. ala fn
receipt OF a letter from his son Charles.
who Is well known here. his having
been his home for several years. Charles
writes from Stickeen Island, March IL,
and on that date II was raining up there.
He is with a Canadian Pacific survey
Ing party. He says:
Nobody can get up the river now.
as there are o five feet of slush on
the ice. The bank OF the river Is ined
with tents for IA miles and people from
all parts of the world. They nave all
kinds OF rigs. some have dogs. some
horses and others have goats and cows.
Often the cattle die of starvation. Then
they are eaten. Horses driven until they
die are fed to the dogs. so the dogs hold
out the best. One ma cut the ears on
his goats to feed TO his dogs. Two thou
sand men and about 30 women are here
and 500 more landed in Wrangel yes
terday and all will ave to remain
about six weeks.
There is an outfit here with a steam
ice and snow locomotive with a lot Of
sleigh cars attached. They started u
yesterday with 10 big sleigh loads. Two
green Englishmen left al the same time
with a big bull hitched onto a sled and
at last accounts the bull was ahead.
The steam sleigh Is a failure. after an
outlay OF all kinds of money. IL Is bet
ter than a circus to watch the different
parties arriving. The 1000 dogs along
the river do not make any noise at all
II don't think. We have a fine OUTFIT.
good tents. good beds and good grub.
with nothing 70 do but rubber The
weather Is warm"