The herald., 1898-03-04
TROUBLE MAY RESULT
IF ANY ATTEMPT Is MADE TO
COLLECT DUTIES
DEATH AND DISORDER AT DYEA
Are Present Only in the Imagination
Of the Boomers Of the Rival
Town
Aseociated Press Special wire

Town
Associated Press Special Wire
SEATTLE. March 3-Five steamers ar
rived from Alaska today-the Utopia.
Hueneme, Del Norte, Protection and
Queen. The Queen brought the latest news.
having left Skaguay last Sunday. Tke
most important news brought down was
Of previous reports that the
Canadian officials had raised the British
flag on what is regarded as American soil
and the trouble at Skaguay with long
shoremen who objected to Indians unload
ing freight from steamers. The presence
of United States troops alone prevented
serios: trouble. A compromise was made
with the white men to perform the work
at so cents per hour.
It Is feared that serious trouble will
grow out Of the Canadians attempt to col.
lect duty on the summit Of the White and
Chilcat passes, and the Americans will re-
sist the payment of duty on what they con-
slider American ground. Another complies
ton will result from the various tramways-
which are being constructed to carry
freight over the passes. The officials OF
these tramways are reported to. have de-
clared that any interruption OF their con-
struction work or any attempt to exercise
any right Of ownership will be resisted.
1t is thought at Dyea and Skaguay that
the movements of the American authors
ties will be to claim sovereignty over
those two places. Last summer the bound-
ary line was at Lake Bennett, then at
Lindemann and now at the summit of the
mountains. which is only about twenty
miles from salt water. Two days before
the Queen left Skaguay the wind, which.
had blown from the north continuously
for seven weeks, shifted and began to
blow from the southwest, causing gem
eral thaw to set in. The change in the
weather caused hundreds of people who
had been detained by the severe cold to
start over the trails from both Skaguay
and Dyea, and when the steamer left a
general exodus from both towns was taxi
ing place. Both trails are reported in exs
on the trip down the Queen passed the
Cottage City a short distance south Of
Wrangel narrows. The latter ship evt-
IDENTIFY had had trouble, as her bow was
smashed In and covered with canvas to
keep out the water.
News Is brought by the Queen that the
ship Corona, which went ashore On q
reef or Lewis island. on the morning Of
the 23d of January. will be raised today.
Two pumps were put to wok this morning,
when 1t is expected that the Corona will be
fioated.
The ship Lucille, bearing the government
party, Is slowly vending her way north
ward in tow Of the tug Monarch. She was
spoken by the Queen near Kennedy island
and reported all well on board.
RICH, BUT DEAD
VICTORIA, B. c., March s.-It is re-
ported by the steamer Islander from Alas
ka that several days ago two Canadian
mounted police marched into Skar,,av
with two sleds In tow. on which were
strapped two dead men. The attention Of
the mounted police at Tagish was attracted
by the dismal howls of dog. A few min
utes' search on the trail, and they found
the bodies of two men who had been frozen
to death. 1t is said they were returning
Klondikers, and they are reported to have
in their possession 100000 In paper and
gold dust. one $50 900 and the other $70,0O0
Their names are not known.
UNFOUNDED RUMORs
SEATTLE. March 3.-E. r. Knapp Of
Boston, Mass, who arrived here today
from Skaguay, authorizes the statement
that the Canadian authorities raised the
British flag on the summit of the White
pass on Saturday, February g. This has
heretofore been considered American ter
ritory. Mr.. Knapps authority for the
statement is the foreman of the Humbert
Transportation company. He reported
the affair to Mr.. Knapp, who is conpected
with the company, just before the latter
left Skaguay.
In reference to the report that martial
law had been proclaimed at Skaguay, Mr..
Knapp said that when he left no such ac-
tion had been taken; neither was 1t antic-
ipated. Mr. Knapp also said that the re-
ports of deaths at Dyea, Skaguay and on
the trails had been very much exaggerated,
He had made personal examination and
ascertained that since November there
had been 10 deaths at Skaguay and Il At
Dyea. This Is not at all large, considering
the population at the two places. The re-
port that two men from Dawson had per.
ished on the White pass with a large
amount OF gold dust on them is said by
Mr.. Knapp to have no foundation. The
rivalry between the towns of Skaguay and
Dyea is characterized by Mr.. Knapp as
being at white heat" and this is the rea-
son, he thinks, that so many exaggerated
stories Of death and hardship are sent out
Each town is doing all it can to throw
discredit on the other.
CANADIAN CLAIMS
VANCOUVER, B. c., March 3.-Comn,is-
sioner A. B. Perry Of the Northwest
mounted police, who returned from Lake
Bennett this morning, said: II was pres-
ent when the British flag was hoisteds at
Bennett lake. The police are collecting
duties there. Summit lake Is Canadian ter
ritory, and Is not even disputed by the
United States government
USE FOR SOLDIERS
SEATTLE, WASH. March 3.-Captain
Wallace gives the following particulars Of
his first experience with the longshoremen
of Skaguay. When the Queen finished un-
loading at Juneau sixty-five Indians that
had been doing the work were taken to
Skaguay. They do the work for Is cents an
hour and the white men demanded n
cents. At 6kaguay the Indians went ashore
and were met by a crowd Of fifty hungry
men. The white men were well Organised.
They did not know, however, that the
Queen had federal troops aboard.
The stevedores made rush and the In
dams fell back and were crowded Close to
the edge OF the wharf.
At this 1uncture three shots were 0fo6.