The silver lance., 1898-02-11
THE KLONDIKE CRAZE
CROWDED AT skAouAY.
Omar Maris Tells of the situation when
the Rush Begins.

Omar Maris Tells Of the situation when
1 the Rush Begins.
Seattle, Wash, Feb. 5.-Considerable
anxiety Is prevalent among the resi-
dents, and especially the business men
of Taiya and Skaguay, over the pros
pect of lawlessness when the crowd of
K'ondikers has assumed greater pro-
portions. 1t is predicted that the net
increase in population at those two
places will be at the rate of 500 day
during the spring months, and this
estimate does not include those who
will get over the passes and away. 1t
is notorious that the civil authorities
have never been considered factor in
maintaining order hardly anywhere in
Alaska. All legal processes are cum
bersome and non-effective.
| On the arrival of the Al-ki at Skag-
uay on her last trip free fight broke
out between striking 'longshoremen
and Indians that the Pacific Coast
Company had brought from Juneau
and Haines Mission to handle the car
go. No officer was present who had the
disposition, even II he had the author
| ity, to interfere, and so the fight went
on until the Siwashes were driven
from the field.
| The number of robberies and other
acts of lawlessness are increasing ev-
cry day. A common source of dissen-
sion that is likely to lead to hanging
or two any day is 'lot jumping" l
believe a legal title to piece of real
estate in either place consists OF q
fence "horse high" and a shotgun. You
are not safe in the peaceable posses
sion of lot unless you stay with 1t.
1t is said there is much delay in get
v.i. in, hn riI n
cases, If one appeals to the United
States commissioner. Fees in advance
and indemnity bonds are the usual
impediment
Skaguay and Taiya promise to hold
until a reaction sets in, the title of the
"wickedest places on earth" A large
number of the people who are going
there just now are those who expect to
make money off the Klondikers by
serving them in legitimate ways, but
there is number almost as great who
expect to get the gold seekers money
In any way they can. Already they lie
in wait at every turn of the returning
Dawson men with their gold sack. and
they expect a much larger harvest
from the incoming crowd.
But these latter items are hardly per-
tinent to the question l have in mind.
Unless a man is fairly well able to
take care of himself under the cOndi-
tions, the sooner he is stopped the bet
ter. The reason of the demand for
quick authority is to avoid the riotous
confusion that is almost sure to occur.
As I came down the Taiya canon 1t
seemed to me there were already about
as many people as could comfortably
carry on traffic under the present sys-
TEN. The canon trail was often just
wide enough for single horse and
sleigh. Often we had to wait in re-
cesses of the trail for a string of
freight to pass by and just now the
traffic on the road is in reasonably
compact shape. 1t will be interesting
to see the confusion with a crowd ten
times as large, when they begin TAX
ing snow locomotives and steamboats,
over the pass.
Here is one improvement that will
facilitate matters somewhat on this
particular part of road. 1t is proposed
to use the canon only for upward
bound traffic, and have the returning
trail high up the mountain side. At
best all facilities will be insufficient
and cOngested.