The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1898-07-17
BY SAM w. WALL.

DAWSON, n. w. T., June %, by
steamer Cottage City to Seattle. July
16.-The great fleet of small boats from
Linderman, Bennett and along the up
per river has for the most part arrived,
although the slower craft are still COM
ing hour by hour. The Bella of the
Alaska Commercial Company, with her
barge, got up from the lower river last
week, as did tie Seattle No. 1, with her
crowd of passengers looking much the
worse for their long winter below the
Tanana- The Hamilton, the Weare and
the Bella have returned down the river,
departing in the order named within a
day or so Of each other. The Bella was
the last to go, swinging out into the
stream last Sunday afternoon in the
presence Of a great crowd of people.
Each of these steamers carried away
a share of the winter accumulation Of
gold dust, the Weare taking much the
larger part of that of the National
Alaska Trading and Transportation
Company and the Bella that IF the
Alaska Commercial Company.
The officers of neither company will
give out or authorize the living out of
information as to the amount of the
shipments, but conservative estimates
place the whole at about 100000. The
treasure was put aboard the vessels
during the night preceding their sailing
or rather during those hours of So
called night, when tn re were fewest
people upon the street; 70" there is no
night at this season and no hour when
the streets are not we'll filled, so that
the transfers of the gold sacks from the
safes and chests of the big store to
those in the purSurs' rooms were not
without their observers. The treasure
was placed on the Weare about 2
o'clock in the morning of Saturd Ly, the
25th, and the vessels sailed that after
noon. The gold was placed aboard the
Bella on Saturday night and she sailed
on Sunday afternoon, the 18th.
1t was a curious little scene, that OF
carrying the treasure aboard ship. 1t
was laid on a sort of stretcher with a
on each side, holding to the stout poles,
staggered under the weight for six trips
back and forth. United States Marshal
Canton, who came up from Circle City
for the purpose, walked with them.
clearing the way and keeping an eye
on the crowd. The gold bearers,
STOPPING and staggering, said never a
word. The Marshal issued hir orders
with a sharp gesture of the hind They
passed through the wide avenue of by
SldnueTS, QOWn the Ddnk, up the gang
plank and disappeared
This was repeated six times in the
case Of the Weare, the crowd all the
while making it's comments in that sub
dued tone that obtains at funerals. Had
It been the body of a Prince they car
Tied no greater respect could have been
shown to ii.
When the vessels departed, however,
the sun high and radiant flags flying
the decks crowded with outgoing pas
sengers, the banks of the river crowded
by people, the scene was very different.
The cheers Of the people on shore were
answered by those on the decks over
and over again. The people aboard the
boats were of great variety, but all
were glad of that moment of movement
and activity Some of them were sue
cessful miners going out with their
hOmestake; others were simply carry
ing their plans with them, with hopes
of realization on the outside; others
were going out to their old life, the life
they had left, carrying with them the
memory of a wasted winter and the
marks of trial and privation. They were
glad because it was at an end. Still
others were not bound out at all, but
We're merely seeking new fields on the
American side.
the passenger on the Hamilton and
Weare. The following is full list of
the passengers on both boats:
W. r. johnson, Matt McElroy Alex
Little. James Reid George H Keep. VIII
liam H Breeding Thomas Dreer Charles
Allen, John George, NJ. Woodburn, J.
Neen, ]. ". Webster, Charles Welch, G.
Lister, Thomas Shea, c. f. Curtis. Victor
Dodd, James w. Thompson, George