The Monticellonian., 1898-04-22

Kills sheep-Polluted Water Doing It's
 Work
 PARIS, Mo, April 16.-Five of the
 25 members of the Missouri Alaska
 Gold Co.,, Of Paris, were sent out
 on March to make the overland trip
 to Dawson City, and to prospect until
 the rest of the company arrived on their
 own boat in June It was known that they were on the ChiIkoot trail about 1 April B when the great suewsIide caused so many deaths, and grave fears
 were felt for their safety by their fam llles here. The following letter re- eelved by II. J. Blanton from D. NJ.
 Fields brought news that the party es- capped the snowstide, and gives a good account of the catastrophe and the condition of things at Sheep Camp:
 SHEEP CAMP. April S.-I wrote you from here several days ago but so much has happened since must VT Q ayain. yet much of 1t will be sal news odck in the states. An awful snow storm has been raging for i've days and nights and now has fallen to the depth Of five feet. l Snowslldes began and have continued all day. New reachel camp that many had been caught ln a saowsllGe. From Sheep Camp to ths sum- mt taere are hundreds Of tents. Nearly i the ID T got their goods to the summit, and were Waiting for clear day 10 pass over. Tonight many uT them are sleeping beneath thousands of tons If snow and ice All day 2OU0 or 8ol men have been hard It work with shoyels taking out the bodies Of dead comrades. IL is estimated that there are 290 CT 3D9 men and women beneath this mighty weight of snow and lee So far about twenty have bseH taSen out. \ few were alive when taken out, bat most of them have died since At ?. m J1 men and women were com Ing down from tho summit when q slide oc- cured one woman aud ten men were taken out alive, and nearly all Of them afterNard died.
 There are 70 more beneath the snow, On the first bench below the scales there were 55 or so tents, wth two to i've in each tent It iS thought lIi these have pershed. Jim Jones and Iwent near the summit to-day. There we saw some of the dead. Some Of the boys were dressed in thsir night clothing. showing that they were asleep when fate overlook them The storm was so severe on the summit it was impossible to work long at a time The search will con- ttnue tomorrow, if the weather will permit The thought that som poor fellow k still alive and looking for help hurts Us yet what can dos No one could live out on the mountain in this dark, stormy night. The dead arc in a long row near our tent.
 MEN DYING LIKE SHEEP.
 Men are dying like sheep at Sheep Camp. It Is useless to withhold the facts any longer. The hospital Is full of dying and dead men. caused from overwork ana drinking too much water and whisky when too warm.
 The only diseases [ have heard of are pneu- monta and spinal meningitis. which are fatal in all instances. You see a man in goo health to-day, and tomorrow he is dead one can live here and keep his health just as well as in Mis- souri, If he will be careful and use little judg- ment Il drink too much watar when warm, and let the saloons alone. But men will pull 30J or 100 pounds all day, come into camp at night. lie down and die
 Our goods are all at the scales and on the sum- nit, under 20 feet of snow When we will get our goods and strike the trail again is mora than we can tell All reports are encour- aging from those who are coming ous They say gold is plentiful and all are going back soon. l met u maa on his way from Dawson City t1 the states yesterday and saw sl 0,0)O worth Of gold nuggets he had taken out l tell you 1t made my eyes stick out. We were eight days pulling our 4,0JO pounds of provisions, clothing and bedding on our sleds from Dyea to Canyon City. Canyon City, like the city in which we are amped. Is city Of tents It is here to-day md to m 1rrow it gives way to others. The population to-day of Sheep Camp is l000l to l3,a01 people. The city Is about two miles long. It pre- seuts beautiful seeneat night. We are canpal on an elevation above the city, and a. l0ok back over the city in the twilight Of evening, can see l. l0D to D. O00 tents, ca sh wlth little tallow candle burn ing brightly within.
 From Canyon City to Sheep Camp is four miles. way in which no MissoHriaa would en- ter unless he saw l0o0O Dutchmen just ahead Of him
 HOW FREIGHT IS CARRIED
 'It is said by those who profess to know, and presume 1t is true. that there are 300 dead horses baneath the snow and ice of this canyon, yet the people continue to drink the water of tht> poisonous stream when they should go to the base of the m 5antaln and drink sparkling water as pure as It was wlen it eams forth from the hand Of God While pas ling thro ugh this canyon even in midday one is made fearful because of the rumDHng sound of run ming water beneath his feet Sheep Camp is four miles from the scales, and such q road.