The times., 1898-01-23
THE kLOND|kE SITUATION
Interesting Reports From Dun
ham and Merriam.
A PEN PICTURE OF DAWSON
1t Is Graphically Drawn BY tee
Labor Expert, who Wrote In Sep
temher, when Fever Was Raging
and Food Very Scarce-An ExEe-
ditiOn Postponed.

Two interesting reports were receiv-
ed yesterday at the War Department
on the subject of the kiondike, one
from s. c. Dunham, the expert of the
labor bureau, and the other from Gen.
Merriam, in command at Vancouver
Barracks.
Mr. Dunham's report is dated Sep
tember "a, at the time navigation 10
the interior of Alaska was closed
Mr.. Durham says substantially:
Dawson lies in an ineonceivably
boggy swamp along the river. extend
ing up and down the stream about
three miles, and back 10 the hills, half
a mile more. 1t is very crude. Such
houses as there are consist of logs, with
mud roofs. There are probably $50 or
200 of these and 200 or 800 tents. The
present population is about 1000, but
constantly changing. On account of
the bad drainage, typh9id fever RACES
and the Sisters Hospital is fun of pa
tents.
Last night, for the first time this
season, the surface Of the ground froze,
and, it is said that with the approach
of cold weather the fever Will disap-
pear, but God help the place next sum-
mer. The reports in regard to the NOR
tality here, however are greatly over
rated
THE two great commercial companies
have fine. large buildings. each having
expended probably slGd;9o0 this summer
in the construction of stores and ware
houses, but their warehouses are Woe
fully empty The Alaska Commercial
Company has thousands of tons of pro-
visions in its warehouses but they are
sold The only article in the way of
food that can be bought to-day is can
ned corn. Flour is quoted at So hun
dred. but none can be had at any price.
Only three steamers have arrived this
summer, although six more are expect
ed daily.
The Excelsior. which left San Fran
cisco July 2S. has not been heard from,
and she is one of the main standbys.
If The steamers arrive the situation
will be somewhat relieved; if they do
not reach here there will be wholesale
starvation, as the visible supply of fooG
will not last till March To aggrayate
the situation most of those coming
down the river are coming in with
Scant supplies.
The steamers referred to never ar
rived. Prices are abnormally high, of
course. Good beefsteak Ghat is, good
for here) is one dollar a pound; moose
meat and mutton seventy-five cents to
one dollar. when they can be had at all. |
The condition. will be relieved some
what by the arrival soon from up river
of 200 head of cattle and 1000 head or
sheep which are being brought down
on RATS after having been driven in
over the Dalton and Dyea trail. Sew
eral restaurants have a sign something
like this on the door: Closed till next
boat arrives No grub
Gen. Merriam says:
Referring TO report of Major Rucker |
dated .Dyea, January A. l have deemed |
it best to postpone shipment of relief |
expedition, for which transportation |
had been secured on S. S. Oregon to sail |
from. Portland on the 23d instant, and |
to secure like space on the Elder, eX- |
pected to sail about February L. This |
will land the expedition at head of |
Lynn canal at least a week before the
date now fixed by the agent of the
Snow and Ice Transportation Company
for receiving freight there for ship
ment to Dawson Unless later reports
from Major Rucker shall change the
situation, it is my intention to divide
the expedition so as to send a portion
of the supplies forward by the con-
trains, and the balance by our
tandem sleds to first depot at Bennett,
and a second depot at foot of Lake Le-
barge, prepared to build boats at tha.
point should the river below that point
be found still open. with no practicable
portage, as is now reported by officers
of northwest police.
by this process the river expedition
should at least float down to Dawson
With the ice expected to move by or be-
ore May l. and should the situation at
he mines be then desperate, men and
logs with sledges cbuldn take forward
ome supplies on the ice. which is re-
,orted to be in good condition below
he mouth of the HootaIinqua. The re-
naming distance to Dawson is about
90 miles. 1 have not yet been able to
etermine whether reindeer moss is
on either OF these routes or
ny route in Alaska,. Probably more
on this subject can be
ound in some departments in Wash
ngton than can be gathered here, as
cry few people in Alaska are familiar
rith it's trails or are akle to answer
his question.
Opinions are not qtlife unanimous
n the food conditions at Dawson. The
blowing from private letter written
Y Rev. S. H. Young. Presbyterian
Missionary. dated at Dawson. Decem
er l. has been furnished me by ]. 7.
loss, of Portland. and differs from
ne opinions generally expressed by
ersons recently arriving on the coast,
9th as to food supply and good order
The strife for something to eat is
lready distressing. Thieving is fire.
uent, and no mans cache is safe when
2 is away from it. The suffering for
ant of food is likely to be very great
afore spring. When we got here short
supplies we found flour selling at
ON $1.25 to S1.50 a pound and other
iings in proportion. and not to be had
all at the stores. Only sugar could
2 bought, and that soon Ian out.
"A report from Capt. Ray, If one
'uld be received at this time, would
-obably solve all questions on this
pint He is likely under his direc
ons to report direct to the War De-