The times., 1898-06-05

nearly enough seats for the audience. but
for three hours all stood patiently and
listened eagerly to each item of news as
it was read applauding anything in the
way of war news or other matters that
caught their fancy. There was a some
thing very pathetic about it all TO one
who could look into the hundreds of ca
ger faces. For six long months these men
had been utterly shut off from home and
family ties. had not the means of learn
ing what was happening In that world
which now seems so far away. How diff
ferent many of them looked compared
with the time l first met them on the
tralli But all were overjoyed at having
a chance to pick up even few scraps of
news, and all voted the entertainment the
greatest thing of the season. The hospit-
al, which has done such excellent serv-
Ice and which will undoubtedly be called
upon to do a great deal more soon. was
benefited to the extent of $1,000. Follow
ing was the committee in charge: T. c.
Wade, prosecuting attorney. chairman
Capt n, A. Bliss A B. Ferguson, Frank
Berry. E. LIE Roy Pelletier, ]. D. McGil-
livray, S. Pond, lie Roy Tozier. Capt.
Harper and Ben j. Davis.
'-The first newspaper ever published In
Dawson was issued on the day of the ar
rival of the Montana Kid from the out
side. He was the first of all who went
out last Fall-every one of whom said
that they would return at once-to ar
rive, and when his dog team was sighted
some two miles up the Yukon and on the
opposite side of Dawson. crowds began TO
gather, and before he had reached the
bank of the river in front of the town he
was surrounded by hundreds of eager
persons who piled him with questions on
all manner of subjects until he was al
most frantic
The writer. seeing how eager the peo-
pie were to hear the news and how dis
inclined the Kid was to retail it, espe-
cially as he was very tired after his long
journey, asked him TO give a synopsis
of the more important happenings on
the outside. He consented and | was
closeted with him for some twenty min
utes while the mob howled outside the
cabin. When / came out the crowd fol-
lowed me- shouting questions at me until
| was safely landed in the office of the
Klondike Investment Company. There 1
wrote the story in as few words as pos
sible, making six copies, each one of
which took to the largest saloons. where
at intervals of about one-half hour they
We're read aloud to the gathered crowd.
The bartender or some other person
would climb upon the bar counter when
ever new crowd arrived and read aloud
the bulletin. In a few minutes another
crowd had assembled, and the bulletin
was called for afresh.
1.-The Kid is not the most reliable per-
son in the world. In the first newspaper
published in Dawson are accounts of in
cidents which never happened.
Nothing of Importance has occurred
here since my last letter. The weather
continues fine, and it is not unlikely that
the ice.in the Yukon will break up by the
1st of May. The days are getting long,
and the sun is getting in its work with
vengeance. The streets of Dawson are
running streams of water. Owing to the
great scarcity of lumber and nails. little
building is being done, though much is
contemplated. a corner lot on the main
street was sold today for $24, 900 cash. A
saloon on the opposite corner was also
sold, the consideration being $4,000 Nails
bring So per pound. Food Stuffs still seem
plentiful and it is unlikely that any suf
fering will ensue. A man who arrived
from the outside yesterday brought tur-
key which weighed eighteen pounds. 1t
was the first turkey ever brought into
the Yukon country. He raffied 1t at Nc
Phees saloon and realized STA from it.
And yet so difficult Is it to bring stuff in
over the ice that he told me he would not
bring another at the same price.
''The miners on the different creeks are
preparing to sluice their dumps. Many
will be delayed on account of being un-
able to get their lumber and nails. Trav-
cling on the creeks is very difficult and
dangerous just now as there is quite
volume of water running and the ice is in
a rotten condition. Drifting will be con-
tinued for some time yet"