The San Francisco call., 1898-08-27
KLOND|KERS ARE
 BLOCKING HOME Two Hundred Arrive at
 Seattle. ONLY FEW BRING GOLD DUST
ONLY FEW BRING GOLD DUST
BARK GUARDIAN WRECKED,
 BUT NO LIVES LOST.
Many New Postofices and Mail Routes Established in Alaska. Big Exodus From Dawson,
 Where Food Is Scarce.
Special Dispatch to The Call.

SEATTLE, Wash, Aug. 26.-News reached here this afternoon or the wrecking of the bark Guardian on the rocks off Tigaldo Island, Alaska. No lives were lost Captain Eagles and the crew took to the lifeboats and pulled through the fog twenty-three miles to Unalaska. The Guardian will undoubt- edly be a total loss. as she was fast go- ing to pieces when last sighted. The Guardian was returning from Kotzebue Sound. where she had landed large number of passengers.
 The steamer Conemaugh sailed for St. Michael to-day with large cargo of freight. She also carried four river steel steamers knocked down. Included in her freight were sixty tons of sup plies for the United States soldiers at St Michael and the light battery sent north from San Francisco a few days ago on the steamer Humboldt.
 The steamer Laurada arrived this af- ternoon from St Michael and Dutch Harbor, Alaska, with 200 passengers. 150 of whom are from Dawson. Only a few had gold dust, the total amount of which is estimated between $50,000 and S10O, ,000 The majority of the passengers were men who went to Alaska last win ter and this spring and were unsuccess- ful.
 SKAGUAY, Alaska, Aug. IS. via Vic- toria, B. C., Aug. 26-John P. Cum of Washington, D. C., who was last March designated by Postmaster General Gary as special postal commissioner for Alaska, has arrived in Skaguay from St. Michael, via Juneau, in the gunboat Wheeling, after journey of over 10000 miles through Alaska. He has estab- lished great many new offices and for the interior Alaskan towns between Juneau and Panama he has arranged for a twice month mail, and for the towns between St. Michael and Tanana a monthly mail. This service is to be maintained throughout the entire year, winter and summer. MT. Cum says that the Government will send out in spectors to Alaska frequently to see that the contractors for carrying the mails live up to their contracts.
 Major J. M. Walsh, the Yukon Com missioner, who has been succeeded by MT. Ogilvie, the former Dominion Sur veyor, is in the city awaiting the ar rival of his successor, who is expected in a few days. Major Walsh said to- day that the collection of the royalty was a matter optional with him and in all matters he was granted great lati- tude: that he was empowered to amend the existing mining laws and in some instances he did change and modify them to suit the exigencies of the oc- casion. Concerning the collection of the royalty the major vehemently re- marked: T never enforced the collec- tion of the royalty from any man who was not able to pay the royalty many times over. The law was only enforced against the men who were able to pay 1.-the rich mine owners"
 VICTORIA, B. C., Aug. 26.-The steamer City of Topeka arrived this afternoon from Alaskan points. bring ing among her passengers Postal In spector Cum, who is returning from a tour of Alaska Territory. A brother of Major Walsh was also a passenger The major was still at Skaguay await ing the arrival of Commissioner Ogil- vie. The passengers confirm the statement of the richness of the Pine Creek diggings. There is a shortage Of supplies inevitable at Dawson this winter. But few cargoes have been received via St. Michael, and the boats from Lake Bennett can make only about three more trips.
 Commissioner Livernash addressed a meeting after his return from Ottawa, indicating that he had received no en- couragement to expect a removal of royalties on the output now levied by the Dominion Government. Many peo- pie are getting away from Dawson, wages are decreasing and the pros- poets for a hard winter, unless relief of some kind is provided, are decidedly serious.
 The charges made against Commits sioner Fawcett are said to be incom- potency and the postal officials are olaarpd of any hOOdlinP.