La Junta tribune., 1898-02-12
THE KLONDIKE CRAZE
CROWDED AT sxAouAy.
Onay Nsrss Tells of the sltsAtSoa Whsn
the Rush lsegins.

oa.. M.rss Tell. of the sltsAssoa whsu
, the Rush lsegins.
| Seattle, Wash, Feb. 5.--Considernble
anxiety is prevalent among the rexi
dents. and especially the business men
OF Taiya and Skaguay, over the pros.
| pect OF lawlessness when the crowd Of
k'ondikers has assumed greater pro
portions. II Is predicted that the net
Increase in population Mt those two
places viii be nj the rate OF 800 . dny
during the spring months. ana tbs
estimate does not include those who
will get over the passes and away. II
is notorious that the civil authorities
have never been considered factor In
maintaining order hardly anywhere In
Alaska. All legal processes are cum
bersome and non-effectiye.
On the arrival OF the Al-kl at Skag-
uay on her last trip free fight broke
out between striking 1ongshoremen
and Indians that the Pncihc Coast
Company had brought from juneau
and Haines Mission to handle the car
go. No officer was present who had the
disposition. even IL he had the author
ity. TO interfere. and so the fight went
ON until the SIwashcs were driven
from the field.
The number Of fobberies and other
acts OF lawlessness are increasing ev-
cry day. A common source OF dissen-
sion that is likely TO lead to n hanging
or two any day Is '.lot jumping
believe legal title TO piece OF real
estate in either place consists Of .
fence "horse high" and n shotgun. You
are not safe In the peaceable posses
sion of lot unless you stay with II.
II is said there il much delay In get
ting ones rights, even i'll the simplest
cases, II one appeals TO the United
States commissioner. Fees in advance
and Indemnity bonds are the usual
impedimept.
Skaguay and Taiya promise to hold,
until reaction sets In. the title OF the
"wickedcst places on earth a large
number OF the people who are going
there just now are those who expect TO
make money on the k!ondikers by
serving them in Legitimate ways, but
there Is number almost as great who
expect TO get the gold seekers money
In any way they can Already they lie
In walt nj every turn Of the returning
Dawson men with their gold sack. and
they expect n much larger harvest
from the Incoming crowd
But these latter items are hardly per-
tinent to the question ! have In mind.
Unless man Is fairly well able to
take care OF himself under the condi-
fions. the sooner he is stopped the bet
ter. The reason OF the demand for
quick authority is to avoid the riotous
confusion that Is almost sure TO occur
As came down the 1aiya cnnon IL
seemed to me there We're already about
us many people as could comfortably
carry on traffic under the present sys-
TEN. The canon trail was often just
wide enough for n single horse and
sleigh. Often we had TO whit In re-
cesses of the trail for string OF
freight to pass by and Just now the
traffic on the rond Is In reasonably
compact shape II will be interesting
to see the confusion with crowd ten
times MS large. when they begin tax
Ing snow locomotives and steamboats,
over the pass.
Here Is one Improvement that will
facilitate matters somewhat on this
particular part of road. 1t is proposed
to use the canon only for upward
bound traffic. and have the returning
trail high up the mountain side. At
hest NIL facilities will be insufficient
and congested.