The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1898-02-09

were swamped with the demand for their
Alaska goods and were unable 10 handle
the trade. why. we were self that ur-
less we purchased our clothing IN the East
we would be unable TO obtain what We
required at any price In Seattle IL DID
not take but a little investigation on my
part TO ascertain thar these stories were
absolutely and unqualihediy false So
be mistake 10 purchase anything re-
CURED by the members OF our party in
the East tina. wired the president OF our
company. and 10 Mr.. Walsh. the secre-
tary. not 70 buy pound OF provisions or
a stitch of clothing until they came to Sc
attic.
you can understand that In an enter
prise Of this magnitude the purpose would
be 20 select an Quitting place where the
necessary supplies could be obtained az
the best advantage. Transportation facil-
itles. the quality and character OF the
goods and the prices asked were ali fac
tors In making the decision. In all of
these requisites have found that the Sc
attic merchants lead those OF any OF ths
cities have named. ! say this. not de-
string TO injure any other city, but simply
as the plain statement OF the truth"
VIII Sail ON the Cleveland.
The weight and experience OF Mr.. Mi
lam's Endorsement OF Seattle will be APP
preciated when II IL known that his bus-
ness for years has been entirely In the
mercantile line and that he owns two
large stores In Dakota and Iowa. Mr..
Milam's quest was not enc OF sentiment,
for In the very nature OF things II was
his task to find that place where outfits
Of clothing and provisions could be had OF
price. His testimony on this score. which
Is entirely voluntary and unbiased. IL en-
phatic and convincing
Tho members OF the Walsh party rep
resent divers lines OF employment and
commercial pursuits. There are black
smiths. carpenters. millwrights, msr-
chants. lawyers and physicians COM
pany has been organized. styled the Iowa
and Alaska Mining Company. Mr. w. r.
Benjamin. OF Marshalltown, Ia, Is presi-
dent. and air. Walsh. Is secretary Of the
company. Some Of the gold hunters be-
longing to the party come from ottumwa,
Cherokee Sheldon and Mason City. Iowa;
and others are from Chippewa Falls Wis.
and Miller and Fgandrean. South Dakota
The entire party will sail from Seattle
Oh the steamer Cleveland February 20.
They viii 80 to Dyca and thence over the
pass 10 the lakes where. with complete
portable saw mill plant which they pur-
chased I'm Tacoma, they win build a steam
barge and number OF small boats for
transporting the men and supplies down
the Yukon.
I'VE Will make the upper Stewart river
our objective point" said Mr.. Milan yes
terday. 1t is our intention to prospect
tae bars aud streams Of that country thor
otgbly. ! believe fhat we will find tho
gold and. once IT is found. II Will be a
hard matter 20 stop US from getting some
OF IL. We are going thoroughly equipped
with the best clothing and provisions.
enough To last us at least eighteen months
We do not propose TO be driven cut of the
country by shortage az provisions"
z Sir. waish's desertion OF the political,
arena FOR the Klondike is but temporary.
he says. Il expect to accompany the party.
but will return 10 attend 20 my duties when
the preliminary work for the next cam
raign il 20 be taken up he said.
An effort was made 10 elicit an inter
view on palitical topics from Mr.. Walsh.
but he declined to discuss matters OF that
nature. saying that his visit, in Seattle was
simply one OF business and that he had
avoided thinking Of political affairs and
OF talking about them.