Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1898-03-17
IN THE NORTHERN GOLD LAND


Skagway, Alaska, March IL, via Sc
attic. Wash, March 17.-Ben Atwater
arrived here last night from Circle city
and Dawson, N. w. T.. bringing 100
pounds Of mail from the above places.
Atwater's former home was in Morri-
son, Ills. He went to the Yukon coun-
try in 1885. and has resided there ever
since.
Atwater, accompanied by II. C. Pet
tit of Snohomish. Wash, left Circle
City January 10th. and Dawson on
trip up the river and lakes was n hard
one, the weather being bitter cold.
Atwater says there is food enough in
the Klondike country to last the pres
ent population two years. As conse-
quence of the food scare. the output OF
the mines will be curtailed. He esti-
mates 1t at about 100000.
Atwater says that many claims which
were considered to be only wildcat
properties on various creeks, are turn
Ing out well Dominion is paying finely
and will have u big cleanup next
spring. sulphur and bunker are also
good, and so is Indian. Quartz lodges
have, been found on the latter creek
i''h we'll lS Quitt u Stltlt-
ment at the mouth of the Stewart
river, but no reports have as yet been
received from the prospectors who went
up the river early in the winter
on Walsh creek, five miles below the
big salmon. dirt has ben found which
yields 20 cents a pan.
A stampede occurred from Circle City
about January 10th to American creek,
about 300 men leaving for that section
Atwater met 800 or 400 men from Daw-
son making their way to American
creek. American creek is fifty miles
from Forty Mile, and about twenty five
miles below the international boundary
ON the Alaska side.
The reports from Minok creek are
very encouraging.
A courier from Mnok arrived at
Circle City Just before Atwater left that
place, with about fifty pounds of mail.
This Atwater brought out. The courier
had with him n quantity of gold from
Minok creek. and he stated that the
prospectors had struck 1t rich in that
section.
Atwater says there are but few cases
OF scurvy in Dawson. The hospital
contains but thirtyfive inmates. and
these have either met with accidents or
are suffering from chronic diseases.
The general health of the people is
good.
As a result of the agitation here
against the "surething" men, led by
"Soapy" Smith. United States Commits
sioner Smith and Deputy United States
Marshal McInnls closed all the gambl-
Ing houses on Wednesday night. 1t is
said that an arrangement was made
whereby the gambling will be restricted
to so-called legitimate games, and all
suretbing or hunco games will bh pro-
hibited. The surethins men are leaving
tn town In two's and three's.
The weather for the INST 1vealr boe
been mild and springlike. and the warm
south wind and the sun are playing
havoc with the winter trail which fol-
lows the river for a distance of eight
miles. Hundreds OF people are making
their way over the divide. however, un-
deferred by the wind or weather
Snow has entirely disappeared from
the streets. which are muddy beyond
conception.
The strike Of the longshore men for
% cents an hour has been declared off
by n vote Of the local union. The wages
paid now Is 30 cents an hour, the steam
ship companies agrteing not to employ
Indians In hauling freight on the
docks