The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-01-23
RELIEF WILL BE NEEDED
DENIAL OF PREVIOUS REPORTS con-
CORNING THE KLONDIKE.
Food Is Scarce and Gold Seekers May
starve Before spring if succor
Does Not Reach Them.


WASHINGTON, Jan. .22.-The reports
that have been coming to the War Depart
ment recently indicate that there is no
scarcity of food in the Klondike country
have taken another turn. and the last re-
port goes to show there is already great
scarcity there. with prospects of worse to
come. Assistant Secretary Mlkeljohn has
received a report from General Merriam.
at Vancouver barracks. which makes the
fact appear, and, while incidentally ex-
planning the erroneous report from Port
land. Ore, to the effect that the govern
ment relief expedition had been abandoned.
General Merriam says, after referring to
the report of Major Rucker, dated Dyea,
Jan. 4: Il have deemed it best to post
pone the shipment of relief expedition
for which transportation has been secured
on the steamship Oregon, to sail from Port
land on the 23d inst, and to secure like
space on the Elder, expected to sail about
Feb. l. This will land the expedition at
the head of Lynn canal at least week
before the date now fixed by the agent of
the Snow and Ice Transportation Company
for receiving freights there for shipment to
Dawson. Unless later reports from Major
Rucker shall change the situation, it is
my intention to divide the expedition so as
W SSlQ q pO1llOIl VI lIlG SQpptlCo AOl NelAN
by the contractors trains and the rest by
our tandem sleds to the first depot at Ben
nett and a second depot at the foot of
Lake Labarge, prepared to build boats at
that point should the river below be found
still open, with no practicable portage, as
is now reported by officers of the North
west police.
'By this process the river expedition
Sh0uld ar least foaf down m Dawson with
the ice, expected to move by or before May
1, and should the situation at the mines
be then desperate. men and dogs with
sledges could take forward some supplies
on the ice, which is reported to be in good
condition below the mouth of the Hoota-
linqua. The remaining distance to Dawson
is about four hundred miles ] have not
yet been able to determine whether rein
deer are most available on either of these
routes, or any route in Alaska
1.-The following from private letter writ
ten by the Rev. S. S. Young, Presbyterian
missionary. dated at Dawson Dec. /, has
been furnished me and differs from the
opinions generally expressed by persons re-
Gently arriving on the coast, both as to food
supply and good order: The strife for some
thing to eat is already distressing. Thev-
ing is frequent and no mans cache is safe
when he is away from it. The suffering
for want of food is likely to be very great
before spring."
The exact condition of affairs at Dawson
at the close of navigation is revealed in the
following extract from a report under date
of Dawson, Sept. "a, to the commissioner
of labor, by S. c. Durham, the expert of
the Labor Department, sent there for the
purpose of making an investigation: The
present population of Dawson is about 1000,
constantly changing. On account of bad
drainage, typhoid fever RACES and the Sis
ters' Hospital is full of patients. The re-
ports in regard to the mortality here. how
ever, is greatly Overstated. The Alaska
Commercial Company has thousands of tons
of provisions in its warehouse, but they re
sold. The only article in the way of food
that can be bought to-day is canned corn.
Flour is quoted at $12 a hundred but none
can be had at any price. If steamers ar
rive the situation will be somewhat relieved;
wholesale starvation, as the visible supply
of food will not last till March. To aggra-
vate the situation. most of those coming
down the river are coming in with scanty
supplies. CThe steamers referred to never
arrived) The condition will be relieved
somewhat by the arrival soon from up river
of 200 head of cattle and 900 head of sheep,
which are being brought down on RATS aft
er having been driven in over the Dalton
and Dyea trails