The San Francisco call., 1898-01-03

SEATTLE, Jan. 2.-The steamer Co., roma came into port tonight from Dyea with about forty returning Klon- dikers. These miners bear additional testimony to the shortage of provisions in and about Dawson, which district they left to avoid the pangs%Df hunger, which must inevitably come to large proportion of those who remain through the winter. Few of these miners are o1d-timers, who have been in the Yukon country for from two to four years. Most of them, however, went in during the past spring and summer, and, rather than run the chances of not getting enough to eat, sold their provisions at a big price, with the intention of purchasing and again taking in large quantities of provisions.
 There are various estimates as to the amount of money that these re- turning men bring from the Klondike. It is safe to say, however, that $75, 1000 will cover the full value of gold dust and drafts brought out.
 Happy Jack" Felix, who originally came from New Bedford, Mass, but who spent number of years in Seattle and on the coast, was one of the Co.,
 
 Yukon country nearly four years ago, and for the past year has been mining in the Klondike district. To The Call correspondent he expressed himself to- night in positive terms on the neces- sity for more provisions reaching the Yukon miners, if starvation is to be avoided. He said:
 Next spring will witness the great est scarcity of provisions ever known in any mining camp in the worlds ex- perience. During the winter many men will barely exist on such common nec- essities as flour, beans and bacon. Why, miners are already living on one meal a day. It is not sufficient to | give them strength to work, and as a consequence the output of gold will be largely decreased. However, I think many millions of gold will be brought out next spring.
 When you ask me whether there will be starvation, I can say that men in that country don't believe in starving, especially as they have the money to pay for food. There may not be many deaths from starvation, but if not life will be lost in the effort of many to get food from their more fortunate brothers. Hope still prevails that some of the dog trains that went down the | river to Circle City and Fort Yukon will return with provisions, but so many men have gone to those places that I am perfectly satisfied there will be no supplies to transport to Daw- son.
 You tell me that many returning Klondikers report that there is ample food. I don't know why they should say this, for it certainly is untrue. Why, the day before I left Dawson, which was on November 23, was in Alex McDonald's cabin and he bought less than 200 pounds of flour, for which he weighed out s4O0 in gold dust.
 'The seller was leaving the country because he did not have enough food to last him until next summer. Would such high prices prevail and would so | many hundreds of men come out unless the shortage was being felt? I think not, for there is plenty of gold there, and that is what miners went in for. I own three quartz claims on Adams Creek and several placer claims. On January 15 1897, I bought a half inter- est for $S500 of claim below Dis l have the whole claim bonded to Berry Bros & Knowl of Oakland, Cal, for s150,0 ,000, payable in cash on June 1, but that is almost giving it away.
 "We have twenty-two men working the claim at Sl 50 an hour, and the amount in sight almost equals what we offered to sell the claim for. There is not a tributary of Bonanza or Ell Dorado, but is a paying proposition Bunker Creek is showing up fabulous wealth. There is a pay streak 165 feet wide on the flats that at six feet shows from s to $7 to the pan. Other rich creeks are Too Much Gold, All Gold, Dominion and Sulphur. A great lot of men are on the trails trying to get in, but during the cold weather their packs are proving such a burden that but few will succeed in accomplishing their purpose. I won't start back be- fore March 25, and that will be plenty early enough"
 John Williams of Skagit City, Wash. was one of the last to leave Dawson Before MT. Williams left four build ings had been destroyed by fire. The first blaze broke out about o'clock in the morning of November 25, and de- stroyed the opera-house, dance halls and meat market. Other than a small quantity of meat no provisions to speak of were lost. But very little inn portance was attached to the fire. At Klondike prices the loss might have been s9O,O0O or s40.O00, but the owners of the buildings are well able to stand it.
 Williams said to The Call cor respondent that the men who arrived to-day expected to return as soon as possible with big packs of provisions Not only was food scarce, but it was almost impossible to get candles with which to work.
 ''The different streams are rich with gold, and there will be some biz ra