The San Francisco call., 1898-03-19

position to my going on. At the same time he called in the firing party. At the cache I found between Seventy-flve and one hundred men, some of them very much excited l learned from them that Noblett and his people had been stopping destitutes coming down the trail and representing that the com panies would not sell on credit and that they would not issue to destitutes. 1 at once made an order to issue ten days rations and notified all that the companies were offering work at fair wages, and all must go to work who had no money. To miners who were without money, food or credit l would authorize the issue Of i've months pro- visions. I placed flags over the build ings and warned all against molesting.
 "When I arrived at the cache found Lieutenant Richardson patrolling with a Winchester in front of the building. keeping the entire mob at bay. It was a sight to see. l learned from him that Noblett had visited him the evening previous, and said the men wished to see him. Richardson replied that he had no new terms to offer, and would not go. Noblett then said that the men wished to take charge of him for his projections; that they intended to seize the cache, and no force could stop them, but they did not wish to in- jure him if it could be avoided. Rich ardson acknowledged their considera- tior, but said that if they wanted him they must come and get him. Richard son made some provision to meet an attack. He sent a man in the early morning with message to warn me of their intention to capture me and hold me as hostage, on information which he had learned from man named Sheridan, who overheard it discussed. The messenger Was fired upon twice by sentries and captured. T also found they had been holding as prisoners in their camp half dozen men whom they had arrested going toward Fort Yukon to prevent any message being sent me. One of these was a kodak fiend, who took a couple of snap shots Of the crowd, the negatives of which have sent to Washington.
 T appointed a committee to hear the applicants for outfits, but soon discovered they were issuing to all corners, and so dismissed it and heard the applicants myself. I have fur nished relief for about 370 people and drawn drafts on the Government for about $50, GOO. Upward of 150 men are cutting wood along the river and there are about twenty indigent sick In the hospital. The others have gone pros pecting or have found employment in the Birch Creek mines about Circle City. Over two hundred purchased supplies to last until July. I found that thirty or forty of the band that organized to rob afterWard developed ample means to pay for their outfits, and we required them to do SO I have reliable information that the scheme of the hold up was developed on the steamer Bella. They secured arms by buying or borrowing along the river It was not case of Restitution or of starving people, but of robbery, they knowing the great demand there would be for food They also desired to get possession of the large quantity of li- quor that was landed there. Since then there has been little or no friction. I believe it will all result in great good. About 15, 900 cords of wood will be cut, and men are scattered over the coun- try prospecting and are liable to dis cover rich new mines.
 Had I sat here supinely and al- lowed the men to take the upper cache order would be gone, and the result would be that a great number of idle men would be congregated here and I would have found myself fighting for my own cache. I was informed that both Captain Hansen and Captain Healy at Dawson were urging men to COIne neTe, 1Ict DOdCS, ana representing that there were between 1900 and 20O0 tons of provisions stored here. The fact is there were less than 300 tons in both caches, exclusive of whisky, two hundred tons of this be- ing in the A. c. C.'S cache. I tried to communicate with the local heads of both companies to have them coop crate with me and to send only the destitute here.
 oI,a an organized effort would be made there by a band of lawless people to capture the boats coming up with pro- visions and going down with gold dust. A meeting was held there to discuss the capture of the Bella, com ing up, but I understand that General Carr and ex-Governor McGraw talked them out of it. I am told that Captain Healy threatens to cut Circle City off his list of trading posts because of the way they treated his boats this fall. He ordered his boats not to stop there, but as it is a port of entry they have to do so.
 There are now about 1900 people on the river between the NoZekakut and the boundary line. There will be 2OOO before June, when the river opens, all ject to landing, as they will be eager to get through to Dawson. If these people are stranded here they will par alyze the upper country. I have no power to protect the people; what I should have is power to disarm every person. These companies should be made to treat the people fairly and the people must be made to leave the property of the companies alone. Capital. properly invested should be protected" .
 
 Brazil Will Not Sell.
 Copyrighted 1898. by James Gordon Bennett
 RIO IANEIRO March 1S-Tne Italian