The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1898-03-02
Kondike Relief Expedition En-
tirely Abandoned.
TOO LATE TO AID THE MINERS
Secretary AIger Decides TO stop Fur
ther ERort To Reach Dawson With
F0od-Reindeer aad supplies 10
De Disposed of ut onee-Ihe At
Copper River May Vet BE Given Up.

The entire abandonment Of the govern
msnt expedition Of relief 20 the kIondiEe
has been decided upon by the war de-
partmsnt. as was f9recasted yesterday In
q special dispatch 20 the Posi-lnteii-
gencer from Washington, and congress
has been asked 10 take steps looking 10
the disposal OF the supplies purchased
In view OF the fact that spring is almost
at hand and the time for relief - ali but
na=t, the recommends ton OF Secretary
Alger that this expedition be stopped Is
not surprising when the question OF get
ding supplies TO the miners of the klon-
dike was frs, agitated. the need was
recognized by all well posted men as i'm
mediate. But great armies move slowly.
and by the time the war department had
ma mayed TO move fifty soldiers and a
pack .raln of twenty-five men and 10
mules as far as Dyca. conditions had 80
far changed that the governments expe-
1ition could rot possibly get through Ia
time 20 do any good From the start
there have been tedious delays accom-
panying every move OF the expedition.
which is now TO terminate IL impotency
Disposition must be made OF the o5'
resndeer brought over at great expense
from Norway With them must be sold
the a, sheds and 80 sets OF harness. The
ia fsapianders accompanying the herd as
tenders must be sent back 10 their homes
The Hfty soldiers now encamped at pyea
swaItlng the tine for start into the In
terror must he found other destination.
and TIE pack train and supplies aboard
tho ship Lucille. somewhere between this
oity and fynn canal must be recalled.
Msanwhi!a several private outfits have
started and are veil on their way, with
every prospect 81 getting through While
the government has been making prepara-
lions. less cumbersome expeditions have
gone ahead and anything accomplished
foI the practical ancviation OF suffering
at the mines VIII be due TO their enter
prise. That the destitute condition OF
those who have wintsred In the north has
NOT been exaggerated Is shown by the
present attack Of scurvy induced by want
OF variety In food. That there have been
many instances OF actual suffering from
lack OF sufficient nourishment IL hardly
to be questioned. though undoubtedly the
situation has been relieved by the great
exodus from Dawson. From the last adj
vices received from bort Yukon II would
seem that the movement OF hungry men
from Dawson meant merely a transfer
Of the scene Of destltuti0n 20 Fort Yukon.
II was found necessary by Capt. Ray 20
raise the American flag over the food
store@ at that place and warn of tres
passers in the name Of the United States
Every communication forwarded from
Alaska to the war department by Capt
Ray has been a contradiction Of the
theory that relief was not necessary In
the Yukon valley. II cannot be assumed
that the expedition hhs been withdrawn
because reports from Dawson are believed
90 have been exaggerated. bat because
delay has rendered the proposed measure
valusleSs
Secretary aIger'- Letter.
The announcement OF Secretary A'ser's
decision was contained in the following As-
sociated Press dispatch received yester-
dsy:
wv ASIIINGTcN. March The war de-
partment has decided % abandon the eN-
petition for tire relief - the miners iu tie
Klondike country because tue conclusion
exists Tor r. Secretary Alrcr has written
letter 70 Senator fTawiey. chairman 4
the se-aate committee on military Alters
exrlafrinE the DEPARTMENTS nosiffan ana
asking congress 10 take action auth0ris-
Inc the dvnartn4evt 10 dispose ~ Tho eur..
plies purchased ger The execution. 'mrluI-
aha udnn the project entirely.
In his latter Secretary AiEer saws the
conditions on the Yukon have chnurrd so
as 20 render the .Xu..gfffaa unnecessary
and that Generals Miles AVID Merriam both
agree With him. iia Is also advised - this
ere,t hv the Canadian minister ~ the fn.
terror tn" MILITARY committee ms, today.
hut eid nor sct unon tho request
TIE rrnbr he disposition - ;he soldiers.
pack train ard supplies can only bg corr
tecturca. = 81 ne understood THAI th..
proposed a.-empt % fna new routes - The
Yukon over Amer an territory has been
abandoned. u H. hAe'e ,hat the Hffv sol
dcfs now AZ lfVra H'i mefffaa st least
az thn pack train UhIee ~f3 reach thai
place on the shfn -e wEs be ordered
u form parf - tee cveltrfrr rsrtles q,
start into t0e snter'er frons t'eok frfrt ara
Copper river y is uot Thought that tec
supplies on tie l.u-ile Nln - hgNs,ieht bach
market Tor chem can ha eas.iv found ~
Nyaa and SkawwmV with rsavflax s-.r-