The San Francisco call., 1899-08-25
RESCUE OF THE
GOLD HUNTERS
Lieutenant Jarvis Files
His Report.
COMMANDED CUTTER BEAR
FORTY EIGHT PEOPLE KNOWN
TO HAVE DIED.
Two Hundred and Fifty Survivors
Taken Out From Kotzebue
and Provided With Neces-
sary Food.
COMMANDED CUTTER BEAR
FoRTY-EIGHT PEOPLE KNOWN
TO HAVE DIED.
Special Dispatch to The Call.

WASHINGTON, Aug. 24.-Captain Shoe.
maker of the revenue cutter service to-
day received a report from Lieutenant D.
H. Jarvis, the commander of the revenue
cutter Bear, containing an account of the
rescue of the gold-seekers who rushed
into the KotZebue gold country, Alaska,
in the summer of 1885, Lieutenant Jarvis
was taking the Bear north to Cape Bar
row on her regular trip. At Cape Prince
of Wales he learned of the awful destitu-
ton which had overtaken the gold-seekers
at KotZebue Sound. On arrival there he
found a terrible condition OF affairs. Men
had died of starvation, scurvy and by
drowning and he obtained a list of forty
eight deaths. But the list is by no means
complete This list has been published in
the Associated Press dispatches. over
1000 of the gold-seekers had wntered
there The Bear, after relieving as much
OF the distress as possible and leaving
stores lime juice, etc, for the survivors,
took eighty-tWo of the survivors to St.
Michael, where they were turned over to
the military authorities Lieutenant Jarvis
report is dated July 81 at st. Michael. He
reported that he left between 220 and 250
survivors at Kotzebue Sound. He in
formed the department that he would pro-
ceed to Cape Barrow and upon his return
would touch at kot2ebue Sound and pick
up any who desired to return with him.
Lieutenant Jarvis says: First Lieuten-
ant Bertholf and Surgeon HaWley Were
sent to the camp at Hotham Inlet. They
returned with thirty-two sick and conVa-
lescent, all affected with scurVy. Some or
these were in very low condition, and the
chances are that some of them would not
have survived many days without medl-
cine. From 225 to 250 people are still IN
the camp. Some had plenty of food and
means of paying their way out.
Returning to the camp R4orLht Lleuteqanf ter mi
those in a destitute condition or without
means-forty-eigh men, two women and
an infant, making eighty-three persons
in all taken from the camp. 1t was no-
possible to take any more at that time,
but assurance was given the people ashore
that If they did not succeed in getting
away before the vessels return they
would be taken out by the Bear. There
were plenty of provisions for the use or
those remaining, many of them having
remaining was a Mrs. Smith, whose case
was so serious that she could not De
moved.
was a sad deplorable affair. Misled by
false information and advertisements;
1900 people, many totally untitled TO stand
the country during the open season of 1898.
During the winter no gold whatever was
found, and in the spring they sought every
means of escaping from the region ana
in so doing many lost their lives.
81 apprehend also that many OF those
who started coasting along the shore for
Cape Nome may have lost their lives In
the ice and bad weather.
Lieutenant Jarvis, who accomplished tho
rescue of the gold seekers at Kotzebue
Sound, is the revenue marine officer who
in the winter of 1S97-9S led a relief expedi-
ton from Tunnuak, 200 miles below st.
Michael, to Point Barrow. Over 1900 miles
of snow and ice in the dead of winter he
pushed an expedition for the relief of the
ice-imprisoned whalers at Point Barrow.
He arrived there with nearly 500 reindeer
after four months of almost indescrlbable
hardShips. 1t was the only Arctic relief
expedition ever attempted in midwinter.
For his heroism on that occasion the Pres
Ia
him a vote of thanks and award him q
gold medal