The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1899-07-27
REBUILDING DAWSON CITY.
Consul McCook Says the KIondiIxe
Town Is Overcrowded.

INV" is overcrowded.
Consul McCook sends to the State De-
partment, under date of MAY "a, June s
and June 20, reports in regard to condi-
tions in Dawson City and vicinity. The
city, ne says. is being rapidly rebuilt after
the recent fire. The following extracts are
| from his reports:
There is great deal of activity in ship
ping at present; at one time there were
seventeen steamboats, at the various land
ings. The boats are providing improved
accommodations for passengers, and / do
not see why excursion parties are not Or
gained to come and see this land of gold
now that travelling is made comfortable.
should think trip up the Yukon would be
more interesting to Americans than trip
| up the Rhine.
The bulk of passenger and freight traf-
| fc will hereafter come by the upper river
route, several lines of steamboats, connect
ing this port with Lake Bennett The
rates from Dawson to Puget Sound are:
First class, S1S5; second class, $3.50; but
these will probably be reduced one-half as
the season advances. The rates charged
by the companies running boats to st.
Michaeis, there to connect with ocean
steamships. are $3.50 first class and 500
steerage. No second class mail matter. will
be brought in or sent out for the present,
| as the rates are too high. No second
class mail matter was received all winter,
and if anyone wishes TO send papers or
magazines to his friends he should mail
| them as first class matter
Instead of $4,000, 600, which was re-
ported as the probable output for this
district for the past twelve months
am informed that 100000 will fully
cover the product. Reports from Alaska
| indicate that more gold will be found
| there than will ever come from this ter
ritory. Alaska is rich in placer mines, but
| requires development. Very little rros-
pecting was done here last winter. The
miners simply ate up their grub and
waited for some one else to report dis
| coveries of gold. II the indications are
| good they go on stampede, dig a hole
or two, and If they cannot find pay dirt
| at once they say the creek is no good and
return.
This country requires indomitable pluck
and energy. 1t is very difficult to take
| care of ones health, as the canned food
and poor cooking are hard on the sys-
| TEN. Typhoid fever has already broken
out-six weeks earlier than last year. The
! ground upon which the city is built is
being drained, $4,000 having been spent
on this work. There are several hundred
destitute persons in Dawson who want to
| get out of the country and have not the
| means.
1.-THE city Is overcrowded at present,
most OF the work al the mines having
ceased for the season, and the gambling
| fraternity and saloons are reaping rich
| harvests. At the junction of Eldorado and
| Bonanza Greeks. fourteen miles from here,
| quite town has sprung up since last year,
chiefly composed of gambling houses. All
| sorts and conditions of men are found in
the country-doctors, lawyers, politicians
working at anything they can find to do.
At one gambling table there sat recently
| four men, three of whom had been chiefs
of police in cities In the United States,
| and the fourth a well-known Pinkerton
detective. The authorities are now filming
the gambling houses, however, and, in
spite of all the drinking, etc, order pre-
walls. Dawson is comparatively quiet and
safe and the laws are enforced