Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1899-08-25
CRUISE OF THE BEAR.
Lieut.. Jarvis Found Terrible Con-
dition Mt Kotzebie Sound.

Washington, Aug. 25.-Capt. Shoe
maker, of the revenue cutter service has
received a report from Lieut.. j. d. Jar
Wis. the commander Of the revenue cut
ter Bear, regarding the rescue of gold
seekers who rushed to Kotzebue sound,
Alaska, December 1898.
Lieut.. Jarvis was taking the Bear to
Cape Barrow on her regular trip. At
Cape Prince of Wales he learned of the
awful destitutiop which had overtaken
the gold seekers at Kotzebue sound.
On arrival there he found 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 As
sociated Press dispatches.
Over 1000 Of the gold seekers had win
tered 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 them to
st. Michaels, where they were turned
over to the military authorities. Lieut..
Jarvis letter is dated July 30, at ST. Mi
chaels. He reported that he left be-
tween 225 and 250 survivors at Kotzebue
sound. He informed the department
that he would proceed to Cape Barrow
and upon his return would touch at
Kotzebue sound and pick up any who
desired to return with him.
Lieut.. Jarvis said
'.The rush of people to Kotzebue
sound was sad and deplorable affair
Misled by false information and adver-
|tisements. 1.2O0 people. many totally
untitled to stand hard conditions and
climate, rushed to 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.
Many were drowned in the swift cur
rents of the rivers in the fall of 1898,
Others lost their lives during the winter
from the cold, and worst of all, in the
spring scurvy broke out in nearly all
the camps. enclose a list of forty
eight deaths. These are all that could
be gathered from the people at Hotham
inlet, but have no doubt that many
Others occurred that We're not recorded
or could not be learned. I 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. The two brothers. Pick
ering, of Princeton, KY, were killed by
a native named kokamuck, on the Sc
lawak river. Kokamuck could not be
found, but from native reports the kill
ing was done in self defense
Lieut.. Jarvis, who accomplished the
rescue of the gold seekers in Kotzebue
Sound, is the revenue marine officer
who distinguished himself in the winter
iaf
from Tunnak. 200 miles below st. Mich
ael's, 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 400 reindeer after months of all
most indescribable hardships. 1t was
the only Arctic relief expedition ever
attempted in midwinter. For his hero
ism on that occasion the president rec
commended that congress give him a
vote of thanks and award him a gold
medal.