Ceredo advance. [volume] (Ceredo, W. Va.) 1885-1939, 1899-08-16
TERRIBLE TALE.
Thirty Survivors of the Edmonton
Trail Have Arrived at Wrangel.
Trad ng ard Ira sportatIon Companies.
Canadian ohicials and Newspapers That
Advsrtised the Trail a. T.as b.eto
shiondikc Gold Fields Denounced.


WnANGEI, Alaska Aug 6. via Seat
tie, WASH, Aug. 1.-THE Stickeen
river steamer Strathcona arrived here
monitor trail.
These men came in with the pack
train sent out from Telegraph Creek
and Laketon by the various trading
companies last spring.
The unfortunatcs tell heartrendinp
stories of hardships endured, comrade-
lost and abandoned. and strongly de.
nounce the trading and TRANSPORTATION
companies, as well as the Canadian of.
hcials and newspapers that SO pro-
fusely advertised this route as n feas.
IDLE one TO the Klondike gold fields.
10 outward appearances these men
certainly give evidence of the awful
suffering undergone since leaving Ed.
monton is months ago. Most of them
are sicklv looking, with unkempt
boards and greasy clothes-pictures of
physical and financial wrecks. Sew.
%
few have just enough money to
reach Seattle or Victoria but the ma.
Jorlty are without funds. The citizens
OF Wrangel have applied to the United
States government at Washington but
up to this date no aid has been receiv-
ed. There are about % destitute
miners here. Many have narrow es-
capes from starvation along the trail
from Fort Simpson to Mud river and
Fort Laird. A. II. Tigar and party
lived on squirrels and bacon for near
~ two weeks.
NJ. Ostig. c. Stiefel and VI. w. Wcis.
en- three of party of five from Chi
cago, owe their lives to bear that
they killed just as they had run out of
provisions about 20 miles from Laird
Post. VIM. Schmidt and Fred Swift.
of the same party, left the camp at
Laird Post last spring to trap and have
never been heard from since.
NJ. Randlemanu, of Chicago, was 10 st
in the woods above Fort Laird last fall
and was compelled to live on bacon for
three weeks.
Perry Wells, brother of w. H. Wells.
who was one of the passen gers on the
Strathcona, died of scurvy al Te legraph
Creek.
1t is admitted that there are more
than 100 men scattered along the trail
between Laird Post and Pelly Banks.
and relief parties have been sent out
by the Hudson Bay company. The
last report brought to Laird Post. was
that many were dying of scurvy and
hunger.
1t is estimated that there are thirty
or forty sufferers at Telegraph Creek.
awaiting the next trip of the boat. The
sick that had to be carried on stretchers
had not yet reached Glenora, when the
Strathcona sailed.
Several starvation cases are report
ed. About 20 miles above Devils Port
age, two unknown men were found
frozen to death last winter A man
bearing the name of Johnson, from
New York, was found dead in a tent
near the source OF the Mud river. last
fall. This poor fellow had as cover
ing only half of blanket and in a
diary still open in his hand. were these
words opposite the date, February ID,
1897: Il died of hunger"
All along the route from Fort Simn-
son. on the Mckenzie river, to Fort
Laird men with frozen limbs were as
sisted, while some. too weak to help
themselves, were necessarily left be-
mind by those more fortunate and able
to struggle along. Scurvy ragged in
all the camps more or less, but there
are few deaths from this disease re-
ported.
Provisions were scarce and high at
all the military posts last winter and
at several, including Laird Post and
Fort Francis, even the postrnen were
put on short rations during the months
Of April and May OF this year. Flour
sold at S@3 per sack. bacon at - cents
per pound and beans - cents per
quart.