The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1899-02-20
Relief Work of War
Department.
ALGER'S REPORT
Based on Official Facts
About the Gold Region,

Washington, D. c., Feb. 19,-Sec-e- /
tary Alger has transmitted to congress
complete report on the relief work
of the war department in the Klondike
country, undertaken under act of con-
gress as a result Of reports that eX-
IRENE distress among the miners fol-
lowed the influx to the gold country
during 1897 '9s. 1t embraces the detailed
reports of Captain P. II. Ray and
Lieut. w. P. Richardson, who had
charge of the relief work.
These latter reports give a graphic
picture of the conditions in the Klon- 7
dixie, it's possibilities IS well as its
hardships, with that candor character
istic of military reports. Some time
has elapsed, however, since the reports
were written, owing in part to the diff
ticuities of official Communication be
tween the Klondike ald Washington.
Many of the military reports have not
before been given. and as a whole they
present a comprehensive review of the
klondike situation.
Secretary Alger says in his letter Of
transmittal to congress:
In accordance with the requirements
of section ., Of the act of December
Is, 1897, directing the secretary of
war to make a report IN detail to con-
gress at the beginning of its next reg
ular session is to al purchases, en-
ployment, sales and donations or trans
ters under the provisions of the act for
the relief of people in the mining re-
Sions of Alaska, / have the honor 10
state that the disbursements from the
appropriation of 5000 900 have been
made for relief, subsistence supplies,
means of transportation, employment
OF labor, and other incidental expenses
in sum aggregating $4,000 as APP
pears from the several statements
hereto attached.
There was expended from this ap-
preparation of 100000 for subsistence
stores and other miscellaneous proper
ty,. the sum of S25,5S2. Upon the aband-
onment Of the relief expedition there
was transferred from these stores to
the army and Laplanders and issued
to destitute people IN Alaska, supplies
amounting to $16,452. exclusive of the
$751; paid to the Alaska Commercial
Company and the North Amer
lean Transportation and Trading
Company for supplies issued from their
warehouses TO the destitute by Cap
to the secretary of war by the act, sub
sistence supplies to the amount of S1493,
and quartermasters supplies amounting
to $9025 were sold, which amounts have
been converted into the treasury, as
provided by law. The balance of the
stores and property IS in the posses
sion of disbursing officers, upol which
returns have not yet been made.
The five hundred and thirty-seven
head of reindeer We're purchased and
transported from Norway to Haines'
Mission, Alaska, for s65, S93, or about
1875 dollars per head. Tht value, there
fore, of the 1926 head delivered by the
war department 10 the department of
the interior, as provided by said act,
was S40,7
There remains on hand of said APP
preparation the sum of $5T, 4S6,34 dis
tributed as follows: The sum of s29, 929
is in the treasury; the sum Of SIS, 81 is
in the hands of Maj or T. E. True,
United States army, depot quarter
master, Washington, d. c., the officer
by whom the majority of the accounts
have been settled; the sum Of 1884 is
in the hands of Selignan Brothers,
London, to the credit of this appro-
priation, and the sum of 1854 is in the
hands of the United States consul at
Christiania, Norway.
There is also filed in the department
!. Resented, general manager of the
Snow and Ice Transportation Company
for damages under a contract entered
into with him by the acting secretary
of war on Dec. 30 1897, for the purpose
of providing transportation for subsist-
ence stores, supplies and material from
the head of Lynn canal, Alaska, tC
Dawson City, northwest territory
which was annulled and cancelled. This
claim has been referred by the war de
partment to the department of justice
for an opinion.
TT is therefore impracticable at this
time TO determine what portion of the
balance of 1886 will be required fol
the final settlement of the outstanding
liabilities incurred by the department
in it's efforts to successfully carry on
the will of congress as Indicated in tht
act of Dec. Is. 1897, and to meet a stu
alton which was generally believed K
demand unusual measures and the ut
most promptness in behalf of human
ity."
The last of the military reports il
from Lieut.. Richardson, and is dateC
July last 1t sums up general con
ditions as follows:
The output of gold from the Daw
son district for the past winters worl
C9T='9S) will not exceed ten millions o
dollars, more conserVatively estimated
at from seven and q half to eight mil
lions. | should judge the population
of Dawson to be, at the time j left, from
twelve to fifteen thousand by far tn,
larger part of whom are still living il
tents.
Most of the small boats coming dow
bring a surplus Of provisions, includ
ing fresh vegetables, eggs and fruit
and it is to these small but numerou,
additions to the supply of the CONNER
cial companies that the people ow,
their comfort at the present time. !
few of the prevailing prices at Dawson
which obtain with slight modification
at Circle City and other points, are 81. 5
for the plainest meal Cham and eggs
bread. butter and Coffee. Beefsteal
costs extra; this is sold to the restau
rants at 81 per pound. A stew of fresl
oysters costs So. A restaurant win
card gives: Champagne, $40 per quar-
1926 per pinD; ale, IS per bottle. A PAL
of horses, wagon and driver. earn ST
per hour good cook S15 per day: or
binary labor, $3.50 per hour. Thes
prices impress me as out OF all pro
portion to the output of money fron
the country, the present abundance O
supplies there, and the limited field O
labor.
only small proportion of the peo
pie now there can find steady employ
ment. and that phase of the situation
IS growing daily worse. Contrary I
report, found comparatively it'll
sickness there.
"The following average temperature
were taken during the winter an
spring: For the month Of November
1897, is degrees f., taken 5 a. M. De
cember, 1897 S F. taken a m 1an,i