The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-08-25
AN APPALLING DEATH RATE.
Lieutenant Jarvis Report on Conditions
at Kotzbue Sound.

at Kotzbue Sound.
Washington, Aug. 24-Captain Shoe
maker of the revenue cutter service to-
day received report from Lieutenant
ID. +. Jarvis, the commander of the rev.
enue cutter Bear, containing an ac-
count of the rescue of the gold seekers
who rushed into the Kotzebue gold
country, Alaska, in the summer of
1898. Lieutenant Jarvis was taking the
Bear north to Cape Arrow on her reg
ular trip.
AT Cape Prince of Wales he learned
of the awful restitution which had
overcome the gold seekers of Kotzebue
Sound. On his arrival there he found
a terrible condition of affairs. Men
had died of starvation, scurvy and by
drowning. He obtained a list of As
deaths. But the list is by no means
complete. This list has been published
in the Associated Press dispatches.
over LOCO of the gold seekers had win
tered there. The Bear after relieving
as much of the distress as possible
and leaving stores and lime juice for
the survivors. took so of the survivors
to st. Michael. where they were turned
over to the military authorities. Lieu
tenant Jarvis report is dated July 20,
at st. Michael. He reported that he
left between 220 and $50 survivors at
kotzebue Sound. He informed the de-
partment 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.
Lieutenant Jarvis says:
When First Lieutenant Bertholf
and Surgeon Hawley We're sent to the
camp at HOLMAN inlet they returned
with 30 sick and convalescent, all af-
fected with scurvy. Some of these were
In a very low condition and the chances
are that some of them would not have
survived many days without medicine.
From 225 to $50 people were still in the
camp. Some had plenty of food and
means of paying their way out Re
turning to the camp. Lieutenant Berth
off and the surgeon brought off all those
in destitute condition or without
means, As men. 2 women and an infant,
making SO persons in all taken from
the camp. 1t was not possible to take
any more at that time, but assurance
was given the. people that If they did
not succeed in getting away before the
vessels return they would be taken out
by the Bear. There We're plenty of
provisions for the use of those remain
ing, many of them having a years out
fit, and the only sick person remain
ing was Mrs. Smith, whose case was
so serious that she could not be moved.
The bark Alaska of San Francisco
was expected to arrive and the steamer
Townsend passed in as the Bear left.
The captain of the Townsend, c. D.
Lane, assured me that he would take
out all who wished to go. Many, if
not all, will be able to leave by these
vessels, but upon my return from the
Arctic I will clean the beach of all who
remain.
The rush of people to Klotzbue Sound
was sad, deplorable affair Misled by
false information and advertisements,
LOO people, many totally unified 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 re-
gon.
Many were drowned in the swift
currents of the river 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. 1 apprehended that
many of the men who started coasting
along the shore for Cape Nome may
have lost their lives in the ice and bad
weather. The two brothers, Pickering,
of Princeton, KY, were killed by a ma
tive named Kokamuk. on the Selawaik
river. These men are given bad
character by the other people, and are
said to- have themselves killed one Mar
dis, of Santa Rosa, Cal, for his money
Kokamuk could not be, but from ma
tive reports, the killing was done in
self-defense, as the chickering's were
shooting at him at the time for some
trivial offense. l will investigate the
affair further upon my return.
The schooner General Mcpherson
was met off Cape Espenberg, on the
22d instant, and Second Lieutenant Ba-
longer and Seaman Rossig We're placed
on board to take her to St Michaels
but she was fallen in with off Sledge
island on the 26th and towed TO Nome.
Norton sound and there turned over
TO Special Deputy United States Mar
shall d. S. Swift the master, JAM B.
Nelson, was arrested by Deputy Mar
shall Swift on a warrant for piracy
and was brought on board, together
with his family, for transportation to
this port.
"A stop was made at Point Rodney
on the night of the 25th and il was
learned that Nubarloo. the native who
had killed the boy at Point Spencer on
the 18th instant, had passed that point
he same morning. A native camp was
found a little further on, on the 18th, |
and Nubarloo was found in the camp |
and arrested. Upon arriving at this |
port on the 9th, the United States |
steamships Corwin. Rush and Nunivak |
were found in port. Arrangements |
were Immediately made with Captain |
Walker, U. S. A, commanding Fort ST. |
Michaels, and the sick and wounded |
from Kotzebue were landed and turned |
over to him.
The stores of the U. S. s. Nunivak /