The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1899-01-21

L. 9th, and the news spread over
the entire district with great
rapidity as an event TO be cele-
brated. The administration of the
Gold Commissioner office has been
open TO much criticism. which it has
received without stint, since the very
beginning Of the Klondike excitement.
The miner and prospector have been
embarrassed by it, irritated and over
reached in a hundred ways. insomuch
that confidence in the Government
which they looked to for protection in
their rights was gone. Thomas Faw-
cett, the retiring commissioner, is cred
tied by many with honest intentions
and personal integrity, but there are
very few who do not openly charge
that the administration of the office IN
der him was abominably corrupt.
L. E. Senkle, who succeeds him, is SO
years of age, a lawyer, formerly of Tor
onto, but later Of Nelson, B. c., in the
heart of the Kootenai mining district.
He has created a good impression and
his administration begins auspiciously
]. E. Boldus and r H. Baker arrived
with the commissioner and will be Civ
en- places in the office.
The weather since the 1st of Novem-
Der has ranged at from 30 TO 81 degrees
below zero, remaining for a week at IL
below On the 9Th inst. the mercury
suddenly rose to above the freezing
point. and on the 7th there was slight
drizzle of rain. The Indians say that
about twenty years ago the Klondike
overfioWed its banks in midwinter but
there is no other record of rain during
the winter in these far northern parts.
Facilities for reaching the outside by
cd CO 10 70 in 71n fa11 rhar
it was supposed nearly all of those de-
string TO spend the winter on the out
side had awaited themselves of them
and that few would subject themselves
to the hazard, toll and discomfort of
the long journey over the trail. Every
day, however, sees a dozen or more
start away up the river to the south
ward.
The men who undertook to corner
provisions are getting the worst of it.
Some of them bought butter at as high
a figure as 81 80 pound. The article
is on sale now at 81 % a pound. Prices
are continually ranging downward. An
effort at coordination was recently made
by the restaurant keepers to keep the
price of a dinner UP TO 81 50, but it
failed The announcement was made
on behalf of dollar andah alf-meals,
and this price was asked for generally
throughout town one day, but trade fell
off so sharply that the next day man
with a dollar could buy dinner.
Two bits Will buy coffee and dough-
nuts, coffee and pie, or a large bowl of
soup with bread and butter. Restau-
rants, bakeries and lunch counters
quoting these prices are more numerous
than the saloons. Bread is sold at six
big loaves for a dollar. Sales of pro-
visions, the remnants of outfits of those
going out, continue nightly, and prices
range low.
And yet there is such restitution in
the district as to have induced the cali
ing of a meeting of Americans. which
was held in the Office of Consul General
McCook on the 9Th inst. The Consul
reported that he was constantly being
asked for assistance by men who
claimed TO be in absolute distress and
unable 10 obtain work. Hundreds of
men are reported to be in this lament
able condition. with the long end of the
dark and bitter winter before them
The Salvation Army post here reports
a long line of appeals. The army has
erected a log cabin shelter" and its
capacity is nightly put to the test, the
applicants being required to pay for bed
and supper bv saving wood.
The hospitals have been crowded with
INDECENT patients until the Good Sa-
maritan was so stepped in debt that
IL threatened TO close it's doors. and
was prevented from so doing only by
aid from the Government Both pub
lie hospitals-St. Mary's and the Good
Samaritan-are now compelled to- re-
fuse non-paying patients. 1t is esti-
mated that no less that $4,000 a month
will pay the expenses Of treating the