Kansas City journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1897-1928, 1899-06-16
CLEANUP VERY SATISFACTORY
FIRST NEWS FROM DAWSON SINCE
THE TRAIL CLOSED.
Yukon Was Opened on May Z, Nine
Days Later Than Last Year
Winters List of Accidents
Long One-St. Louis
Man Killed.

SEATTLE, WASH, June 15-The first
news from Dawson and the interior OF
Alaska to be received since travel over
the trail closed about six weeks age
reached here to-day. 1t covers the period
between the big fire, April 26, and the open
ing of navigation, May 25. A revised esti-
mate of the losses incurred in the fire
places the total amount at $5GO0oO, abou,
one-half the amount previously estimated
The Yukon broke away from its icy
fetters in front of Dawson May I, or nine
days later than last year. The Steamer
New York was carried ashore by the ice
and nearly destroyed The wheel of the
Willie Irving was crushed. The ice jammcd
at the foot of Third street and blocks OF
Ice were piled mountain high. For a time
Dawson was threatened with flood. After
short time the ice broke with a crash
and everyone knew that the river was
open for good. The breaking of the ice
marked the graduation of the Cheecharkos,
or tenderfeet, into the ranks of the sour
doughs, or oldtimers. The event was cele-
brated with the firing of guns and a gen.
eral rejoicing.
The Flora was the first steamer to arrive
from the outside She was followed in a
few hours by the Bonanza King.
Reports had been received from all the
V.
There was no evidence of shortage of
water, which caused SO much trouble last
year. On Bonanza and Eldorado hundreds
of men were at work sluicing out gold.
The benches are showing up well. Some
enormous dumps of gravel were made dur
Ing the winter. These are now being
washed out and are panning much better
than was expected. -
Dominion and the Sther creeks on Indian
river are also being cleaned up with more
than satisfactory results.
A great deal of summer work will be
done this year on Ell Dorado If the flow of
water will permit. Work is going on night
and day on many of the big claims The
Berrys are working three shifts. They will
be among the first of the big owners to
complete the cleanup.
There have been a number of sales dur
ing the past two months and prices have
held up wonderfully well. A large number
of big and peculiar nuggets have been
found. One valued at sl42 was recently
taken from claim No. 80 below Upper Do
minion.
The first week in May saw the COM
mencement of the collection of the crown
royalty of 10 per cent. Every effort Is being
made to compel the miners to pay up the
full percentage.
The list of mining accidents is unusual
ly long,
Frank Julberti was crushed to death on
May q by a caye-in on claim No. II, below
Bonanza, on Maget gulch. His partner,
:. L.. Avrie, of st. Louis, Mo-, was suffocat-
ed BY gas. in his shaft on claim No. II,
A German miner named Heihl. of San
Francisco, was suffocated in his shaft near
the Cliff house on Gold Run.
There have been a number of narrow es-
capes from drowning in the Yukon by
attpmntinP tn on
thin ice.
Gilbert Anderson. of La Crosse Wis, has
reached the city after most exciting trip
from the Copper river country through the
dead of winter He brings. news of the
safety of a large party of miners who
started over the divide into the Tanana
and were believed to have been
lost. Anderson says that one or two of
the party were frozen in the mountains but
that the. majority are building boats on
river to continue their journey.
He does not give the names of those who
perished.
The climax in Dawson's water front con-
troversy occurred on May 16. The tenants
who would not obey government warnings
to sign leases or vacate were summarfly
elected by band of police under Sheriff
Harper.
E. G. Allen. one of the proprietors of the
F<londike Nugget. is being tried on the
charge of criminally libeling United States
Consul McCook
Joe Juneau, one of the pioneers of the
Yukon, after whom the town of juneau
was named, died at Dawson, May 10, of
pneumonia. He made and lost several
fortunes in Alaska.
Arnold Bressmer. of Seattle. was killed
May II, by fellow workman in the Daw-
son brewery William Doggett. They quar-
relied and Doggett hit Bressmer over the
head with a beer bottle, inficting fatal
injuries.
A deposit of limestone has been found
near Sixty-Mile and Dawson people are re-
joicing over the possibility of having plenty
Of disinfectant.
After an exciting trial before Gold Com
missioner Ogilvie, Messrs. Wade, McGreeor
and Norwood were acquitted of the charge
Of accepting bribes and the illegal use of
official information.