The age-herald., 1899-08-25
RESCUE OF THE
 GOLD SEEKERS Lieutenant Jarvis, Commander Of the
 Bear, Renders Report. LIST OF DEAD REACHES AS Men SuCCumbed to Starvation, SCuFYy
 land Drowning. TERRIBLE CONDITION OF AFFAIRS The Revenue Cutter Left Supplies and Brought Of S2 Survivors, Af-
 ter Promising to Return
 for Remainder.
LIST OF DEAD REACHES 48
'ERRlBLE CONDITION OF AFFAIRS

Washington, August A-Captain Shoe maker, of the revenue cutter service, to- day received a report from Lieutenant D. II. Jarvis, the commander of the revenue cutter Bear, containing an account of the rescue of the gold seekers who rushed in the -Kotzebu gold country, Alaska, in the summer of 1898.
 Lieutenant Jarvis was taking the Bear north to Cape Barrow, on her regular trip. At Cape Prince of Wales he learned of the awful destitution which had overtaken the gold seekers at Kotzebu Sound, and on arrival there he found terrible condition of affairs. Men had died of starvation, souryy and by drowning, and he obtained a list of forty-eight deaths.
 List Is Incomplete But the list is by no means complete This list has been published in the Asso- ciated Press dispatches Over 1,000 of the gold seeers had wintered there. Tue Bear after relieving as much of the distress as possible, and leaving stores, lime juice, etc., for the survivors, took eighty-two of the survivors to St. Michael, where they were turned over to the military authorities. Lieutenant Jarvis report is dated July 90 at St. Michaels. He reported that he left between 225 and 250 survivors at Kotzebu sound. He informed the department that he would go to Cape Barrow and upon his return would touch Kotzebu sound and pick up any who desired to return with him.
 Lieutenant Jarvis says: First Lieutenant Bertholf and Surgeon Hawley were sent to the camp at Hotham Inlet. They re- turned with thirty-two sick and convalesc- ent attacked with scurvy. Some of these were in a very low condition and the chances are would not have survived many days without medical attention From 225 to 250 people were still in the camp.
 Some Had Poop and Money
 Some had plenty of food and means of paying their way out. Returning to the camp Lieutenant Bertholf and the surgeon brought off all those in 0 destitute condi- ton or without means; forty-eight men, two women and an infant, making fifty three persons in all taken from the camp. It was not possible to take any more at that time, but assurances were given the people ashore that if they did not succeed in getting away before the vessels return they would be taken out by the Bear. There were plenty of provisions for the use of those remaining, many of them hay ing a years outfit. The only sick person remaining was Mrs. Smith, whose case was so serious that she could not be moved
 "The bark Alska, of San Francisco, was expected to arrive and the steamer Town send passed in as the Bear left. The charterer of the Townsend, MT. 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 two vessels but upon my return from the Arctic I will clean the beach of all who remain. The sad, deplorable affair.
 People Were MisIed
 "Misled by false information and adver- tisements, 1,2OO people, many totally un- fitted to stand hard conditions and climate, rushed to the country during the open sea- son of 1898, and during the winter no gold whatever was found, and in the spring they sought every means. of escaping from the region. Many were drowned in the swift currents of the rivers in the fall of 1898, others lost their lives during the win ter from the cold and, worst of all in the spring scurvy broke out in nearly all the camps.
 "I enclose a list of forty-eight deaths. These are all that could be gathered from the people at Hotham inlet, but have no doubt that many others occurred that were not recorded and could not be learned of. I apprehend also that many of those who started coasting along the shore for Cape Nome may have lost thelr lives.
 "rhe schooner General McFherson was met off Cape Espen'berg on the 22nd in- stant and Second Lieutenant Ballinger and Seaman Rossig were placed on board to take her to St. Michael, but she Was fallen in with off Ledge Island on the 26uh and lowed to Name Norton Sound and turned over there to Special Deputy United States Marshall D. s. Ewft. Jans B. Boilensen was arrested by Deputy Swift on a war rant for piracy and was rought on board together with his family for transportation
  to the port"