The evening herald. [volume] (Shenandoah, Pa.) 1891-1966, 1899-08-25
GOLD SEEKERS RESCUED
Taken on Board a Revenue Cutter
From Kotzebue Country.
WE'RE IN FAMIsH1NG CONDITION.

Mtsled by False Information aud Ad-
vertisements, Many Rushed to Re-
gion whore There was No Gold, but
Much suffering.
Washington Aug, 25.-The revenue
cutter service has received a report
from Lieutenant d. II. Jarvis, the com
mander of the revenue cutter Bear,
containing an account of the rescue OF
the gold seekers who rushed into the
! Kotzebue gold country, Alaska, in the
summer of 1898. Lieutenant Jarvis
says:
First Lieutenant Bertholf and Sur
geon Hawle were sent to the camp at
Hotham Inlet. They returned with 80
sick and convalescent, all afflicted with
scurvy Some of these were in a very
low condition and the chances are
would not have survived many days
without medical attendance. From 225
TO $50 people were still i'm the camp
| Some had plenty of food and means Of
| paying their way out Returning to the
/ camp Lieutenant Bertholf and the sur
! geon brought off all those in a des-
titute condition, or without means,
| A8 men, two women and an infant,
making SO persons in all taken from
| the camp. There were plenty of pro-
! visions for the use of those remaining,
many Of them having a years outfit.
"The rush of people to Kotzebue
sound was a sad, deplorable affair. Mis-
| led by false information and advertise
ments, 1200 people, many totally un-
fitted to stand hard condition 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 region.
Many were drowned in the swift cur
rents Of the rivers 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 enclose a list of 4S deaths.
These are all that could be gathered
from the people at Hotham Inlet, but I
have no doubt that many others oc-
Cured that we're not recorded or could
not be learned. / apprehend also that
many of those who started coasting
along the shore for Cape Nome may
have lost their lives in the ice and bad
weather.
Upon arriving at Port Rodney the
United States steamer Corwin, Rush
anu NuUlVdh were IOuuu III pOIJ.
Arrangements were Immediately
made with Captain Walker, U, S. A,
commanding Fort st. Michael, and the
sick and destitute from Kotzebue were
landed and turned over to him.
Duluth, Aug. 25.-John G. Morrison,
an Alaskan prospector, from Duluth,
reported dead in the Kotzeube country,
has written home telling of the suffer-
ing of those who have been at Cape
Nome Speaking of experiences with
scurvy, Mr. Morrison says: "Our arms
and legs swelled terribly and turned
black, while our teeth became so loose
that they could easily be pulled out.
My limbs are all drawn up, but l am
doing well and can now walk a short
distance without crutches. We left our
winter quarters in the Arctic regions
on June and were stuck in the ice
until July 12 We are now on Cape
Nome, 120 miles north of st. Michael's.
There is no gold in the Kotzebue
country The transportation companies
succeeded In getting over 1000 poor
fellows there last summer. There is
plenty of gold at Cape Nome, washed
up out of the ocean in the shape OF
nuggets but l don't know whether
there will be any claims left by the
time l get well. Wages here are So per
day with board. Anvil City is only q
month old. but has about 200 tents,
houses and stores. Board is SO per
day and bed one night costs 81. Beer
is so cents a glass"