The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1900-08-07
GOVERNMENT MAY AID NOME.
Treasury Officials Considering Plans
for Relief of Stranded Miners.

Treasury Officials Considering Plans
for Relief of Stranded Miners
The question of bringing back the hungry
gold-hunters stranded at Cape Nome IS
giving much concern to officials here. Press
dispatches from San Francisco yesterday
brought word that 1000 men at Nome have
signed a petition calling upon the Presi-
dent for relief The petition has not yet
reached here, and it is not likely to do 60
for a week at least The Treasury Off
Gals. however, are already considering
what shall be done to aid the men. IT,
as seems pc ssible, some sort of an expedi-
ton be sent, its management would doubt
less come under the direction of the Treas
ury Department although there is a posi-
bility that the War Department might be
called upon to furnish transports.
To feed 1000 men for eight months ON
the Arctic shores would be an expense
which is out of the question. The only
thing which can be done Is to send a fleet
OF ships there sufficient to bring the men
back to the Pacific States That how
ever, presents another embarrassment, for
while Seattle was the point from which
most Of the gold hunters embarked for the
north, 1t is certain that Seattle would
protest most vigorously against having
such a horde Of destitute men dumped
upon it.
Whatever action is taken must be taken
at once for after the list of October winter
will fairly have set in on the Alaskan
coast. There is almost no native fuel, and
after that time the miners camped in tents
on the shore would be confronted by death
from freezing even had their provisions not
given out. There is therefore only about
six weeks in which to get the men out
AS the round trip to Nome from Seattle
viii easily "a ze twenty DAVIS III foIIoyvS that
there is need for the most urgent haste
1t Is probable that if the situation is so
serious as reported the Government will
send relief but such a course Will be fol-
lowed with much reluctance. The Treas
ury officials have been much concerned all
summer over the influx to the Cape of men
who have no means OF support and who al
most certainly must become charges upon
the Government. nevertheless no steps
could be taken to check their mad rush
north AS a matter of fact many of those
who have gone to Nome have relied upon
getting brought back by the Government in
case they failed to make money at
the new camp. The action OF the
Treasury Department in sending relief
expedition to Point BurroW for the relief
of the imprisoned whalers there three
years ago, strengthened the faith of the
Nome people in getting Federal relief.
Now they are relying implicitly on being
brought back home at the national ex-
perse.
In the view of the officials the steamer
companies which took the men north
should bring them back There is UttI3
hope. however, that the companies will 90
any such thing. Instead they figure on
leasing their boats to the Government for
as many trips as may be necessary to
bring the stranded miners home.
The revenue cutter Manning left Seattle
yesterday for q cruise in Alaskan waters
The Cutting is already there and the Nc
CuIlough will also be sent North. None
Of them, however, has accommodations for
more than fifty miners at the very most,
and they can do little to bring back any
of the distressed horde