The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-05-23
THE ABERDEEN HAS TROUBLE
NINE OF HER NOME PASSENGERS
LEAVE THE STEAMER.
Come to Seattle on Alice Gertrude
ON Tell Their Grievance-Charg
That the Company Sold More
Tickets Than Boat Had Berths.

OF the 23s passengers sailing on the
steamer Aberdeen, which left this port
SUNDAY night for Cape Nome, nine
turned to the city yesterday. AT their
own request, which they made after find
ing that no berths had been assigned to
them, they were put ashore at East Clal-
lam, where they boarded the Sound steam
er Alice Gertrude for this city.
Many shortcomings are laid at the door
or the managers, the Alaska Transport
company. The principal charge is that
the company sold more tickets providing
for Nome transportation on the Aberdeen
than there were berths. On the other
hand, the managers claim that but 23s
tickets were sold. and that there are that
many berths on the Aberdeen. If that
number OF passengers on the vessel was
exceeded they say in effect, that the ex-
cess smuggled aboard as stowaways.
A. b. jenkins. of the returned Aberdeen
crowd, speaking for himself and several
others of the party. charges that as a mat
ter OF fact thirty-two tickets were sold in
excess of the number OF berths alleging
also that there are still fifteen people on
the Aberdeen without berths, whose only
chances for rest are deck floor beds. He
says eight ticket holders were forced OFF
the boat just as she was about to pull out
from the White Star dock, and that twen-
ty-two persons holding hrst-class tickets
and two with tickets calling for second
class accommodations stll remained
aboard without berths. At the last mo-
ment some OF these claimed to have de-
manded the privilege of leaving the vessel
while she was tied at the dock, but that
they were foreibly detained on the steam
er, whose officers. IL Is further charged.
did not blow a whistle as a signal of her
departure until the Aberdeen was well
away from the wharf.
An hour or so before the Aberdeen pulled
out Miss Christine Alstrom retired in a
berth to which she thought she had been
assigned. Soon after the steamer left the
wharf she says she was ordered from her
apartments by the officers of the vessel
and that she was not given time to dress,
having to withdraw from the stateroom in
her night clothes. Mrs. Violet OBrien.
one of the returning passengers, stated
with some warmth that she suspected that
she would be unable to find a berth and
that she asked to be permitted to come
ashore, but was prevented from doing so.
After leaving Seattle Jenkins says the
passengers without berths begged to be
put ashore at Port Townsend and again at
Port Angeles. but that the officers refused
to comply with their entreaties. fearing,
as he says, that the Port Townsend GUS
toms authorities would seize the steamer.
The party was finally discharged from the
Aberdeen about D. m. Monday and sent
ashore at East Clallam In the steamers
lifeboats. Long before that II is said. the
passengers were complaining bitterly OF
the Aberdeen's rations, and that they had
served notice on the officers that better
food must be forthcoming. jenkins. In
fact, stated that the passengers were all
but In state of riot. He believes there
will yet be serious trouble.
Samuel Davis, who says he Is special
correspondent of the New York World,
purchased ticket providing for transpor-
tation on the Aberdeen. He says he went
aboard the ship. but being unable to find a
berth came ashore, refusing to take pas
sage.
The passengers put ashore at East Clal-
lam are:
A. Il. jenkins, G. H. Church. Mrs. Violet
OBrien, Miss Christine Alstrom. Carl A.
West. Dominick Dubust. Mrs. Dubust.
Louis Avena Mrs. Avena.
They demand the return OF their ticket
money and SIS each additional TO defray
their expenses from East Ciallam TO Seat
tie and board while they are securing
other transportation.
The local agents of the company settled
with all the dissatisfied passengers last
evening and were given paper signed by
them stating that so far as the Seattle
agents were concerned they had treated
them fairly and honoraS,y III ever. gay"
The company says that IL Is 1t loss TO
understand why the passengers com
planned, as there were believed to be am
Pile accommodations for all The boat
they say. is a good one and perfectly
worthy, and that before she left for Nome
was inspected by government representa-
tives, who pronounced her up to the re-
quirement in every particular.