The sun., 1900-07-05
SMALLPOX AT CAPE NONE.
TWO STEAMERS BRING TIE DISEASE
70 THE NEW MINING CAMP.

dents to Steamers On tho Trip North.
NOME. Alaska, June Is-No one could have
predicted month ago the state OF confusion
which exists on the Nome beach this week. and
few would have ventured to predict any such
chapter OF marine accidents ~ have occurred
In Behring Sea within the last fortnight Four
teen thousand gold hunters have already landed
at Nome, and not more than two-thirds OF the
number OF vessels engaged In the northern
Alaska trade have reached this port on their
first trips All the steam vessels expect TO make
three more trips from San Francisco or Seattle
to Nome before the end OF the serson. and all OF
them are looking for large passenger lists on all
except perhaps the last voyage.
Two great steamships have been auarantincd
here on account Of an outbreak OF smallpox
on board and not passenger ora pound Of
freight is allowed TO land from them The
beach Is elutted with freight until the
waves threaten 10 wash 1t way. and at least
nine tenths OF the inhabitants are exiting In
tents or with no shelter ata
A case OF vurioloid which Is capable OF spread
ing into a more virulent type OF smallpox. has
broken cut in the great mining camp Egg
Island. twelve miles west OF st Michael. has
been made a place Of de.en''on for the small
pox patients. and the two ships on which the
disease was discovered-thn Ohio and the Santa
Anna-are anchored In the vicinity.
There Is almost an utter absence OF civil or
military government in ths Cape Nome district.
as well a. In the whole territory Of northwest
eln Alaska. and the situation was an ugly one
lsst week when the Ohio came in with her two
smallpox patients and her other passengers
insisting strenuously on coming ashore. Li.ut.
d. X. Jarvis. OF the revenue cutter service. is
stationed here on duty 10 Treasury special
agent. and he Immediately took radic,l
measures 10 maintain the health Of Nome
and to avert the imminent danger OF a
scourge OF disease Acting under the elastic
pow gran ed to him In his In .tructions from
the Treasury Department six weeks ago,
Lieut. Jarvis ordered that the ohio:should pro-
ceed to Egg Island and remain in quarantine
there for at leas ten days. A cargo OF lumber
was shipped to that deserted place for building
a pest hospital and Lieut. Jarvis proceeded to
the island TO personally superintend the quar-
antine arrangements. There was a vigorous
protest from the passengers on the Ohio. who
had come 10 the Nome coast 10 dig gold OF TO
engage in other enterprises. They realized
that loss Of time was a serious matter for
Ohio submitted with slight protest.
Lieut. Jarvis returned to Nome yesterday
morning He had been there two or three hours
when the steamship Santa Anna appeared a
mile on shore flying yellow flag The health
officer ap ointed by the municipal Government
OF Nome went out 10 the vessel with Lieut..
Jarvis and found case OF smallpox on
board. Before night the Santa Anna was also
on her way TO Egg Island
Rumors are con 'tantly circulated In the min
ing camp OF all sorts OF disaster to vessels which
are known to have left San Francisco or Puget
Sound, but have not arrived. sreatscare was
caused BY report that the big steamship Ro-
anoke from Seattle had an epidemic OF small
her passengers were detained on board for
twenty-four hours. and a searching investisa-
ton was made by the medical ofler. One sus-
picious case was finally passed fsvorably and
the Roanoke Is to-day discharging her passen-
There is now great anxiety on account Of the
non-appearance of the Garonne, one OF the
lar gest ships on the Pacific coast She Is known
10 have left Dutch Harbor al least a week ago,
and she was spoken by Q passing vessel only $50
miles from Nome several days ago.
The wrecks which were blown ashore In the
great storm which swept the coast ten days
ago have been followed by Others The army
transport Rosecrans, loaded with commissary
and Qusartermaster supplies. for Nome. is
aground In a shallow part OF Behring Sea. 200
miles from Nome, thirty miles from land She
was hailed by a passing ship. but had not yet
decided 10 accept as asslstance,
The brig Hunter OF Seattle Ia a total wreck q
few miles from Cape Romanzo.f, A Govern
ment investigation is likely 10 follow. Her
owner was aboard, ard with another man
Cape in order thathe might do some prospect
ing A days delay ensued in which a danger
GUS wind came up and an Ice noe apI cared in
the near vicinity. The brig was forced on to
sand bar Her passengers were put ashore
in deserted place near Cape Romanz nzon. and
some officers and crew from the vessel
pul 70 sea 10 the vessels steam launch In
I he steamer RAINIER of San Francisco. bound
for Nome. The distressing situation of thu
Hunters passengers was bed and the
board He refused to do this on the plea that
he was nearly out OF provisions, The Rainier
then proceeded for Nome, Soon after the
launch hailed the schooner ,ns sEnu% er
gers from the Hunter and proceeded, Ialer in
distance Of the steamers Valencia and the City
of Nome These vessels put back to Cape
Romanzof. and taking on tn" passengers Of the
Hunter, who were In danger OF starvation.
brought them 10 Nome. where they have been
Before the Valencia and the City Of Nome ar
rived the report OF the Hunters situation had
reached here. and II was known that the brig
had broken uG and that her PASSENGERS mere ,t in
revenue cutter Bear put 10 sea yesterday TO
save the passengers. She has not yet returned
The schoo er Eclipse encountered heavy ice
In Bering Sea last week. and hoe was stove
in her hull. 1t became necessary for her crew
and passengers to rsach shore In desperate
haste. and the schooner was beached on the
candy bar twenty miles north OF Cape Roman
zoif
A searching investigation will probably be
made by the Government with the object OF de-
tsrmining WIN the Rainier and the Signum
refused 70 extend aid to the distressed passen-
The most serious feature OF the situation on
Nome Beach. aside from the smallpox scare. is
the lack = accommodations for the men and
women who are rushing In from the States
Probably I, .00O persons are living in tents on
the beach or on the tundra. In many case,
these tents are the poorest kind OF shelter
eaped by r.sSs s coVered sa With sn o' ES
freight must be afrightful thing for the owners
70 see, for the good' are landed at the shippers
serious and extensive every day The otficials
OF the transportation companies are over
worked, and Is Impossible e. comply
promptly with the demands Of half the eon-
signeAs for the necessary written forms allow
ing them 10 move their gocds Yet is imros-
4 bic 10 land any more goods from incoming
ships until part OF the stun slreauy put ashore
has bern taken away.
The lack OF Steering quarters is severely felt,
and men and women who are totally unified 10
endure the ricors OF the northern Alaska eli
mate are suffering from exposure Men walk
the streets (the roads In Nome are by courtesy
called streets) every night for want OF a place
to sleep. and others roll themselves In their
blankets and lie. without shelter. on the wet
S ss n o n ss a. s SeTy
ally raw and disagreeable for several days,
Las night there was n severe storm Of mingled
rain and snow. and the sea ran so high that all
point OF putting further away when the storm
abated this morning.