Amador ledger. (Jackson, Amador County, Calif.) 1875-19??, 1901-02-01
NOTES FROM OUR CORRESPONDENTS
QUITE A SEVERE STORM NOW
ON IN ALASKA.
The Death of Miss Susie Kirkland In
the Hawaiian Islands.-An
Explosion.
SKAGwAY, ALASKA, Jan. II, 1901.
Dear LEDGER:

SKAGwAY, ALASKA, Jan. II, 1901.
Dear LEDGER:
We are in the midst of the
worst blizzard of the season thus far
and those who have been here since '97
say they have seen nothing worse.
The mercury is 6 below zero, and a
furious gale blows from the north
Snow began falling yesterday and has
been coming more rapidly every hour
until now, at the distance of block, it
is difficult to tell man from a horse,
and when a gust of drifting snow is
added we cannot see across the street.
l stood on the wharf short time ago
and the water was as obscure as in the
darkest night. The Dyea mail boat
has not attempted the trip for two days.
We enjoy the experience for our
rooms at the steam heated Hotel Dewey
are warm and comfortable and there is
plenty to interest, excite and thrill.
The few upon the streets are well pro-
tected by fur and wooden clothing.
Dogs and horses seem to take the
weather as matter of course. The
year, is twice as thick as it grew in
a warmer climate, showing how Nature
adapts its creatures to their surround
ings.
No trains have crossed White Pass
Summit for 48 hours. Both passenger
trains are stalled in the drifts. Yester-
day morning at 4, Supt. Rogers started
with rotary snow plOw and a crowd
of shovelers. At 6, last evening, he
had passed the Summit, and the cuts
he had cleared were rapidly filling.
This morning both rotary plows are re-
ported disabled, the storm is increas-
ing and engines stalled between Skag-
way and White Horse. So much for
the railroad. Fighting King Boreas
on rock bound Lynn Canal is another
story.
Three steamers are now overdue
from 20 to 70 hours. No telegraph to
give any idea of their wherea bouts,
Not lighthouse or whistiing buoy
along this most dangerous route in
wrecks occur each year, five at least in
the past six months, where the Clara
Nevada went down two years ago with
all on board. This Indifference of our
government is q shameful contrast to
the energy of the Canadians in the im-
provement of the Upper Yukon. And
we have no redress except to plead,
kick and petition, until we get some
thing like justice. The taxes paid last
year by Alaskans into the U. S. Treas
ury amounted to over 5000 600, of which
about one-faurth was expended for
Alaska's benefit, or rather for the bene-
fit of the whole country. Seattle owes
her immense prosperity of late, largely
to the development of Alaska aud the
fact that last summer the w. p. & Y.
r. r., earned over a million dollars
month, gives some idea of the value of
the business to the country. Every
part of the Union receives benefit by
the increased demand for supplies from
this region.
Sunday, 18th. Storms undated.
Supt. Rogers telegraphs that he has
abandoned all efforts to open the road
for the present. Attendance at
churches surprisingly large. The "leet
of Seattle'' and AL. HI. arrive safely.
14th. Storm still raging. Mercury
IA below, the coolest ever known here.
Soldiers detailed as lire patrol. Many
stores closed.
Thursday, 18th. Since the 18th the
cold has been from to 10 below. This
storm is record breaker. Coal get
ting scarce, railroad still blockaded.
Very little business done. WIN mail
this on the "Dolphis" tonight and tell
you the rest next week. G. H. G.