New-York tribune., 1903-04-05

Now Skagway has telegraphc communlca-
ton with the outside world, as well as with
Dawson, in the centre Of the gold helds. MILLS
annear regularly and there is danger
Of a shortage of the food supply In fact'
life there is much as it is in any western CITY
of its size.
II WAS different in the early days, when
Skagway was only bit more c1v1iizeo thai'
the gold camps of the interior. Here is an in
rident which a returning hlohoihei 'oiu ''
eral years ago:
AT the hotel my partner heard of church
fair that was in progress at Skagways only
church and as there no steamer for the
South for several days, we decided to take IL
in Now church fairs in Alaska are just ike
such institutions in the States. only more So
That is if costs a dollar instead Of dime to
vote in the prettiest girl contest, and IL d
Klondil1er meets one of the candidates for the
empty honor he is supposed to poll as many
votes as a ward heeler We met three girls,
and voted a regiment
.-rbere were twelve lotteries in the room.
managed by as many enterprising women we
bought tickets at one. and had to do the same
with all the others to keep from hurting feel
incs Then there was an oyster soup, lot
which vou paid at the rate of fifty cents for
every oyster which happened in your plate
I've got oysters without soup. 1t was some
what expensive evening but we did not Ieel
done until we learned that the church
women had purchased forty yards OF carpet
new bell and a supply of hymn books, as well
as laid aside a years salary for the minister
Al as the result of that social
Skagway soon learned from Seattle that 1t
was profitable to make a business OF welcoming
I,londikers, Seattle methods were adopted, and
hough the miners are in hurry to get OUTSIDE
much of the trade is diverted.
Skagway business men now have everything
IMAGINABLE to sell, and they follow the miners
through the streets to tell them about 1t.
..rhev stuck to our trail like Malamoot dogs,
said a Dawson miner who has just come out
side after three years on the Yukon During
the first hour spent in our rooms at the hotei
We were visited by four tailors, each OF Whoih
wanted to measure us on the spot Even the
street urchns can tell klondiker IN SkaSWay.
Gimme a nugget, mister. won't yer" and a
srnning face looks up in an appealing sort or
way that is hard to resist. Woe to the miner
who is generous. He is marked man. No
sooner does a lad get nugget, be 1t ever so
,-nan, than every other boy on the street knows
Ifout if They even fight for the chance of
{ king for gold
We had not troubled to get new OUTFITS thal
dav and entered the dining room of the biggest
hotel in the blanket togs that had given such
Good service on the Yukon. Roswell had IN
>,ctad in a brilliant red tie, to be sure, ana II
,oned I'D like a small confiaSration, with lts
tIue flannel shirt background, but beyond that
our dress was unchanged.
Wen have to get some store clothes'' ne s1lo
= me as he looked about the tables hIied with
men and women in full dress. They were look
i,o at rs rather sharply and L don't blame
them.
store clothes,' said I, you mean you'll have
n have some made to order. You forget that
you're not working for wages any longer.
The people about still looked, and KOS
>eH in a louder tone than was necessary, Or
cred two quarts of champagne and tipped the
waiter with bill of two figures 1t was his
way of showing those who did not know that
there could be no question about our finances.
I'VE sent for a tailor after dinner, and were
measured for complete outfits. Jack couldn't
understand for a time why his size number
would not do all his clothes in the past had
been purchased by size. We liked the plaid pat
terms best and bought several very noisy suits,
but the tailor persuaded US to have our dress
suits entirely in black
oh yes; we ordered dress suits. Jack IN
sisted it, and paid extra to have his made
that night He did not intend to eat another
meal out of style. 1t came before noon next
day and he lost time in putting 1t on.
Don't this look great? he asked as 1 en-
tered the room; and wouldn't the gang on
EIdorado take stare if they saw me in it?