Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 19, Number 8, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 1 October 1897 — SUFFERINGS OF GOLD SEEKERS. [ARTICLE]

SUFFERINGS OF GOLD SEEKERS.

Coming of Winter Forces Many to Abandon the Trails. There is terrible suffering on the Sk*guay and Dyea trails in consequence of winter’s setting in. The rainstorm that prevailed there last week was extremely severe upon the gold seekers, who were scattered along the way. The storms have destroyed their provisions and many are left with scarcely enough dry food for another meal and without money to return home. Passengers who'-arrived in Tacoma on the City of Seattle Sundaymorning estimate that there are from 600 to 1,000 men on the two trails who have not the means to purchase tickets back to Puget sound. Their statements are corroborated by letters received by the same steamer. A small number of these men may find work at Skaguay, but for the great majority there will be nothing to do for months. Many of them are poorly equipped to stand the Weather even now prevailing, which ranges from constant rain on the coast to ice and snow on the summit. Skaguay river is a raging stream no longer fordable, and wherever there is any soil, the mud is now knee deep. Men who returned to Skaguay just before the storm found many of their fellows who broke down and wept as they related the story of their misfortunes. An old man named Henshaw and his son had a large outfit two-thirds of the way over Lake Bennett, when their five horses were poisoned by wild parsnips on the meadows beyond the summit of Skaguay trail and died. Henshaw had but a few dollars left, and could neither buy more horses nor pack his outfit to the lake. Early last week the two were in despair, and the storm which followed spoiled their provisions, besides leaving them blockaded. The difficult situation of those at Dyea and Skaguay is emphasized by the fact that those who had enough money to buy passage home on the City- of Seattle consider themselves very lucky, even though they have lost S2OO to SSOO each and forty to sixty days’ work. An immense quantity of provisions has been destroyed by the storms. The men who arrived home say that flour, bacon, beans, apples and dried fruits may be seen scattered along both trails between the eoast and the summit. Two men from California worked hard pnckingJheir outfits over, but at the end of six they gave up on the summit. The rain had already destroyed part of their provisions. Of two dozen men who engaged in the packing business on .the Skaguay trail only George L. Rice made any money. He was there when the rush began and is now running two saloons and gambling places at the summit and at Skaguay. Two men have succeeded in running cables across the Skaguay river Where the bridge was washed out. They are making $45 a day ferrying people across.