The San Francisco call. [volume], August 24, 1897, Image 1

About The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913

Image provided by: University of California, Riverside; Riverside, CA

                
VOLUME LXXXII.-NO. 85.
BIG MONEY
TAKEN OUT
OF WHEAT.
Chicago Touched to the Tune
of Two Million by San
Francisco.
THE REACTION CAUSED BY THE
DESIRE FOR GAIN.
All Indications Are That the Prices Will
Take Another Jump Skyward in the
Course of a Few Days.
CJeorjsje W. r^Var. .87."5O,OOO l
Henry «I. Crocker 100.000 j
I»laurice C'a^ey 100,000 i
ITlax Krookft 100,000
Harry Wise 4J0.000
Robert McCreary 30.000 !
Jolin Cross 10,000
This is but a small partial list of the j
winners and the winnings that have de- ■
veloped locally oui of the recent continu- i
■ous rise in the price of wheat.
It ii known that there are many other?, i
but the brokers who have been operating, ;
for the lucky ones refuse in most cases to j
aivulge the names of their customers.
Many are men who are engaged in regular j
mercantile pursuits. To have it known ;
fhat they are speculating in the wheat or >
any other market would be likely to in- j
jure their credit.
All those mentioned as winners in the
preceding list have made ibeir clean-ups —
that is. they have disposed of their hold
ings of wheat and pocketed their profits.
The one exception is George W. McNear. {
He would stand to win the amount placed
opposite his name if he chose to sell at I •
the prevailing figures. He owns large
J stocks of ! spot wceat and a choice coJlec
tion of call board contracts calling for trie i
golden cereal at low prices. i
Besides the scores who are known to
have cleared in excess of $10,000 there are
many in this City and in interior towns
who have made lucky turns that have
netted them from $1000 to $10,000.
Most of the winnings have come from
Chicago. A well-known broker staled
yesterday that local commission men took
between $1,500,000 and $2,000,000 out of
Chicago yesterday for their clients.
AVhile there was considerable of a
slump or decrease in the price of wdeat
yesterday on the local and Eastern ex
changes, no one was much surprised or
disconcerted. It was the expected tnat
happened. A reaction from the continu
ously ascending prices was looked for,
tnough no one was prepared to say just
when it would come.
It is generally conceded that the break
in the boom came from the desire of the
buyers to realize and pocket their profits.
Tids movement started in Chicago, and
the weakening of the market here was in
sympathy with the turn there, and was
not due to the reported New York com
bination which has been made to bear
prices. Tuis is evidenced by the fol
lowing telegram recpived late yesterday
afternoon by Broker Bresse from Barrett,
Farnum & Co. of Chicago:
"Both wheat and corn declined to-day
on realizing sales. Think both will go
higher."
i'ne whole speculative market seems to
be affected by the movement of wheat
and corn; barley andjpork products gen
erally are on the boom. As one broker
said yesterday, "Wt;y, if you buy a spool
of cotton to-day you can double your
money on it to-morrow." In fact there is
a wild-eyed fear about all the operators
tbat something will get away from them,
and while they are ready to take advant
age of every little turn in the market all
feel that another rise is cure to come as
soon as the present reaction has run its
course.
The action of Russia in stopping the ex
port of wheat was discounted to a certain
extent, but not as fully as former experi
ence would permit, for when similar
action was taken by that nation before
wheat went much higher than the present
rise has taken it. It is noticeable in this
connection tbat the Liverpool market
■teadily advanced to-day, opening higher
ami stronger and closing at the top notch.
The brokers wnose customers have
made good winnings are Gerberding &
Co., E. A. Bresse, Cutter & Moseley, Wul
Soule, M. Blum & Co. and J. E. de ftuyter.
It is reported that Broker Bresse did a
business of 2,000,000 bushels of grain
through Barrett, Farnum & Co., his Chi
cago brokers, yesterday, tb:s being the
largest business of any one day ever done
from San Francisco on the Chicago Board
of Trade. Commission-houses which are
short say it is entirely on account of the;r
customers and they are fully protected.
There U also a heavy short interest in
barley, and should the sellers become
scared'tbere is apt to be s rapid rise in
that cereal also.
Henry Stellinß, a grain-dealer of Davis
ville, Yolo County, who came to town
yesterdny to participate in local exchanges
for a week, said when seen at the Russ
House: . . „
"In Davisville and vicinity probably not
more than 3000 tons of wheat were har
vested thia season. The barley crop fell
short one-third of last year's. The farm
ers about Davisville are holding on to
their wheat, two-tiiirds to three-fourths of
the crop beine atiil held, and what has
been sold wae general. y disposed of at
$1 50 to $1 52 a cental. Many of the farm
ers expect the price to advance to the $2
mark.
& "As a result of the high prices for wheat
The San Francisco Call
mo c rents are being demanded for grain
land and values are steadily increasing.
Many of the farmers who have been sum
mer fallowing land will do winter plant
ing in order to realize sooner on their
crops."
C. Adlcr. who has watched the markets
of the world for years, said yesterday
evening:
"In eaitorials in the Chronicle and Ex
aminer are some wild statements regard
; ing the wneat yield o> the State last year
and this. It was stated that the crop of
I last year was 4">,000,000 bushels and over
j and is as large as this year. This is a
i glaring misstatement that should not be
j permitted to go unchallenged. The actual
j facts are that this State raised just
' S-15,000 tons, or 27,919,000 bushels, last
j year. The best informed parties in the
trade do not put it any hipher this year,
and one who should know best, havinc
the best means of ascertaining true condi
tions and who was nearest the correct es
timata last year, places the crop this year
at irom 780,000 to 800,000 tons. The Gov
ernment report of August 10 places it at
36,678 : 000 bushels, or 10,000,000 bnshels too
high.
"There have been so many wild state
ments regarding the crop of the United
States this year that it is difficult to get
at the actual facts. One trade paper that
makes the crop 575,000,000 places the Cali
fornia crop at 40,000,000, and if its esti
mates of other States are in line with this
they are not worth the paper they are
written on. If you will examine th« Gov
ernment crop report for August 10, by
States, you will find that it is pretty fair,
even if it does overestimate California by
from 8,000,000 to 10,000,000 bushels. For
instance, Kansas is credited with 49,000,
--000 and the State report does not claim
any more than that. I can't see where
any of the States are underestimated.
"SinC3 this report crops have deteri
orated decidedly in the Northwest, and I
doubt if any of the States will raise as
much merchantable wheat as is given,
the total of which is 4(3O,OCO,OOO bushels;
but even any that the United States shall
raise 475,000. 0U0 bushels, it is far from the
figures given by those whose means of in
formation are far inferior to those of the
Government.
"Now. so far as the actual position of
wheat in the world's supply is concerned,
every one will concede that tlie reserves
have been run down to as low a point as
possible. This will give us a clean sheet
to start with; no old stock and unknown
quantity of reserves to hamper us. The
importing countries import when Ihey
have fair stock and reserves on nand, but
ti-is year Russian, German, French and
Italian crops are far below an average, so
that the requirements of those countries
will be at least 450,000,000 busnels.
"Now, what can the exporting coun
tries do during this crop year? The
United States with 475,000 000 bushels
can spare from 100,000,000 to 110,000.000
Dushels ; Canada, 30,000,000. Russia with
fair reserves aim a fair crop exported last
year 112,000,000 bushels, but how much
can she spare this year with the above
conditions reversed? Probably not over
70,000,000. The Danubian countries ex
ported out of their large reserves and ex
tra large crop last year 60,000,000. With
reserves exhausted and a poor crop this
ypar they will not export more than 30,
--000,000. Austria-Hungary will be an im
porter instead of an exporter this year.
Other exports fr- m Australia, Argentine
and other countries will increase this 60,
--000,000, making a total of wheat to be ex
ported from all the world of 320,000,000, to
meet a demand for 450.0C0 000, making a
deficit in the supply of tv« world of 130
--000,000 bushels."
Commenting on the wheat and cereal
j situation generally from a standpoint
which takes into consideration conditions
in this market and wheat-producing coun
tries, E. A. Biesse, a prominent member
of the Produce Exchange, said yesterday:
"In Chicago there are but 1,500,000 bush
els of wheat in stock. Shipments exceed
j supplies each ray from 50,000 to 100,000
bushels. Tne wheat there now has been
sold, and in order to rill September con
tracts it will keep many of the railroads
busy hauling wheat from Kansas and
Missouri, as these two States seem to be
the only ones having any available sur
plus. It seems that a corner could be
easily run in September wheat. I would
not be short of it under any consideration.
This is certainly not a year for the short*.
They are giving back all the money they
bare made during the past five or six
years,
"I don't think the result of this year's
crop will exceed 600,000,000 bushels,
whereas 600,000 000 bushels was the esti
mate sixty days ago. The spring crops
have diminished fully 20,000,000 bushels.
The Northwest will yield about 120.000.000
bushels, one-third ot which will be what
ia known as rejected wheat. The other
will be milling wheat. Minneapolis lias
SAN FRANCISCO, TUESDAY MORNING, AUGUST 24, 1897.
been forced to go to Kansas for her sup
plies, something never known before.
"They are talking $1 25 wheat in Chi
cago during September.
"We hear a great deal about increased
acreage in the Argentine, winch may or
may not be true. We heard the same
thing last year, but the result was that
Argentine was without wheat for ship
ment this year, No one can have any
definite idea of the crop of that country
until it is being taken to the river for
shipment, which will not be until about
tne middle of January.
''There is no disguising the fact that
foreign countries are short 400,000,000
bushels of wheat, and as America is the
only available source of supply, for the
present there is no reason to expect prices
to decline. The -uppiy is in such a con
dition in the market centers that corners
may be easily run.
"The conditions of 1807 have never be
fore been known. There have been years
when there has been a shortage, but the
general shortage that prevails now has
never been equaled.
"Back in 1882 wheat sold at $1 50 a
bushel. There was not as much reason
for that price then as there is now.
"The corn crop is another thine that is
going to attract attention. Foreigners
have learned to use corn to a much larger
extent during the last four or five years
than heretofore. The export of this
cereal last year was 175. 000,0.^0 bushels, as
compared with 70,000,000 the year before,
32.000,000 the year previous to that and
about 15,000,000 the year before th it. The
crop this year will not exceed 1,800,000,000
bushels.
"It is true that old stocks from last
year are large, but they are owned by
Armour and others who are amply aDle
to hold them until their price is reached.
The crop this year is from three to six
weeks late, and there is every reason to
expect serious damace irom frost. If a
heavy frost comes before the 20th of Sep
tember, the corn crop will not be in a con
dition to withstand it.
"It is estimated that the demand for
corn this year for foreign account will be
double what it was last year.
"For the past two years corn has been
so cheap that t: c rarmers have been waste
ful of it. They burned it for fuel and fed
it to stock, and in many other ways dim
inished the stocks far beyond what has
been expected. Corn at 40 conts is cheap.
I expect to see a big advance. The foreign
demand tor it has never been better than
at the present time.
"Then, again, take hog products. They
have been below the cost of production for
the past eighteen months. If corn shows
any great advancy. tnere will be good
grounds for expecting that they will not
remain at the present low prices.
"December pork is now selling at $8 75
a barrel. Five years ago the same option
was sold at $26 a barrel. There is cer
tainly room lor improvement.
"There is also a big shortage in rye
throughout foreign countries. America
has a good crop, and there is good reason
to believe that there will be a big advance
in the price of this cereal."
REACTION IN THE EAST.
But It Was Only the Long-Expected
Break In the Prloe of
Wheat.
ST. LOUIS. Mo., Aug. 23.— There were
scenes bordering on a panic in the Mer
chants' Exchange this morning. Just
when the bulls were most assured that
wheat would keep sailing skyward the
bottom dropped oat of the market. In
two minutes the prices dropped 5 cents.
Al the time the pit was crowded. Corn
commanded every one's attention until
George Tosson of the Nansing Commis
sion Company bid $105 for December
wheat. Ttie crowd rushed on him as if it
wanted to tear him limb from limb in the
anxiety to »ell him wheat. Jacob
Schreiner, who led the treat bull raid
Saturday, sold 40,000 buabeis at $1 05.
In exactly two minutes Schreiner
bought it back for $1 a bushel. The deal
netted a profit of $2000. As for several
days the local traders watched the mar
ket closely. Just after Tosson fixed the
price at the record-breaking point the
Chicago board showed December had
slumped to 97^. The effect was magical.
Men looked Ht the board, then ran to the
pit and offered wheat with wild abandon.
The closing prices were: September
$100^, loss 2% cents; December $1 00%,
CALIFORNIA O2T TOF.
loss 2% cents; May $1 02J^, loss 3J< cents.
NEW YORK, N. '7., Aug. 23.— The
long-expected break in the price of wheat
occurred to-day, but considering the al
most uninterrupted upward movement
of the last ten days, in which prices have
advanced about 17 cents a bushel, the re
action was comparatively slight. The
n'gures at which final trades were made
in the local market showed a loss, com
pared with the ciosing quotations of
Saturday, of \% to 2 cents.
Almost unparalleled excitement pre
vailed during the early trading. Septem
ber futures opened simultaneously with
sales in different parts of the pit at prices
ranging Irnm $1 05 1 j to $1 05^, against
$1. 05%, the closing urice Saturday, and,
influenced by heavy realizing sales for
both local and foreign accounts, broke
rapidly to $ 1 03%. Daring the decline (he
pit and surrounding floor was crowded
with scared brokers frantically endeavor
ing to unload long holdings. The situa
tion quieted somewhat after the first few
minutes; ana, following the recovery in
the C >icago market, September worked
gradually up to $1 06%, which equaled
the highest curb price Saturday and
broke the previous official record by 1%
cents. There were afterward spasmodic
periods of prices add activity, but liberal
liquidations continued throughout the
day. The official close was 51 03>£.
liecember futures onen^d at from $1 04
to $1 04 : K, against $1 03% Saturday, and
dropped by quiet stages io $1 02, then re
covered partially, but eased again and
closed at $1 01£.
Continental iiou-es were heavy sellers
throughout, the day, notwithstanding ru
mors that the Russian Government is
meditating tho promulgation of a decree
prohibiting the exporting of wheat owing
to the great, crop shortace in Southern
Rusia and the report that France will
probably remove or lower the duty on
wneat. English houses also sold on a
liberal scale. .Furenases for foreign ac
count were extremely light, aggregating
only about 40,000 bushels.
FAURE WELCOMED TO RUSSIA.
Reception of the French President
Completely Eclipses That of
the German tmperor.
ST. PETERSBURG, Russia, Aug. 23 —
The President of France arrived at Peter
hof at 11 :30 this morning. He %as met by
the Czar, who greeted him with the
utmost cordiality and embraced him.
Faure was the recipient of an enthusiastic
ovation from the populace on the way to
the palace.
The popularity of the reception accorded
Emperor William on his recent visit to
Kuisia was completely eclipsed by the
welcome to President Faure. Peterhof is
en fete, the palace is a bower of decora
lions and the tri-color is everywnere in
evidence. Men and women waar it and
children carry the French flag. The din
of "Tne Marseillaise," performed every
where by inexperienced persons, is deafen
ing. Wiierever there is a piano nothing
else is pluyed and sang, and every band
is practicing the air.
The ollicial reception of President Fanre
was warmly cordial, but being ruled by
etiquette tiid not exceed that of Emperor
William. The Czar, toasting Faure at a
banquet at the palace to-night, recalled
his own reception in France and said:
"We delight to hope that your stay
among us and the sincerity of tbe
sentiments it awakens will draw yet to
gether tbe bonds of friendship and sym
pathy uniting France and Russia."
Faure thanked the Czar in behalf of the
French people and added : "I have come
to Russia to affirm and strengthen further
the powerful ties already binding Russia
and France."
Armenian* 'Korea to Confett.
COXSTaNTINOPE, Turkey, Aug. 23.—
The confession* of two Armenians ar
rested on Saturday, at whose residence
two bombs were found by tbe police, are
said to have been prompted by the
Turkish authorities. The prisoners are
alleged to have conie.-sed that they In
tended to use the bombs at the Russian
and German embassies.
Bey of Tunia to Abdicate.
PARIS, Fkance, Aug. 23.— The Fi-aro
to-day publisher a report to the effect
that the Bey of Tunis, Badi Ali, will
shortly abdicate in favor of his son, and
take up bis residence at Nice.
ONE MORE
BRYAN PASS
The Nebraska Orator Used
It From Ogden to
San Francisco.
HIS ADMIRERS ARE AMAZED.
Issued on "Advertising Ac
count," but No Trace of
Advertisement Found.
AJ OBG.U QUICK TO THE RESCUE.
But It Does Not Get the Orator Out
of His Embarrassing Po
sition.
If discovery of the use of a $10 pass by
William Jennings Bryan was a horror
here's another horror to clap picturesquely
on the rim horror's head. Mr. Bryan also
rode lrora Ogden to San Francisco on a
pass. Mr. Mills of the Southern Pacific
could have told of this long ago. Dut main
tained silence until yesterday. It is said
that W. W. Foote knows ail about ttiis
pass, but he steadfastly denies that such
is the case.
The announcement that while in this
State W. J. Bryan traveled on a pass has
excited his admirers to a condition of
wrath. Realizing that they cannot deny
the fact they stoutly defend it as having
been a matter of course and perfectly
proper. But if this view of the case is
correct why the anger? Why the charge
that a good man and a great man has
been maligned?
The Examiner, which if not engaged in
presenting itself with floral tributes, kow
towi to the name of the Nebraskan, yes
terday published a telegram irom him,
meant to be explanatory, but failing to ex
plain. The dispatch came from Sheridan,
Wyo., and was as follows:
I am stockholder in World-Herald. Southern
Pacific transportation was furnished on adver
tising account
With this as a basis the Examiner pro
ceeds to demonstrate with, the lucidity of
bogwater that traveling on a pass which
has been given in lieu df money in paying
for an advertisement is entirely legiti
mate. It adds, almost unnecessarily, that
it has itself no contract with tbe Southern
Pacific, neglecting toclarify the statement
by any mention of the $30,000 arrange
ment it had for a time. Perhaps, bow
ever, this is a digression, and anyway
there is no present design of causing the
journalistic champion of Bryan any pain.
Mr. Bryan, as stated in the beginning,
did not merely travel on a pass while
here, but he came from Ogden to San
Francisco on the same seductive s:yle of
transportation. His pass for his longer
journey was procured on an order from the
World-Herald, with which, on the au
thority of that publication, Mr. Bryan has
not been connected since be was nomi
nated for the Presidency. A stockholder
in a paper is not known by that cir
cumstance to be entitled to free rides.
Mr. Bryan was once a stockholder in a
small amount, but if that relation still
continues it is not important
According to telegrams from Omaha,
the paper in question carries no Southern
Pacific advertisement, a detail that seems
to have been overlooked. To issue a pass
on advertising account in good faith
would seem to the unbiased observer to
require the presence of an advertisement.
It is explained by Mr. Mills that such ac
counts are sometimes opened with papers
of good standing even if there is no adver
tisement. But the Southern Pacific does
not sh ower favors gratuitously. When it
bestows the boon of a free tide its com
pensation is in sight even though invisi
ble to the naked and un practiced eye.
Is it to be thoueht that a journal with
which Bryan has been connected, in
wnich he now proclaims himself a stock
holder, is being gathered into the folds
of a gigantic railway monopoly? Such is
a distressing possibility projected into a
situation that Bryan and his following
have already found uncomfortable.
It is supposed that Mr. Bryan did not
realize that to ride on a railroad pass in
California is a privilege that many people
willingly forego, becanse such a pass per
haps implies a willingness to serve t lie
Southern Pacific, and serving the South
ern Pacific is not regarded as the way to
serve one's country. For an unpretentious
citizen, who never made a speech in his
life, who never shook a frenzied fist at the
wicked corporations, to accept its hospi
tali y is a brand upon his fair name, if
anybody finds it out. and at best a load
upon bis conscience. If after using a Dass
he ever dare proclaim his soul his own.
the Southern Pacific has a tendency to
undeceive him by foreclosing a mortgage
on it. "\Vn2n it gives passes for actual ad
vertising this is in some degree tho case,
and when it gives them without apparent
equivalent, and because a man is a ''stock
holder" in a distant journal, the effect is
intensified. But when the man is Wil
liam Jennings Bryan, a public character,
the idol of a considerable numDer of
people, the effect becomes intensified to a
point actually bewildering and his wor
shipers stand open - mouthed, but not
dumb; no, not that.
If for Mr. Bryan to ride on a pass is
commendable, or at least nothing subject
to adverse ciiticism, the friends of the
gentleman, even ne himself, will doubt
less take pleasure in satisfying a popular
curiosity for more particulars. For in
stance, people would like to know if Mr.
Bryan always travels on passe?; if when
his proud breast heaves with indignation
at railroad aggression hit rocket bulges
with complimentary tickets from the cor
poration she belabors. They would like to
know how Mr. Bryan got his st< ck, how
long be has had it, and wbv, and the rela
tion of the stock to a series of inexpensive
trips. They would like to know why the
Southern Pacific gives passes to a paper
that does not print advertisements for it.
Also why the Bryanites are so touchy on
a subject that they Delieve can't hurt the
upright, although laid bara to the gaze of
the universe.
Perhaps Mr. Bryan may find time to
enlighten, and it might be well for him
to understand that the Examiner, while
perhaps fitted by experience to be an
authority on railroad contracts and mat
ters of like nature, is being forced ipto an
embarrassing position by Mb conduct,
and won't be a good organ on this oc
casion. Speaking of contracts to the
Examiner is mentioning the gallows in the
house of ilie hanged, a breach of manners
most reprehensible and beyond forgive
ness.
J>tt. Ji UVK •' la HBLD.
Hl* JDaitardly -P/«t to Destroy Hi*
Wife's Beauty.
CHICAGO. 111., Aug. 23.— Dr. Jame3 0.
DncKer, the professor of a rost-graduate
medical college, who is charged with at
tempting to destroy his rich wife's features
with sulphuric acil, was held for th>
Grand Jury to-day and lalten to j>»il. ; Tae
chief witness, Charles W. Hill, said be ar
rived in Chicaeo on August 9 and began
selling shosstrines. On Wednesday, Au
gust 11, he was accosted by Ducicer.
"He said he- had. a r job for me," con
tinued Hill, "which was very, importani
and secret. It was to take a bottle of
some stuff be gave me and dash it in a
youLg wonian's face." ' ■■"'■. ■ ;■;•; :
He accepted the commission and i went
to \ Mrs. Ducker'a home to locate her.
Overcome by her beauty, he told her what
he had been hired to do. He met Mr.
Ducker later and received the Dottle and
final instructions. Charles Peterson, At
torney Burritt Smith and two detectives
watched them. . v ; •: ,
"I don't want to kill or blind her," Hill
said Dr. Ducker told , him, "but just- to
destroy her complexion, because she is
such a pretty woman." ■■';;■.
t ; Professor J. D. Young testified that the
bottle ■ contained sulphuric •■ acid. Detec
lives tol'i <ii witnessing the meetings of
HUlandDr. DucKer.- i
PRICE FIVE CENTS.
SKAGUAY'S
BIG CROWD
YET GROWS
Nearly Five Thousand
Men Who Are Caught
in the Crush.
THE TRAIL CLOSED FOR
REPAIRS
Dynamite Being Used to Open
Up the Pathway to the
Klondike.
MANY TOTTERING AIONG IN
VAIN WITH HEAVY PACKS.
Some Hard-Luck Storlo3 Brought
Down From the North by the
Steamer Rosalie.
SKAGUAY, Alaska, Aug. 18.—
They still don't move here. Since
the steamships George E. Starr,
Rapid Transit, Noyo and Rosalie
have arrived with over 2000 more
enthusiastic gold-hunters the rop
ulation of Skaguay has increased
to nearly 5000 men and probably
SO women. Meetings have b^en
held every evening, and some
times during the day, to devise
ways and means out of the pre
dicament in which every one who
lands finds himself. The "rapid
transit" meetings, so to speak,
were started by the lawyers,
bankers and other professional
men who have come with more
gold in their pockets than they
will take out of the Klondike, for
the very good reason that they
cannot get there.
There is enough money in camp
to start a bank with a paid-up
capital of $300,000 if there is a
cent. All have hand fuls of double
eagles and wads of bills, and they
do not hesitate to flash it on occa
sion.
The trail is closed— closed for re
pairs. It needs a great deal of re
pairing, but may remain closed
only a few days. The time is rap
idly approaching when Skaguay
must remain a winter town for
everybody on the ground whether
the trail, which has never really
been open, remains closed a few
days or a few weeks.
A meeting was held this fore
noon at which it was decided to
allow no one on the trail beyond
the foot of the first hill until the
footing is sure for mule and man.
Volunteers were called for to pro
ceed at once to place the trail in
good condition and about fifty
men responded.
Each party camped here will be
called upon to furr. ish a certain
quota of men in rotation. The
dynamite ordered a few days ago
has arrived and will be used to
blow the impeding bowlders and
granite cliffs into an open way.
Violent explosions were heard
thundering down the canyon this
afternoon.
Beginning with the few on the
summit of the White Pass and
coming down along the winding
trail to tidewater and the town
there are not less than 6000 people
tottering under heavy loads or
resting on the shady side of preci
pices or camped alongside of some
rushing rivulet of ice-cold water.
Those who have reached the sum
mit, or are close on either side of
it, doubt that they will be able to
pack their outfits to the far-away
lakes which feed the Yukon.
What are those back in Skaguay
going to do? They are "rattled,"
and don't know. They could make
progress if they went to Dyea,
five miles around a point of recks,
over which the spray dashes, but
they will not go. They are stick
ing to Skaguay like a stage subject
hypnotized to a chair.
HAL HOFFMAN.
IN FEARFUL CONDITION.
News of the <■ rowded State of
Affalr3 at Dyea md Skajjuay
Brought by the Rosalie.
fEATTLt, Wash., Aug. 23.— 1t was 9
o'ciock this morning when the steamer
Rosalie got into port from Alaska, with
but few returning passengers and no news
or gold' from the Klond ke.
The condition of affairs at Dyea and
Skaguay, where the start is made to cross
th« summit to reach the lakes and r.vers
en route to the Upper Yukon country, is
reported as getting worse daily. Goid
bunters continue to arrive by the iiun