Show PRICES AND TEMPERATURE The Klondike Is not only losing Its 5 pOPularity but most of its population previsions are high and the temperature tempera-ture is loW This Is the worst winter so far that the settlers recall Severe storms are raging and an exodus to S the cOASt has begun Ordinarily the cold Is not so intense as returned miners are wont to declare I if the report of a government observer I whqhsjust returned from Dawsi may JOe relied tpon and it is ghen6il as a bull Unfof the department of Hi her t Wazlilngton He as that the average temperature for December 1897 at Ft Yukon whIch Is just within the Arctic circle was S degrees 1 elow zero January was 24 degrees de-grees below February 29 degrees below be-low The cIdest day was Jan 16 1898 when the Ithennometer registered 62 degrees de-grees below zero For the ten day from Feb 14 to 23 the readings below zero w re 40 48 52 52i 42 52i 54 42 56 38 Oldtimers are unanimous In saying that the wInter of 18978 was the mildest ever known In northern AIaslca Be that as it may says Mr Dun ham whose experiences and observations observa-tions form the basis of the bulletin the weather In the Yukon last winter on account of the dryness of the atmosphere atmos-phere and the absence of winds was almost al-most uniformly pleaSant A temperature tempera-ture of 50 degrees beloW zero there brings no more discomfort than 10 de green below In the Dakotas The writer has experienced far more disagreeable dis-agreeable weather In Minnesota and Montana than that vhlchpreailed last winter at Circle City The contrast of the present season Is finding many people poorly prepardd who were apparently counting on the climate of a year ago Hence the higher prices and the exodus Even last winter win-ter food prices Were out of sight as the saying goes Condensed milk sold for 3 per can tobacco was 5 to 10 per pound coal oU was 40 per gallon and whisky was 40 to 70 per gallon Flour brought lEO per sack of fifty pounds moose meat could be had at 1 to 125 per pound IIi a semloffiCIl1 statement embodied in the bulletin a representative of the Alaska Commercial company says In my opinion the difficulties in regard re-gard to the food supply will be twenty times more serious this rear than last and unless immediate steps are taken to get the destitute people out of the country the government will be obliged to issue rations to at least 10000 people at Fort Yukon and St Michaels during the coming winter Firewood cost 40 per cord during the winter as a rule though in some special spe-cial cases ISO and 75 was paid Nails sold for 5 per pound When small boats began to arrive in May bringing fresh vegetables eggs and fruit oranges or-anges and lemons sold as fast as they could be handed out at 150 apIece and apples at Sl apiece and even as late as June 12 oranges sold for 75 cents apiece The first eggs brought down the rIver sold for 18 per dozen Oys ters on the opening of navigation sold for 20 per can but by June 25 had dropped to 10 per can As late as June 25 tobacco was selling at retail for 5 to 750 per pound cigars quality not stated mind you 25 per hundred and cigarette 50 cents per package Clothing is retailed in proportion I Sack suits are mad for 100 to 150 each Dress suItsthough what they are good for at Dawson except possibly possi-bly for masquerade purposes is un lmownbring 200 to 250 each A couple of peddlers who took a cargo of handmedown clothing into Dawson last summer cleared 4S0OO on the transaction it Is said The munificent sum of 60000 was cleared on 2000 gal Ions of whisk shipped In by one enterprising en-terprising and highlyfavored individual individ-ual Restaurant prices soar like kites along the Yukon A bill of fare rises out of the hands of a tenderfoot like I a toy balloon the moment he picks It up lush and milk at 150 per bowl Think of It A doughnut and a cdp of coffee 125 It ought to be a nugget and a glass of champagne at that prIce A potterhouse steak 5 When used for halfsoling shoes a slight discount I dis-count is made no doubt Beans for 2 per plate They ought to be good at that figure The bulletin gives an example of a leading Dawson restaurant having a seating capacity of thirtytwo employed em-ployed three cooks one of whom was paid 100 per week the otbers1 per hour The waiters received 50 per week The proprietors paid 900 per month rental for the building a canvas can-vas structure 20x40 in size As an illustration of the prosperity which attends the establishment of a gold standard and nothing goes but gold In Klondlke the following cases are gIven The leading gambling house and dance hall employs three bartenders two weibhers of gold dust a bookkeeper bookkeep-er and a porter The bartenders receive re-ceive 15 per day the bookkeeper fi epi I 1750 weighers 15 i porter 10 in the gambling department the employees get 20 a dy each In the dance hall twelve women are employed at50 each per week and 25 per cent commission I on aU drinks and cigars sold through their blandishments The establishment establish-ment pays 10 a barrl for wafer using two barrels a day The proprietor of the leading saloon reports that his receipts re-ceipts for the first three days after his grand opening in March amounted to 15000 and his aerage daily bar receipts re-ceipts from April to June 20 was over 2000 The Pavilion a variety theatre and I dance hall opened about the middle of I June and the bar receipts the first night were 12200 It had three actors and six actresses under engagement at I 150 each per week Eight girls are I employed in the dance hall reeehing a i 25 per cent commission on refreshments refresh-ments consumed by their partners As champagne sells in this establishment for 40 a pint and is frequently called for their earnings are large even measured by KlondiIe standards one girl admitting that her commissions for the first week amounted to 750 But what does this prosperity fulfill Each beneficiary in turn Is compelled to pay over the result of his extortion to another or tto throw it all aside and flee to the coast some day for aety It is a price standard that help the gamblers mainly just as the Wall street standard helps the speculators and the brokers of this country It is I a standard that enables a few to amass great wealth In devious WaYs and I compels many to pay more than they can afford for the use of such a system sys-tem It works differently In Dawson and In the street but there Is a remarkable re-markable resemblance in the results attained at-tained |