History of Dawson City, Yukon, Canada

Skaguay, Alaska, Nov. 7. - Returning Klondikers arriving in this city today bring the news that the City of Dawson has been visited with a $500,000 fire, in which forty buildings were burned, including the new Post Office structure and some of the best houses in the city.

The fire took place on the morning of Oct. 16. It started in the Gree Tree saloon, as the result of a quarrel between two women. BELLE MITCHELL, it is said, threw a lighted lamp at another woman. The lamp was broken, the oil spread, and in a few seconds the building was ablaze.

At the time the fire alarm sounded, a light wind was blowing down the Yukon and the people at once saw that it would require destruction. The Post Office was the next building south of the Green Tree saloon, and the work of getting the mail matter out was quickly done. Although nearly all the mail was saved it was in great confusion. All that remains to show where formerly forty buildings stood are a few blackened logs, and the town was...

Loss Variously Estimated at From One to Four Millions.

City Helpless Till Navigation Can Be Resumed - People in a State of Panic After the Fire.

SEATTLE, Washington, May 21. - The long-expected catastrophe at Dawson has occurred, and three-fourths of the town lies in ashes, while hundreds of miners and shop keepers, gamblers and saloon men, are living in tents, sleeping on the snow in blankets, or moving up the creeks into the settlements at the mines.

Stark Humes, son of Mayor T. J. Humes of this city, brings a direct and circumstantial story of the loss. He arrived at Victoria this morning, and wires details of the story here.

According to Humes, a veritable panic reigned in Dawson the day after the fire, because hundreds of tons of provisions were burned up, and it will be at least five weeks before any considerable amount can be obtained from the outside.

An area of ground three-quarters of a mile long and four blocks in width was eaten over by the flames, leaving...

Part of the Business Portion of the City Destroyed - Great Suffering Likely to Follow.

SEATTLE, Washington, Jan. 16. - The steamer Danube at Victoria, from Skagway, brings news that a large part of the business portion of Dawson was wiped out by fire on the night of Wednesday last.

A dispatch was received at Skagway on the same night. The loss will exceed $500,000. There are no names of the buildings or list of losses.

The Skagway operator says that great suffering will undoubtedly follow the fire, as the temperature at Dawson was 40 degrees below zero, with the wind blowing.

The city is without a water supply.

SEATTLE, Washington, Sept. 24. - The largest fire since 1899 occurred at Dawson last night. The loss is estimated at a quarter of a million dollars, with no insurance. The fire originated in the kitchen of the Cecil Hotel, formerly the McDonald Hotel, at Queen and Second Streets, and swept both sides of Queen Street, between Second and Third Avenues, as far south as the McDonald Trading Company, at Second Avenue, and the Westminster House, at Third Avenue.

The Fire Department pulled down several structures on the north, preventing further spread of the flames.

Dawson, or Dawson City, a river-port of the Yukon district, Canada, is on the right bank of the Yukon River, below the mouth of the Klondike, and is the centre of the Klondike gold region. It is in the midst of beautiful scenery, at the base of Slide or Dome Mountain, regularly laid out, and has banks, stores, hospitals, warehouses, etc. Good wheat, oats, and barley have been raised and ripened here. The temperature in summer rises to about 90° in the shade, and in winter falls to —50° or lower. The city, which was in considerable part destroyed by fire in 1899, is situated at an elevation of about 1400 feet above sea-level and 1500 miles above the mouth of the Yukon River. It is reached by a fleet of river steamers and is in telegraphic communication with Skagway. Dawson, which dates from 1896, is near the site of old Fort Reliance. Pop. in 1901, 9142; in the early days of the gold excitement, probably not less than 20,000—25,000. Lat. about 64° 5' N.

Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park: Start your Dawson City adventure with a visit to this park, where you can learn about the Klondike Gold Rush of 1898. Explore the exhibits and watch informative films that bring this captivating era to life.

SS Keno National Historic Site: The SS Keno is a well-preserved historic paddlewheeler that offers a glimpse into the transportation methods of the gold rush era. Take a guided tour to learn about its history and significance.

Dawson City Museum: Dive deeper into the town's history at the Dawson City Museum. It houses an extensive collection of artifacts, photographs, and interactive displays that showcase the Gold Rush, Indigenous culture, and more.

Diamond Tooth Gertie's Gambling Hall: For some lively entertainment and a taste of the town's wild past, visit this historic casino and dance hall. They offer nightly can-can shows, gambling, and a friendly atmosphere.

Midnight Dome: Hike or drive up to the Midnight Dome for...