The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1896-08-30

one and that the chances are largely
against success.
OF the 100 men who landed at San
Francisco from the steamer Bertha,
after having passed several months in
Alaska, not more than half a dozen
brought back gold. Some Of them,
however, brought back store of bit
ter experience. One Of these was c.
H. Metcalfe, of Detroit He had read
last winter of the high prices which
articles of food and clothing were
bringing in the Yukon minig camps,
and he determined to become a trader
in Alaska. He went to Seattle last
February and purchased a stock of
goods weighing about 5000 pounds.
This he started to take into the inte-
rior Of Alaska. He had to pay natives
big prices to pack his heavy freight
over the steep Chilkat pass, and then
he had to build boat thirty-two feet
long in which to take it down the
Yukon.
He met with no mishaps until he
came to the dangerous White Horse
rapids In the Lewes river. The boat
had nearly passed through the rapids
In safety when the bow crashed on a
rock, and Metcalf, with every pound of
his merchandise, was spilled into the
Icy water. He narrowly escaped
drowning and managed to reach the
shore only to find himself in the midst
OF wilderness without mouthful to
eat. His man helped him build a fire
and after his clothes were dried they
started down the river, looking for
some vestige of the cargo. All that
could be found was a part Of the wreck.
q ooh sc A4
few pounds Of soaked bacon. They
managed to patch up skiff, and final
~ reached settlement. Very natural
Iy Metcalfe does not think much of
Alaska as place to do business in.
Among other passengers on the
steamer was Omer Maris, a young
man who made the trip down the Yu-
kon from Its source mainly for the pur-
pose OF taking photographs of the wild
and rugged scenery. He carried a
large camera with him and secured
hundreds of pictures. His trip was
hlled with exciting adventures and
rough experiences
John Miller, a native of Sweden, was
one of the few fortunate ones. He en-
tered the Yukon two years before and
returned on the same steamer with
Metcalfe. having in his trunk an old
boot MED with gold nuggets. He had
with hardly dollar, but he had been
there but short time when he ran
across pay dirt" staked out q claim
and In two months had twenty men
at work for him, paying them $40 a. day.
After paying out about $4,000 in wages
he had s54, 900 left as the results of a
few months work. Two or three other
passengers on the steamer had struck
1t rich to the amount or from IS. 900 to
SIC, goo. -
Two New York men who went TO
Alaska had very different experience.
They had read some alIuring accounts
or the big fortunes that were being
made In the new gold fields and had
haif decided to try their fortunes there
when they met an old acquaintance
who urged them to ACCOMPANY him
He had just returned from Alaska and
declared that he had two valuable
claims which ne would give them If
they would go along with him.
But is there really gold there?' ask
ed one of the men.
GoldP' exclaimed the veracfous tray-
eler. why, in one day last winter 7
panned out $50 worth Of nuggets and
dust through a hole cut In the Ice"
That settled 1t for the two New York
ers. They gave UP good positions. took
what money they could get together.
and after long journey across the
continent reached Seattle. From there
| they sailed for Cooks inlet, and finally
reached Sunrise City. For three weeks
they washed out dirt without finding q
sign OF yellow metal. They also dts
covered that the Ice In winter there was
about IL feet thick and was often COW
| cred three or four times as deem nv
snow. 30 they concluded that their