Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1897-07-23
A Seattle Man Tells of His Exper-
ience at the New Eldorado.
Those Who Go Without Plenty
Of Provisions Are Likely to
Suffer.

sell the horses for dog meat after
ward.
He also advises newcomers to look
for claims on other creeks beside the
tributaries of the Klondyke, the latter
river creeks promise as we'll as the
Klondyke. He says further that
gambling dens and dancing halls have
already opened in Dawson. Games of
every description are running, and
some of the miners play very heavy.
They go into the mining town in sheer
desperation at the loneliness and
gloom of winter and gamble in a reck-
less manner to break the monotony.
Price says it is hard to get along in
Dawson City on less than $50 a day,
and many Of the men spend ten times
that much. He claims that one
saloon cleaned up 100000 in three
weeks this summer.
At noon to-day the steamship Port
land leaves here for st. Michaels, with
her passenger accommodations taxed
to the limit and with full cargo OF
provisions. On the Portland will be
the second party of fortune hunters to
leave for the Klondyke since tne News
of the big finds was brought in by the
Portland last Sunday. On board will
be S. P. Weston, of the Post-Intelli
gencer, who will take with him a
dozen carrier pigeons to send news
from the Klondyke to the Associated
Press. At st. Michaels the Portland's
passengers and freight will be trans
10 vi, ctn
mile trip to Dawson City.
Tomorrow the Pacific coast steam
ship company's steamer Queen will
leave Seattle for Juneau and Dyea.
She will have full list of people who
will go into the Klondyke overland.
On Sunday the Mexico will sail from
the same point, where accommoda-
tions are engaged. To-day the steamer
Islander goes from Victoria to Dyea
and Skagaway bay, and the company's
representatives here say she will have
all she can carry. A deal has been
about closed for the purchase of the
steamers Eliza Anderson and w. j.
Mervin, sound boats, which will be
put on the route.
San Francisco, July 22-In telling, Of
her experience, Mrs. Clarence Boyce,
who picked up $4,000 worth of gold on
her husbands Klondyke claim, said:
Il took an outfit of clothes made es.
pecially for the trip. One doesn't ED
a great deal, and it is best to take no
more than is actually necessary on ac-
count of the trouble and expense of car
rying the things. My outfit cost about
$3.50. 1t included three suits of every
thing, right straight through. We left
Juneau last March with several friends,
our supplies and dog team. / put on
my Aalaska uniform there, heavy far
nels, warm dress with short skirt, moe
casins, fur coat, cap and gloves. | Kept
my shawl handy to roll up in case Of
storms and was rolled in fur robe and
bound to the sled so that when it roll
ed over | rolled with it, and many tnni-
bles in the snow / got that way. The
supplies for Mr. Boyce and myself in
Guiding his clothes, my small furs, our
stove and all our food cost about $500
and weighed about 1900 pounds. We
did not confine ourselves to bean and
bacon diet. We had plenty Of canned
meats, hams, bacon, dried fruits and
vegetables and all sorts OF canned
things besides.
1t took us three months to travel from
Juneau to Forty Mile, distance of
about 900 miles. Up TO the summit We
carried our own stores, and on the other
side hired indians. We had fresh meat
on the way-moose and caribou. We
had a fine sunshiny day to cross the
summit. but we had TO sit still and wait
two weeks for it. We got to Forty Mile
i'm June and went to the Klondyke in
October. | stayed at the post. now
Dawson City, while the boys went on TO
build a cabin. 1t tok me two days TO
walk the nineteen miles to the diggings.
There was an inch of water on the ice
and l slipped and slid in every direc-
ton going over.
II went out nearly every day when
I had finished my housework. / would
hunt the dumps for nuggets. or else
pan gold. Things were very high part
of the winter At one time We paid
$50 for a 50-pound sack of -four, and
% cents a pound extra for portage, and
were glad to get it. I paid Sc yard
for dress goods and $500 for having a
skirt made Oh, yes, there are dress
makers even up there. They sew for
the natives. Eight months Of the year
il is dark, with only about four hours
light each day. There is gray twi-
light and the men work through that.
but we often had to light the lamps at
$3.50 or 2 in the afternoon. We had
oil lamps, but the majority used can
dies. Would / go to the Yukon again?
Never. / am glad had the expert
ence. It was worth the roughing. but
once is enough. I'll stay down here
and spend the money when Mr.. Boyce
brings ii out"
Portland, Ore, July 22.-The Pacific
Coast Steamship Company has charter
ed the Oregon Railway and Navigation
Company's steamer George w. Elder,
and will put her on the line between
Portland and Alaska in the interest OF
the Portland merchants. 1t is intended
that the stekper will make her first
trip from Ind to Juneau on or
about July -
vancouve 22-The
steamer Isl gZced to sail
for Dyea, a yuI 25, and al
ready a nul Of berths have neen
taken. The er Captainoux Is ex-