The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-07-26
IMPORTATION AND ADVICE.
The Route and Manner of travelling
1t bX MnY of Juneau.


NEW YORK. July 25-The Journal says:
To the prospective miner who goes to klon-
dixie three things are necessary They
are endurance, patience and at least $1,000.
Without endurance he would never reach
the mines Without patience he would
never locate a paying claim. Without
money sufficient for transportation and a
proper outfit it would be useless for him
to start.
The last steamers have started or are
about to start up the coast for Seattle, Ju-
neau and St. Michael Already in Klondike
the nights are growing longer. Pretty soon
the sun will set directly in the south and
later on ID will peep above the southern
horizon for only an hour daily. Then the
half-starved Klondike prospector, with the
mercury at Y degrees below zero, will
snuggle down in his frozen cabin like
muskrat in its shock and dream of the
stark dead miners in Chilkat pass and along
the icy reaches of the Yukon--fools whom
dreams of gold have Iured into tempting
death in a winter journey to the mines.
1t would be extremely foolhardy for a
man to start for Klondke with less than
81 800 in his pocket. 1t would take at least
$500 to get within 1000 miles of the gold
fields, with only his travelling bag in his
hand. If he should go on without miners
kit and proper. supplies, the scarcity of food
and the exorbitant prices would take the
rest and he would find himself working
for SIS day in Klondike and paying $14
for board.
Let US say you have $1,000 in your pocket
and the time of year is favorable for a
trip to Klondike. Buy nothing but your
clothes at home. You can get all other
excess baggage. Four heavy suits of
WOODEN underwear will cost you about $12.
You will want at least two rough suits OF
working clothes, which you may get for
horror. All your dude instincts will have
vanished before you get over the pass.
You will pay about Sc for half dozen fam
mel shirts. A dozen pairs of wooden socks,
a felt hat and heavy fur cap, with
ears, may be got for. say. SIT. This will
fit you out for everything you will buy this
side of San Francisco except rifle and
revolver.
Get a Winchester-a plain, heavy, service
able gun-and have it tried before you buy
it. 1t will cost you about $50. A 45-cahber
revolver will cost you SIS more. Buy your
ammunition on the coast. You can pack all
this in your trunk and have room to spare.
You will need no boiled shirts" or stiff
collars at Klondike. Everything must be
heavy and serviceable and capable of re-
sisting great cold. You are now ready to
start for San Francisco. You can go by
any one of half a dozen routes.
AT SEATTLE.
The North American Transportation and
Trading Company runs three steamers from
San Francisco to Seattle, thence to st.
Michael, and river boats from ST. Michael
up the Yukon river to Circle City. A ticket
on the steamer Portland or EXCELSIOR from
Seattle to Circle City costs $780, and it takes
the boat fifteen days to make the trip. This
will not suit your purpose if you want to
start earlier than May l. The last boat will
leave San Francisco Aug. 80. Therefore, if
you start in March. which you probably
viii, you will go to Seattle. From there you
can take the steamer of the Pacific Coast
Steamship Company to Juneau. This is the
more feasible route for March travel and,
in fact the only one, as it is impossible to
get up the Yukon from st. Michael at that
time of the year
At Seattle you will find that the transpor-
tatlon companies Will allow you TO take no
provisions whatever on their steamers, but
they Will guarantee TO furnish you years
provisions for $500. OF course you accept
1t is the only thing you can do. Besides, in
any event. il is the most sensible thing you
could do, because the company knows just
Secure your guarantee and pay for ii be-
fore leaving Seattle. You pay SIS for your
ticket TO Juneau and board the triweekly
steamer. Three days of beautiful travel
among islands still grayish green with the
mild coast winter and you are at Juneau.
You already begin to sniff the placers from
afar. Away off TO the north are the huge,
white bulwarks which you must cross be-
fore you can reach the I'll Dorado Between
you and their SUBMITS are the league-long
levels of snow and cold - natures white
death robe.
You will find Juneau strange little
town cold half-froZen and lruddled close
to the mouth of an inland bay. The queer
little houses are dismaying. The strange
looking Chilkats walk about, peering from
beneath their hooded furs. Fish, not gold
is their ambition. Occasionally one appears
leading in leash half a dozen Withholding
dogs. AS the camel is the ship of the tropic
desert, so are these dogs the little steam
engines of the Arctic
AT Juneau you must purchase your sup
plies for the trip overland TO the mines
The first thing to be done is to buy sled
These sleds weigh about six hundred
pounds and require six dogs TO. draw them
You are not yet through buying. You must
have fur gloves They. will cost you So. You
must have mukluks. or mud moccasins for
which you pay 81. These are made of fur
seat with the fur inside They come to the
knee or all the way up the thigh, as you
may choose Get snow shoes of the lngolik
pattern for SO pair, and at last you are
ready. If you are not an experienced dog
driver woe be unto you. What you can do
is to trust in Providence and follow the
leader. This you prepare 10 do.
DOG SLEDGING.
You are Off The leaders whip cracks
merrily and away you go over the tundra,
following your worldly possessions with an