New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-07-25
IN PERILOUS ALASKA.
WARNINGS TO WOULD-BE GOLD SEEK
ERS IN THE UNKNOWN LAND.


VIEW OF THE MATTER
Many people who have been in Alaska are not
dazzled by the reports from there. and one man
who has lived there and whose business inter-
ests have brought him in touch with the mining
region recently opened. when asked by would
be prospector how to go to the gold fields gave
the laconic, if not original answer: Don't"
According to this mans story, the camp is
owned by syndicate, and has been staked out
to such an extent that most OF the property
which might yield gold is in its possession. and
the people who work there will be working pri-
marily for this syndicate and not for them
selves. The great mistake that is made by peo-
pie contemplating trip to Alaska" he said is
that they are unacquainted with the distance OF
the mining camp from that part Of Alaska
which is in the beaten track. Thousands of
tourists have gone to Alaska in recent years.
but they unacquainted with the condition
of the country in which these gold finds have
been made because the points at which they
landed hundreds of miles removed from
the alleged gold fields This will be demonstrate
ed to the who took passage last week
Those who so tomorrow cannot by any possible
way reach the Clondyke region before Septem-
Der l. The steamer stops at the mouth OF the
Yukon River, at ST. Mchaes Island. and there
the responsibility of the carrier stops. From
that point the man who is looking for gold has
to travel hundreds of miles up the river.
through fords. over carries and trails. and all
along the road he will find toll gates. which
have been erected by the syndicate, where tolls
must be paid and where baggage is closely
scrutiriZed to see that no provisions are being
taken into the country. because selling provis-
ions is the prerogative of this syndicate. No
man could travel along these trails without
guide, and the Indians who act in that capacity
charge enormous fees for their services
"But even after the man has overcome the diff
fculties of the trip he will find himself beset
with obstacles greater than encountered
by miners in any of the gold fields that have yet
been discovered. The winter season begins about
September /. and lasts eight months the aver
age temperature for most of that time being %
degrees below After that long season is
over there are two months of spring. during
which time the prospective miner may make
ready for work by stalking out his claim or get
ting things to rights and then comes the
working season. which is only two months. Dur
ing the eight months of positive ideness he has
been maintained by the syndicate, to which he
paid 800 on entering the camp for one years
keep and the average man, with only little
money in his pocket to begin business with
when the summer season comes, usually tries to
make the sum larger by gambling 1t is safe TO
believe that When the eight months Of enforced
ideness are over and the time for actual work
begins not one in ten OF those who go to the
gold fields with a little fund will have enough
money to buy pick and shovel if they should
not have ore. Their only remedy then is to
walk back. to engage as workmen for the
large corporation. In South America, in Africa or
in the various districts of the United States
where gold has been discovered. men have had
the opportunity. when they failed to find gold,
of going to farming or making living in many
ways But in the Alaskan country there is abb
solutely nothing to do during two-thirds of the
year and to return would be an mpossibility In
the winter time, because the SHOWS wipe out
and obliterate every vestige of the trails that
lead along the Yukon River. look upon every
man who goes into that country as not only
foolhardy. but one who runs the risk OF ex-
changing his liberty for absolute slavery.
'.The mines may yield $150OOO.OO0, like the
Aulder Gulch in Montana, but that money went
to thousands of people, while this would go 10
the syndicate, those who bought land from
them There mistaken notions, also, as to
stalking out claims in that country. man has
a right to a claim one hundred feet square. ana
he may stake out piece of that size on any
creek, but he is entitled to no more, and If he
finds no gold on any of his claims of that size.
and wishes to work further. he will be COM
PEELED to buy from the syndicate. which has land
laid aside for that especial purpose"
One of the leading mining men of this coun-
try. a man whose name is familiar all over the
land i'm speaking of the gold fever. said:
"Men will go to hell for gold no matter
whether it is discovered at the north or south
pole or at the equator. Torrid heat and frigid
cold cause the searcher for gold but little fear.