Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1897-08-26

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where and destitute of everything. Can
you blame any Of US for our feelings
After we learned that no gold was to be
unearthed here are you surprised that
10 ont of Is in our party turned back in
despair. Have not seen them since
They went back to Telegraph Creek.
| Three of US went on down the lake
doing what we called prospecting, but
I know today that our work was not
thorough and couldn't expect to find
anything. Got to Hootalinqua river
and 90 miles down came to q camp OF
miners rocking the bars. We stayed
there from August 2 until September l.
| Our party had now dwindled to two and
we made $500 between US while
rocking here. Bars are nothing but the
bank of the stream. Twenty-seven
miles from the mouth of the Hootalin-
qua are the Cassiar bars. AS high as
$3.50 per day has been rocked out there.
We went down to Cassiar, rocked one
day, and while at work they told US of
the great discovery at Klondike. Then
we hurried on, passing over everything
and shaking in our boots when going
through Five Fingers. These are great
rocks extending above water like a
| mans hand, with water channels be-
tween the fingers. Take the one to the
| right --and you are safe. Below the
"fngers" are Rink Rapids, a reef of
| rocks running across the river. There
| is no danger for a person who keeps his
boat to the left shore. In fact can run
| this river safely from head of Lake Tes-
lin to the Yukon river. Fifteen miles
down we ran upon an Indian cabin.
Expecting that we would need furs and
dried meat we traded tobacco for some
Back on little creek near by we saw
them fishing and concluded to try our
band at it. Their fisherman's outfit is
different than we use. They had large
poles 16 or1S feet long with grab hooks
at the end. When we got near the
creek we saw the reason for the grab
hook. Fish were so thick we could
almost walk across the stream on their
backs. They were salmon. The sal
mon comes up these tributaries to
spawn and to die and when they ap-
pear it is in great numbers. When
they get back to the ocean they turn
white. Here we put in a big supply and
the Indians dried them for us.
Pushing on we got stuck on a sand
bar lower down and had to stay there
week with ice floating dangerously
around us, but it finally cleared up and
we ran into Dawson, then a city Of two
cabins and thirty tents. Everybody
was busy. While there met some gen
tlemen going to Forty Mile. They gave
us pointers where to lind INDICATED
claims. At the time we arrived at DaW-
son city claims had all been located.
You ask is there any such thing as get
ting claim on the Klondike now? |
say, no ! Not unless a new creek has
been discovered. We found 900 claims
located, but with our information started
off TO locate too. This was the first
time we put pack on our backs, 60
pounds each. Were gone five days.
Took in Bonanza and Hunker districts,
then returned to Dawson expecting
to winter there. Made our cabin and
along came miner without provis-
ions, we divided with him and he
turned in and let us prospect his claim
on shares for one-half. Wemade most
Of our money here in ~ days work.
Prospecting is done in that country
differently than here. Gold is not
found in the ground, it is found in the
bed rock by the ''burning process" !"
A fire is kindled, lots of wood piled on,
and then green brush put over the
top. The brush is intended to hold
the heat down. By this method
miners dig from six to eighteen inches
per day and when they get to bedrock,
perhaps five feet, they know whether
they have been successful or not. You
may sink one hole, three of them, or you
may sink five, or you may crosScut the
claim and find nothing, but that does
not prove there is no gold in the
gulch. Klondike reports sent out
last winter were not generally be-
lieved, but they were true.
Camping in Alaska is the same as
anywhere else. Stove, tent and cook
jOU 11tppCi1C ara Daa6a5 Won loavo to
do your own cooking and get used to
going without eating for long stretch
at time. Pleasure is there turned
| into real work. Cabins anyone can
build. Chop your trees, place your
logs, raise them as high as you wish;
make a roof of logs, cover with moss,
and on top of this put a layer of dirt
and there you have it. Food last win
ter was very scarce. Grub, as we call
it, consists of all kinds Of dried stuff,
such as daily papers have enumerated.
Canned goods are costly and miners
don't have much of it. Anything
that will keep body and soul together
is good enough for an Alaska bill of
| fare.
After staying all winter in the
gulches many miners made up their
minds to see civilization again. We
| went to Dawson and boarded a steamer
June 10. Coming into Forty Mile we
found cabins there to accommodate
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