The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1897-08-19
Special San Francisco Letter. 1.

caused excitement previous to the &C.
cupation OF the country by the Ameri-
cans. A piece of native gold was picked
up Ia an excavation made for mill
race on the south fork of the American
river, at place now called Colona. BY
the end of December, lS4S, washings
for gold had been going on all along
the foothills OF the Sierra from the
Tuolunne river to the Ftather, Il dis
tance of $50 miles.
The first adventurers came from
Mexico, the South American coast and
even from the Sandwich Islands. The
excitement eventually spread east and
In the spring of lS49 the rush Of emf
grafton across the plains ana by we
of the Isthmus OF Panama commenced,
II was estimated that 100000 men
reached California during that year.
including Representatives or every
State Of the Union. The emigration to
the Land of gold continued with bua
little abatement for three years, but
the excitement fell off in marked de-
gree in 1854.
Many people who have been In Alas
ka are now dazzled by the reports from
there, and one man who has lived there
and whose business interests 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 the mans story, the camp Is owned
by a syndicate, and has been staked
out to such an extent that most OF the
S.,l ,;e,1, At
Its possession, and the people who
work there will be working primarily
for this syndicate, and not for them
selves. THE great mistake that Is
made by people contemplating trip
to Alaska" he said. "is that they are
anacquainted with the distance OF the
mining camp from that part OF Alaska
which is in the beaten track. Thou
sands OF tourists have gone to Alaska
in recent years, and they ara unac-
luainted with the condition OF the
country in which these gold fields have
been found because the point at which
they landed was hundreds Of miles re
moved from the alleged gold helds
This will be demonstrated to the men
who took passage last week. THOSE
who go now cannot, by any pos
stble way, reach the Klondike region
before September 20. The steame
stops at the mouth OF the Yukon river
at st. Michael's Island, and there th'
responsibility of the carrier stops
trom that point the man who Is look
ing for gold has to travel hundreds
miles up the river, through fields, ov
er carries and trails, and all along tn
road he will find toll gates, which hav
been erected by the syndicate. wher
toll must be paid and where baggage
is closely scrutinized to see that n
provisions are being taken into IN
country, because selling provisions
Inc perrogative OF this syndicate.
No man would travel along thes
trails without guide, and the Indian
who aid in this capacity charge enor
nous fees for their services. But eve
after man has overcome the difii
culties of the trip, he will find himsel
6eset with obstacles greater than OF
:ountered by miners in any of the sol
aelds that have yet been discovered
The winter season begins about Sel
'ember first and lasts eight months
me average temperature being 10
most of that time 90 degrees belo'
hftSl tuAt AOn6 oreooh - ~
there are two months of spring, durin
which time the prospective miner pa
make ready for work by stalking ot
a's claim. or getting things |
rights" and then comes the worklr
aeason, which Is only two month
ouring the eight months OF positi'
dieness he has been maintained b
ne syndicate, TO which he paid s4C
On entering the camp for one year
Keep and the average man, with onl
little money In his pocket to begi
BUSINESS with when the summer seaso
nmes, usually tries to make the su
larger by gambling. 1t is safe to b
neve that when the eight months I
enforced idleness are over and Il
line for actual work begins not one
zen OF those who go to the gold field
sith a little fund. will have enoue
money to buy pick and shovel II the
mould not have one. Their only reu