The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1897-12-09
SOME FACTS FROM
KLONDIKE LAND
g. S. Lansing Has Just Returned from
the New Gold Fields.
TeNDERFHEr SHOULD NOT BE HASTY
Lansing, Has Spent Nearly Six
Years in the Great Northern Fields
and Gives Some Information Which
viii Interest Those Who Have the
Gold Fever..lIe Fnvors Prospect.
ing on United states Soil.

Information and not "stories" from
the Klondike country is something
very much to be desired, particularly
at this time when hundreds of people
who have had no experience in gold
mining are arranging to start for the
new gold field late this winter or early
in this spring. An interview on this
subject was granted Tribune reporter
yesterday by q. S. Lansing, who has
had five and a half years experience
in the Klondike and Stewart river re-
gions and has prospected for gold in
other fields on this continent and in
South America.
Mr.. Lansing is brother of ]. A.
Lansing. president of the Scranton
stove works. and is now guest of the
latter at the Hotel Jermyn. He came
out of the Klondike country during the
autumn and reached Seattle about two
months ago. after a stay and explora-
tion of four years. This was longer
period than most prospectors can en-
dure Mr.. Lansing was favored by ex-
periencc. good health and sufficient
funds. but with these advantages he
finally suffered from scurvy and was
obliged to do as all gold dggers do
return to the states for proper food
and rest.
OF his own good fortune or personal
deprivations and experiences Mr. Lans-
ing declined to talk for publication, but
was willing to draw upon his knOwl-
edge for general outline of conditions
and circumstances about the gold
country. The facts CLEANED from him
are presented below, with the assump-
tion that The Tribune's readers are
familiar with the geography of the far
off gold fields:
FEST ROUTE TO KLONDIkE.
The best route to the Klondike is by
one of the two passes, Dyea or the
White Pass. The latter is compare
lively new route, while the other has
been used by the Indians for many
years. Parties should be at Dyea about
April I. If sleighs are used to the foot
of Lake Labarge, Dawson City ought
to he reached some time between May
20 and June l, but if boats are used
over the lakes the trip will take about
three weeks longer. If big outfits are
taken the boat method is the prefer
able.
There are about 1000 persons now at
Dawson City and in that vicinity. OF
these none but the most practiced and
experienced miners and Indians will
dare try to come out with dog teams
this winter and they can carry hardly
enough provisions to last to the sum-
NIT of Chilkoot pass. To finish the
Journey ofttimes the travellers will
have to eat dog meat and un-
dcrgo all manner of hardship.
For each outfit to make a
winter trip south it costs $1,000, and
the risk involved is more than the
bravest of men care to undertake.
In Dawson City there is already a
great deal of suffering, owing to the
scarcity of supplies and there are hum
dreds of men who have neither gold
nor claims. 1t will be impossible for
a great majority Of these to get work
from their more fortunate fellows.
Mr.. Lansing emphatically stated that
he would advise men with small capi-
tai to keep away from the gold coun-
try. In explanation he said that he
knew scores of sober, Woodworking
fellows who had been there twelve
years, off and on, and had not cent
to show for their pluck. OF the thou
sands now on the ground, not one in
twenty-five had found enough gold to
more than pay his living expenses, and
on the scores Of creeks that have been
StalJed. not one creek in twenty pays
to work.
LIABILITY TO DISEASE.
The situation might not be so criti-
cal if the liability to disease was less.
mans first year there is his best.
After that he is worked out both phys
icaly and mentally, except in individ
ual cases. Scurvy is the most common
nd 1nh to i,,u n iG n f.
tended with sluggish blood, the gums
become sore and the teeth loosened
and frequently the seriousness of the
disease makes itself known by pains
of a rheumatic nature in the legs and
a discoloration of the blood about the
shin bones
Mr.. Lansing first went to Dawson
City in 1856 and spent eighteen months,
two summers and winter, there. Up
to that time the greatest find had been
in 1885, when two men with rockers
had got out $4,000 each.
The first map of the Stewart river
and it's tributaries was made by Mr..
Lansing. He was among the first men
who went up the river in 1856 and who
has since made number Of trips along
that stream. 1t Is the second largest
branch of the Yukon and hundreds of
miners are now on its banks and bars.
Mr.. Lansing reached the farthest point
ever attained toward its source, Mt.
Jesus, 800 miles from its mouth. 1t is
useless to attempt anything like a fair
prospect along the Stewart unless at
least q years supplies are taken along
and it is necessary to have money and
men to do this. To work properly on
the Stewart one must winter there in
a comparatively desolated region.
When il is possible to get supplies
by steamer to McQuestion river the
Stewart country may be thoroughly
prospected but not before. The indica-
tions for gold are favorable. At pres
ent outfits are bought at Forty Mile
creek and poled 120 miles up the Yukon
to the mouth of the Stewart and then
100miles furtherto the McQuestion. This
takes the best part of the summer and
the average miner cannot afford to lose
so much time.
THE PAYING WORK.
Just now about all the paying work
in the vast stretch of gold country in
Alaska and British America is being
performed on Eldorado, Bonanza, Hun
kcr, Gold Bottom and Bear creeks
which run northwest into the Klon-
dixie liver. Other creeks farther up the
river do not pay so well. Creeks emp
tying into the Klondikc from the north
are not paying streams. This real
Klondike country which has so recent
ly startled the world might be said to
be contained in circle 20 miles in di-
ameter between the Klondike on the