The Pioche weekly record. [volume] (Pioche, Nev.) 1877-1900, 1897-09-22
BACK FRO aLAsKA.
Klondyke Not Satisfactory to A Large
iajoriSy--Hardships ard vicis7i-
tudes IT Every Turn.

y. V. heeley mas returned to San
Francisco from a thirteen months
trip to the Klondyke gold fields and
is glad to get back to civilization.
His report OF hardships positive suf-
fering. and general description of
the country is not calculated to en-
courage those of his friends who
still think of visiting that region in
search of the golden wealth which
is supposed to await the energetic
action of every man who sets out to
obtain it.
Joe left San Francisco on the 28th.
of July last year, on one of the first
expeditions, and reached st. Mich
aels comfortably by water 1t was
necessary to proceed overland from
that point, and delay of two weeks
followed at ST. Michaels, during
which, $40 other gold seekers were
landed there. Not more than 300
in all could get out over the trail.
Joe was among the number and
carried his pack into Dawson City,
reaching there late in October.
The first care was to get shelter
and he and five companions rented
log hut for $4,000 a month. The
hut was about II feet square, built
of logs which had been foated
down the river, and all winter long
the moisture oozed out on the inside
and formed a coating of ice for the
entire season. The coldest weather
experienced was 70 degrees below
zero, and it was a common thing to
be hailed with "Say, Mister your
nose is freezing, etc." and to have
the accosted party proceed to vigor-
GUS rubbing with snow, to thaw it
out.
Joe located but one claim, and
purchased an interest in one other.
The whole country for miles around
was staked off and located before he
reached the country. The mining
there he says, is done under the
hardest possible conditions. No
lodges are visible on the surface, as
in our country, and it's case of
ego it blind" All wood within five
miles of Dawson is cut away and it
commands $3.50 cord. In pros
pecting a claim you first thaw out
the moss which covers all the soil
there to great depth, dig down,
thaw again, and begin panning for
traces of gold as soon as soil is en-
countered, and continue the thaw-
ing and digging until bedrock is
reached, which is usually done at
about II to Is feet. There is no
rule to go by, and the prospector
must Judge of his chances of encount-
ering gold at bedrock, by the colors
he gets in the subsoil. In very
large majority of cases no gold is
found at all but they work away till
bedrock is reached if possible.
The most extravagant prices pre-
vailed on everything. During the
winter candles were 81 each,
lemons and oranges $3.50 each.
Joe wanted change of diet about
Christmas time and paid 5000 a
piece for few eggs Whiskey sold
for $4,000 a gallon, $25 90 for a
quart bottle and from fifty cents to
one dollar drink. An arrival from
Salt Lake over the trail about
Christmas time, brought with him a
turkey. He sold it for $500 and
the buyer Immediately put it up and
raffled it off for $4,000.
The Indian name for newcom ers
or tenderfeet, is Chichaka, and
many of them are still coming into
the country.
Joe says that two thirds of those
who wintered at Dawson last winter
will get out this season, Speaking
for himself he said he would not put
in another winter there for $100, 900,
90, which indicates the strength of
his disgust.
He and four others, residents of
various sections of California, de-
termined to get out. They purchased
boat and went down the Yukon,
reaching st. Michaels after hard
trip of 35 days; trip too, not free
form danger as many other boats
were wrecked on the trip and at one
time they were 20 miles out at sea.
All second hand supplies at st.
Michaels seem to be plentiful, fol
Kelley was able to obtain only $10
90 for the boat, blankets and other
supplies. His companions shipped
direct to San Francisco from St
Michaels, buying return ticketf Of
so. apiece.
Joe came in by way of Seattle and
will put in month or two in rest
ing up. He looks thin in the face
and says twill take several months
to recuperate.
-