The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1897-08-17
GOOD LUNGS AND LEGS
Are Needed in the Klondike Country
According to Canadian Gov
eminent Report

New York, Aug. IA dispatch TO
Secretary Gage has just received from
the minister of the interior of Canada
an official report of the Yukon mining
district It is a confirmation of the re-
ports of William Ogilvie, the Dominion
land surveyor and contains other mat
tiers from officers of the Canadian gov
eminent who have previously visited
the region or are there now.
At the outset the minister states that
the report is published in response to
numerous public demands.
THE object, The says, is not to induce
anyone to go to that country at the
present time. Until better means OF
communication are established a man
undertakes serious risks in going there
unless he has sufficient resources to
tide him over the long winter. After
September egresS from the country is
practically impossible until the foHoW-
ing June, and a person who has not
been successful in locating a paying
claim has to depend for his subsistence
upon finding employment. wages are
at times abnormally high, but the la
Dor market is very narrow and easily
Overstocked.
ut is estimated that up to the middle
of May, 500 to 800 persons had cross
ed the Dyea this year. Several. hum
dred more will go by steamers up the
Yukon. Whether employment will be
available for all and for the considera-
BILE population already in the district,
is somewhat doubtful 1t will, there
fore, be wise for those who contem-
L
give serious consideration to the mat
ter before coming to q decision
An extract from the report of A. e.
Willis, assistant surgeon for 1895, is
given to indicate the climate of the
Klondike, characteristics of the inhab-
itants and the mode of living. He also
describes the kind of men that should
go to Klondike. He says:
1.-THE climate is wet. During the
winter months the cold is intense, with
usually considerable wind. heavy
IT,, ,f-Sy, LOT Tix-
err settles down in the valley in ex-
IRENE weather. This dampnesS makes
the cold felt much more and is con-
duciVe to rheumatic pains and the like.
On the selecting of men to live in this
country, 1 beg to submit few re-
marks, some of which will be of assist
ance to the medical examiners in max
ing their recommendations.
Men should be sober, strong and
healthy. They should be practical men,
able to adapt themselves quickly to
be taken to see that their lungs are
sound, that they are free from rheum-
atism and rheumatic tendency, and
their joints, especially knee joints, are
strong and have never been weakened
by injury or disease. 1t is important to
consider their temperaments. Men
should be of cheerful, hopeful DISPOSE
tions and willing workers. Those of sui
len morose dispositions, although they
may be good workers, are very apt, as
soon as the novelty wears off, to be-
come dissatisfied, peSSimistic and mel
ancholy."
Mr. Ogilvie, chief of the boundary
survey, in report of a trip down the
Yukon, says, regarding the weather:
1T is said by those familiar with the To-
cality, that the storms which rage in
the upper attitudes of the coast range
during the crater part of the time
from October to March are terrific. A
man caught in one of them runs the
risk of losing his life, unless he can
reach shelter in short time"
mo frir a
much difficulty with the Indians, and
they demanded $40 per hundred pounds
for carrying his goods. On being told
that the party had a permit from the
Great Father in Washington, to pass
through the country, and that the In
dams would be punished if they in
terfered, they reduced the price to SO.
Mr.. Ogilvie estimates that there are
about 460, 900 acres of land along the
Yukon and it's branches that might be
used for agricultural purposes. Mr..
Ogilvie gives the miners q, bad reputa-
ton. He says: 'I may say that it is
generally very difficult to get any ex-
act, or even approximately exact state
ment of facts or values from miners.
Many of them are inveterate jokers and
take delight in hoaXing. The higher
the official social position of the per-
son they hoax, the better they are
pleased. l have several times found
formation from ore of them, it would be
all contradicted by the next one 1 met
Another cause of difficulty in getting
trustworthy information from them is
every government official or agent their
enemy, and that he is in the country to
spy upon their doings and find out
things which the great majority of
them are very much averse to have
known