The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1897-11-29

found in that country, through which we
passed everywhere, and it is my deliber-
ate opinion that California and Australia
are likely to have their past and present
vastly outdiStanced by the development
OF the next ten years in that wide region.
of course, too, fairly paying placers and
wide loW-grade quartz will be the rule.
In saying this, am not dreaming of add
ing stimulus to the wild and blind helter-
SHELTER rush of aimleSS people. who have
been and will be tumbling in all sorts of
unpreDared shapes into that wild coun-
try.
DISAPPOINTED PROsPECToRs.
1T was n study in this connection to
see men apparently almost crazed with
haste, breaking their necks almost in
rushing over the skaguay trails to get on
toward Klondike. and later on to see
them in Dawson, lOafing around the
muck-hOle Streets there doing nothing,
waiting for rich strikes which they ex-
pected and did not find. Nearly all of
them were short of provisions, the great
majority were suffering from the blues
and intense disappointment. Eight out of
ten OF them wished they had not come.
1t was generally prophesied at Dawson
that there would next summer and fall
be nearly as great a hegira of outgoers
as of incomers. Some very rich strikes,
none OF which were made last summer
and fall may change this. Transporta-
tion both ways on the river can hardly
be overdone.'
In the opinion Of Mr.. Magee, no such
amount as Sl,090,000 was brought down on
the steamer. A very small amount of
gold dust can be brought overland, and
he cid not think that the drafts carried
by Ferguson and Leak, who had the
largest amount, would exceed $50, 900.
TRIP OVER THE TRAIL.
Mr.. Magee thus graphically describes
his trip out over the Dalton trail:
The town of Dawson boosted of only
one steamboat, named the Kiukuk. She
was so feet long and was of 30-horse
power only. She was old, rickety and ut
two trips up the river, 200 miles to Selkirk,
taking over eight days in each case to
make the trip. One would not have cared
to make a short trip on her in calm
weather on an inland river, yet 200 per-
sons at least in Dawson, utterly disap-
pointed by the non arrival of the big
steamers from ST. Mchaels, were willing
to trust their lives for over 800 miles
of US arranged to have her bought and
make this trip on her. but Captain Han
son, of the Alaska company persuaded us
not TO do so, because it was exceedingly
doubtful that even If she made the trip
to st. Michaels in safety we would find
an ocean steamer there. Then we decided
to go up the Yukon to Fort Selkirk pei
ly), 200 miles, and thence endeavor to 20
over the Dalton trail, $40 miles further
to Chilkat.
DIFFICULTIES OF THE VOYAGE.
Seven days We're spent upon this
steamer and instead of taking US to Sell
kirk she took us distance of about 80
miles only. Her machinery broke down
from one to three times a day and she
was constantly running aground.
"On one occasion. through mismanage-
ment, she was driven head-on at full
speed onto a rocky shore where her bow
was violently torn away, and her whole
frame shaken. But for double protection
in her bow she would have sunk. At the,
end of the seventh day, surrounded by
heavy pack ice in the river, the trip was
given up and we all returned to Dawson.
This move cost up 5000 apiece.
JACK DALTON.
After this failure to get up the Yukon,
l met Jack Dalton in Dawson. He had
just come down from Selkirk with three
large RATS containing IS carcasses of cat
tie and horses and 200 sheep This meat
he sold for 81 to SIPS a pound. 1t will
prove Of vital value in keeping the wolf
Mr. Dalton is one of the best known men
in the Yukon region, and the Dalton trail
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