Kansas City journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1897-1928, 1897-09-09
Fromsst. Observation-Disclosures Gold.
Laden Steamer Expected I'm
Day or TwO-klon.
dixie News.

Eureka, Cal, Sept. S-The news by the
steamer National City. from st. Michael's,
corroborates all that has been said of the
prospects of short rations In the gold dig
gings of the upper river during the winter.
The steamer, which connected with the riv-
er steamer, ]. j. Healey, at the mouth of
the river, brought three passengers.
One of these is j. A. Ralston, of PA Nc
Callister street, San Francisco. He says
there is gold, and lots of it, in the Klon-
dixie, out, 1t is generally still in the ground.
1t is believed that the claims now located
could turn out fifty tons this winter il the
scarcity of food did not prevent full opera
tion. He gives rough guess that the
klondike is good for $3.50, 900 900 before peter
ing out.
Six thousand men in the mines about
Dawson City is the estimate of Ralston,
who came down on the National City with
f. L. Leonard, of Nanaimo. b. c., and r..
Il. Lamb, Of Portland, Ore. The supply
of the necessaries Of life to feed these men,
he says. is totally insufficient. In fact, it
Is estimated that the stores will be ex-
hausted before the winter is half over,
when the famine will be on in earnest,
the country will be greatly augmented by
the later arrivals over the passes. There
is whisky, beer and all kinds of liquor in
profusion, he says, but their places could
with flour.
1t is not that the men in the country
have not the money to buy supplies, but
quate.
Ralston says that one of the best claims
on Eldorado Is the property of James Hall,
of Missouri. 1t will turn out at least 81, 900, :
900. Claim No. u, on Eldorado, is also very
rich. 1t is no uncommon thing to take cut
two ounces to the pan from any part Of
the claim,
What wealth is coming on by the steam
er Excelsior cannot be estimated. Those of
the passengers of the Healey who came to
st. Mtchaeis were very reticent as to their
store of dust.
With the exception of Ralston and his
companions, all the passengers of the
vesae left ST. % na the nsht Of
2Sth with eighty passengers. She was to
put into Unalaska for coal, and Captain
Anderson, of the National City, is Of the
opinion that the Excelsior should arrive in
San Francisco soon.
On the way down the river from Dawson
City, which place the steamer Healey left
18th, being about ], 200 miles from the mouth
for twenty days and the Healey laid along
side, took Off her passengers and some OF
the freight, and then proceeded on the
and fast aground, with small chances OF
getting off before the river closed.
E. Leonard says that the Weare had on
UOdTu luV passeuSeTS anu ABOUT $l,0UU,UUU III
treasure. This was transferred to the
Healey and taken to st. Michaels. A con-
siderable amount Of this will arrive in San
Francisco on the Excelsior.
When asked why he returned. Leonard
said: IT found l had to get out or starve.
There are about 1000 men in Dawson, and
not more, than third of them have work.
If you have not a stock of grub, you can't
get work at any price. I had provisions
for three months. and no one wanted me.
] had not enough to work my own claim
until spring, so sold my stock at good
figure and will wait until spring. Jim
Dunsmuir, the Eldorado king, has had
$50, 600 worth of provisions ordered for some
months, but has not been able to obtain
more than a fifth of 1t, even with the cash
put up in advance"