River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1897-09-23
TELLS OF TRIALS.
Government Official Writes of the
Hardships I'm the Gold Country.

Washington, Sept. 20. - Oren W.
Weaver, acting commissioner of labor,
has given out a copy of most graphic
letter on the terTors ot the trip across
Alaska to the Klondike gold fields. The
letter has just been received from
Samuel q. Durham, statistical expert
of the governments department of la
hor, who had beenassigned by Commits
sioner Wright to make an Investigation
of the opportunities which the gold
regions in the Yukon valley and ad-
joining territory afford for the re-
munerative employment of American
labor and capital The letter is in part
as follow:
Lake Lindemann. Alaska. Aug. 2e. 1897.
Commissioner of Labor, Washington
Sir; I left Dyea Monday morning at II
o'clock and arrived here Tuesday evening
at seven. My four Indians started ahead
of me, but l have not seen anything of
them since the start and am waiting for
them here. When reached the foot of the
summit a terrible storm was raging on
the pass. | had an awful experience COM
ing across the summit. ! started out with
my hand bag strapped on my back, think
ing that as it weighed only 40 pounds i
could carry it. / managed to struggle along
miles from Dyea, and was there forced
to employ an Indian packer, paying him
ten dollars TO carry my grip to Sheep camp,
II miles from Dyea. | spent the night at
Sheep Camp, which Is merely collection
Of tents. and started for the summit at
eight o'clock Tuesday morning In dri2-
cling cold rain. / employed a packer to
carry my grip from there TO Lake Linde-
mann, paying him SIG. AT the foot OF the
summit we met perhaps 100 Indian and
white packers, who had cached their packs
on the trail above and were returning to
Sheep Camp TO await an abatement of the
storm.
AT present the condition of affairs on
both trails is terrible. and hundreds OF men
are bound to starve and freeze to dea IN
| IL they continue to come his way. passed
at least 1000 men between Dyea and here
| and not more than 100 have their outfits
| this side of the summit. Every SO yards
along the trail are piles of goods, and
suppose there are provisions to the value
| of 100000 scattered along the trail. Prices
| for packing and for all kinds OF service
are practically prohibitory. for most OF
| those who are attempting to get in. 50 many
| are carrying over their own outnts. some
| OF the Indians carry as much as 200 pounds
| at one load, and make the trip from Dyea
/ to Lake Lindemann In two days returning
/ to Dyea on the third day, thus making Two
1 trips a week White men carry from 70
| adequate outfit a month to get to the lake.
| There are many here who have been i've
| or six weeks packing their outfits over
| and are not ready to start down the river
/ yet All who have come to Skaguay or
| Dyea within the last week or so, who have
| to come In without sufficient outht pay
| 40 cents or more a pound or not get IA at
all.
| Lumber is $500 thousand, and rising.
! great many whpsaw their lumber two
men turning out about 100 feet aday. boat
carrying three men sells for $3.50 to $500
| according to the purse of the purchaser.
| Wages of carpenters are $3.50 day and
board Everything is high In price when
| YOU can get II at all Whisky Is 90 cents
a drink and five dollars a bottle, and poor
| stuff a. that Alcohol is worth $40 gal
| lon. 1t makes ten gallons of Lake Llnde-
| mann whisky. Meals cannot be had for
! money, as everyone is holding on to his
| provisions / never saw such selfishnesS
| anywhere as is displayed on this trail
| You pass 100 people without receiving q
| response to your respectful good morn
| ing and soon learn to keep your mouth
| shut There are so many on the trai
| that it is like walking the streets OF city
| the individual is lost in the passing
throng and you are recognized only by
| acquaintance. II you ask for food In nine
cases out Of ten Ii will be refused