The Saint Paul globe., 1897-10-24

Hunker l found a. little baby town,
newly born, ard we dined in the lit
tie French hotel Good beans, good
bread, but nothing else. We sat on the
earthen floor and etc from three little
boxes laid together and We're glad and
grateful. This was the last place whsre
a man could hope to find, for love or
money, anything to eat, save what he
carried on his back, as these interior
mines were being hourly emptied of
miners because Of the need of supplies.
Several Of the returning miners offer
ed $5 each If one of the owners of the
boat would take them down the Klon-
dixie TO Dawson, and the boat was soon
loaded
every town. It is the pleasantest bit
Of road for half a dozen miles. The
trees are tall and dense, and red top
grass grows all along the amber Hun
ker, and beautiful wild flowers, in such
striking contrast to the frosty morn
ing, line the banks. Some birds fitted
across my path, but they were shy and
songless. No sign of mining along here
% yet 1t is twelve miles to Hunker's;
the man who discovered Hunker creek.
After almost half of this distance the
hills come down to the creek, the trail
Is dotted with quartz and slate, and
1t is hard on the feet Labor as |
might to get forward, it was hard work.
Little gulches all along now, steep and
stony banks to descend, and no sign Of
pick and shovel In any Of them. Doz-
ems of places along here look Sc like
the little gold streams of Ell Dorado,
Shasta, and Trinity that it Is hard to
pass them by. Surely all along this
mountain side there must be rich mines
sCme day.
A. last the stars were with me. No
returning miners came my way, and I
camped alone by the frothing little
quartz stream that had perhaps never
yet heard the ciang of the prospector's
pick. Wood is plenty and of the best,
and by heaping up a great fire, broiling
a slice of bacon, and making a cup of
coffee in my tin cup, between wraps
[ passed delightful night, although
it was little cold.
ENORMOUS COST OF SUPPLIES.
More returning miners in the morn
ing, and after a few miles I began
to pass cabin after cabin, but nobody
in them. Do you know what it costs
to get supplies in here? You pay 81
pound in Dawson, taking things all
through; then possibly you may get
some one to pack it over to and up
Hunker creek to the mines for 81 per
pound more. But, if you want to have
things carried as far as Dominion
Quartz, you. pay $15O, making $3.50
for each pound. And even that is out
Of the question now. Men are worn
out. Two Indians tried to carry into
Dominion not long ago. They were
buried in one grave by the trail side
Wild beasts had killed them and eaten
some Of their bodies and packs.
The first miner I addressed on Hun
ker was Tibbits, of No SO. Tibbits
will be remembered in history as the
companion of the old mountaineer, Nc
Cullough. They were made great in
the discovery Of the Cassea-Karsaw
mines You may recall that McCul-
lough was found frozen to death al
most within call of Fort Wrangle,
still standing erect and leaning on his
pikestaff. More than thirty years ago
this Tibbits and the old Seattle noun
taineer began their~researches, both
learned and practical miners, and
spent four years between the Red river
of the North and the Yukon. I found
him at the north of slope in his mine
He is drifting. He has tunneled only
twelve feet as yet. 1 forgot to men
tion that the creek Is staked fully five
miles below him, yet he is the only
man that far in the bedrock.
''Mr. Tibbits, is this creek as rich
as Ell Dorado?"
There is only one Ell Dorado, SIR"
''Is it as rich as BonanZa?"
ROOM FOR THOUSANDS OF MEN.
'There may be as much gold here
as in Bonanza. At least L am quite
satisfied with results. It is a great
thing, but is not all prospected, as you
have seen. Not a single hole to the
rock yet in all the five miles you have
seen below US"
'Is this a good place for poor
man?'
Yes, but he must be man, not
boy; and he must be very strong
man, too
would this creek employ 1000 real
men for five years?"
Eyes, real men, with plenty of sup
plies, and would give every one plenty
of gold
This is the substance of what this
/ conservative and honest man had to
say in the line I was sent out to in
vestigate although he talked of his
troubles, the book he is to write. and
his dear old friend, Mccullough. No
wonder, however, that he insists that
only men, and very strong, resolute
men, should come this way. For he
can hardly hobble about from hard
exposure: and he cannot forget the