Smyrna times., 1897-07-21

went out year after year. Some of
them went half crazy. But they found
gold. They came back and brought
their friends in with them next time.
The very immensity of what they found
worked in their favor They told the
truth, the exact truth. Itsounded like
the boastful inventions of men who
were trying to conceal their dissapoint-
ment. Now, when the gold dust itself
is beginning to come out of the noun
tains, people believe them. But it's
too late now to go up there with the
idea of making money out of the mines
for everything is gobbled up.
ga few weeks ago two young men
came to me with letters. They were
wild with enthusiasm and confidence.
They were going to Alaska they said.
l told them to stay at home. Then
one of them said he had had lots of ex-
perience i'll hard knocks. You'll get
lot more there, l said. There is more
experience ont there than gold, and
that is saying heaps. But l control
$10,000, he said. by glory, said I,
you'll need it. And they will. 1t is
no poor mans country. A man might
as well start out from Juneau, after all
his kit and outfit are bought, without
a cent as without $500 or 5000. But it
is county every American who can af-
ford to travel ought to see. 1t is a
beautiful country to visit, and there is
no pleasanter trip anywhere.
Other men who have knowledge of
Alaskan affairs confirmed the opinions
of the San mans first informant.
Among them was John Plummer who
is interested in Alaska stamp mills, and
has been there frequently within the
last few years. 81 am not ready to
talk yet, said Mr.. Plummer, ''but you
cannot say too much about the wealth of
that whole country. The Alaska pur-
chase was the crOwning act of William
Stewards life."
$50 DAY OFFERED TO MINERS.
SAN FRANCIsCO, July ia private
letter from a miner who had just re-
turned from the Klondike mines to
Circle city gives some new facts to the
extraordinary Alaska bonanza field,
said to be the richest in the New World.
According to the writer of this letter,
who is perfectly trustworthy, KlOndike
is place where day labOrers-are not to
be had for the wages of a railroad pres
ident, where thousands upon thous-
ands of dollars in gold are washed in a
single day from below beds of gravel
that never thaw beneath the sum S rays;
where every man in camp expects to be
a millionaire in a short while and then
return home. The writer says:
"Circle City is now deserted. Every
body is up at Klondike or preparing tC
go soon. Klondike River is over 2O(
miles up the YOukOn from here. 1t il
the richest district the world has evel
known, and will produce millions this
year. returned here from KlOndik,
for grub and will start back tomorrow
Flour in KlOndike is worth 800 a sacl
of so pounds and everything else il
proportion, and none to be bought
Live dogs are worth from 81 to So
pound; they are scarce in this country
''Gravel is frozen eighteen to twent,
feet deep to bed rock, but we burn
shaft down and then drift, using fir
instead of powder. The gravel runs il
gold from So to $3.50 a pan, and th
young fellow on the claim above m
panned out $40, 900 in two days. wa
offered $3.50, 1000 cash for my claim.
still hold the ground and will be eithe
millionaire or a pauper in the fall.
''Men cannot be hired for wages
Every newcomer in the camp is OF
, fered big wages, as high as $50 day
but seldom will any one work TO
another. The only phantom tha
stands in our way to the goal of mi
lionaire is grub. 1 have provision
enough to last me till next June, and
am as we'll fixed as any man in th
country. If the boats do not get u
the river before July we be in har
times"