The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1897-07-26

the Poetic and Romantic Phase
for the Future.
Sitting easily AT a writing table in the
Butler ro.unda Saturday night was one of
the most famous men IN the United
States. Joaquin Miller. the poet People
passed to and fro about him IN the crowd
ed hosteiry. 6us he paid no attention 10
them and they paid little TO him. Dressed
fl a plain bur substantial suit OF black.
a white shirt with rundown collar and
sober black necktie. there was little IN
his dress TO Indicate the famous author
or ATTRACT notice. Yet his hong hair. Curl
ing over his shoulders IN the cavalier
fashion which his pictures have made so
familiar TO millions Of his readers and
admirers. gave him unique anc i'm
pressisve appearance, and when one drew
near him and engaged him In converse
ton there looked out from the travel
stained dress OF the man the face OF the
poet. His grizzly beard unkempt and now
ing gave the face certain Wild rugged
ness which was Increased and intensified
by the shaggy prominence OF overhang-
ing eyebrows. Back OF these iurked eyes
uaryelousiy expressive.
Wonder cf wonders. Joaquin Miller, the
poet OF the Sierras. was on his way 10
the Clondyke. Has he. too. caught the
gold fever? Yes or no. He is going into
the new district rs a miner. but he is
going solely or mainly to Use the facts
and experiences thus acquired u ill the
columns of a well paid newspaper CORE
spondent.
Yes IL IL true that am on my way to
the Ciondyke," he said to q Post-Intelli-
gencer reporter, land I expect to take
the Mexico when she sails tomorrow
morning. Here is part OF my equipment"
and he pointed TO a cumbrous package
lying near him on the table. II am going
by the way of Dyea and the ChI;coot
pass TO the lakes / am going all alone.
I am going as a miner. When / step OF
the Mexico / become an Old prospsctor.
l expect TO haul my own sled ana take
my outfit. My food, which shall take
from here, consists OF bacon. sea biscuit
and tea. When / arrive at Dawson City
l expect to ask for work just as any
other laborer and prospector would Go.
I expect 10 get 1t. / know I shall sc. 1t.
When / get to work my life will not be
different from that of the hundreds and
thousands by whom ! am surrounded, ex-
cept that perhaps i shall live a little more
closely. l expect TO remain In the camp
for two or three weeks actually at work.
meanwhile noting down my experiences
and writing them up from miners
standpoint.
do you think this Is a visionary
scheme? Not by any means. I have
mined before. / camo to California in
1858. and I have spent much OF my life
In the mountains and mines. See this
finger?" showing the middle finger or his
left hand. the end of which is SCARED and
crushed. This was done between TWO
California rocks They say / am a poet.
but / am an intensely practical man for
all that. I know that snow Is snow. ana
water is water. l know just how steep
what is more. / am not afraid OF them.
j know they are not going to fall down
on me. / can carry my own pack and
haul my own sled along with the best OF
the youngsters. Why. l am only So. and
as strong as I ever was.
Now. ! an going TO travel very light.
but at the same time I know how far ii
Is from Dyea To Dawson. and / expect
at every meal time to have my fitch Of
bacon, my crackers and my tea. When
l get into the mines ! expect 10 take ry
lot along with my companions. and while
my private secretary in San Francisco
will be enjoying his club life and send
ing my stuff 10 Eastern papers shall DO
welding the pick and shovel and wearing
the miners toga. or course. If l should
happen 10 strike good paying dirt on my
own account. shall locate a claim. and
on returning TO California send men up
10 work II, But all this VIII come after
ward When / am up there / shall be
a bona fide miner shall go in unan-
nounced, and probably no one In all the
camps viii know me other than plain
J. Miller.
''rhe poetic and romantic side OF Alas
ka, with its SHOWS It's glaciers and It's
grandeurs? Yes. II Will appeal to me
powerfully. I see that some of the pa
pers for which I am going to correspond
announce that my contributions viii be
poetical. But they are mistaken They
will be no such thing. They will be
prose Of the plainest kind. / shall deal
in facts and figures. : shall tell just
how far man can travel and how mucn
lie can carry. / shall describe the road
the pass and the river. 1 shall tell what
"a miner can live on and what It costs
! him / shall tell what the average man
can hope 20 take out In an average days
work. Of he is working for himself and
the average wages he VIII get If he is
working for someone else In other
words, IL VIII be my effort 10 tell Of the
country. the mines and the miners Just
az they are. In doing this have SOL
ernn sense Of responsibility which makes
ne extremely earnest. realize that
| literally millions Of people will read the
words write, and Ii my reports show
the Clondyke mines in as favorable Il light
as they have thus far hss.a represented
- be the eyes of the world Will be turned
! this way. In such an event my work
VIII undoubtedly be worth much 10 this
city, which can. OF course. count with GER
iainty upon large proportion OF the
Alaska outsttgins ana transit business
OF course, the romantic side ana poetic
inspiration Of those vast soltgdes and
pFimeval wiidernesses will appeal TO me
powerfully. l shall CLINT snow-caprs.d
mountain now and then and take a shot
a. God The richness OF the experience,
VIII iirger with HE hereafter. and II may
ee that my muss viii sing Of Il in DAYS TO
come.
Il think the hardships incident 70 Alas
Kan life AMI travei have been exagger-
aitd. rather expect 70 demonstrate
that they have been. But however great
they may he, cen say 10 you candlilv.
/ they have no torrorS for me- In fac. I
can hardly express 10 you the pleasure
| VIA which | look forward 10 this trim
osVe Just closed a certain period IN my
hses WORK have pat the eight volumes
% my poems into one. Tnag task. yaAteg
! la It's details and sis drudgery than the
| public would believe 81 appreciate / am
! thsankful "a say lies behind ME / havs
spent the l4st ten years 81 my lie. rassp-
! y IN Europe. Rack In America again
and wtGn the virgin freshness of its 2ysst-
est HneNpacTeH1 territory stretching e,ft
ahead o; IRE. / renew uy youth ana the
very plan and purpose os Ehe work lend
ne NleJg.
NJ LACK OF PAY aRoyND