The Philipsburg mail. [volume] (Philipsburg, Mont.) 1887-current, 1897-10-08
LIFE ON THE YUKON
Joe Ladue, Founder of Dawson, Tells
Some Interesting History.
THE TOWNS SOCIAL CONDITIONS
What the Country Needs-The Oppor-
tunity for Employment-Other
Valuable Facts.

The Soptember McClures published
a finenly illustrated and very racy des-
cription of Life in the Klondike
Gold-Fields, - procured by Mr.. J. I.
Steffens in an interview with Joe La
due, the pioneer of Alaska and the
founder of Dawson City. Mr.. Steffens
in his airy account says Of Laduc ::
He was the wearlest looking man l
ever saw. I have known bankers and
business men, editors and soldiers and
literary men, who had the same look
out of the eyes that this pioneer of the
Northwest country has. They were
men who had made money or a name
earned by hard labor that which
others envied them. They were tired,
too. Their true stories were hard
luck stories. The disappointments
that ran before the final triumph limped
in had spoiled the taste of it, None of
them showed the truth SO plainly as
the found9 81 OF Dawson, the city of the
Klondike - Ladue started for Alaska
fifteen years ago, trading with the In
dians, prospecting, running mill,
building, and moving on nomadically
from one point to another, always
with the hope of finding the gold
that everybody knew was in Alaska.
Mr. Ladue says that people do not
carry "guns on the Yukon as they
used to in California days. Follow
ing are some Of Mr.. Ladue's interest
ing and laconic observations on the
social and commercial aspects Of Daw-
son City:
Most of the time when the men
cannot work is spent in gambling. The
saloons are kept up in style. with
mirrors, decorations, and fine pol.
ished, hardwood bars. No cheating
is allowed and none is tried. The sa-
loon keepers won't have it in their
places. Nobody goes armed for it is
10 use. Some of the mea are the kind
that would take mutually to shooting,
The only case that | know of was
when James Cron,ster shot Washburn,
and that did mt amount to anything,
because Wsahburn was "a bad man.
There was jury trial. but the verdict
was that CrOnlster was justified.
"The only social or organization for
| any purpose besides business in there
| is the Yukon Pioneers. | don't lolong
| to that. so / don't know much about it.
| 1t is something like the California
Pioneers Of 40. They have gold
tadge in the shape Of a triangle with
Y. p. on it and the date 80. TO be
member you must have come into the
country before 1889. But the time
limit used to be earlier, ami it may be
later now for they have showed it
on up several times since [ have no.
ticed. The society does some good.
| When a man gets sick and caves in it
raises money to send him out. Now
and then it gives ball, and there are
plans on foot to have more pleasure of
that sort next winter and after that.
But We need hotel or some other
big building before much Of that can
be done.
"In fact we need great many
things besides gold. We have no coin.
Gold dust and nuggets pass current
by weight at about fifteen dollars and
fifty cents to the onuce. 1t is pretty
rough reckoning, as, for instance.
when a man brings in nugget mixed
with quartz When we take it alto
gether. gravel and gold, for pure gold,
] and make it up on the goods. Carpen-
tiers, blacksmiths-all the trades-are
wanted, and men who can work at
them can make mnch more than the
average miner. They can't make
are enterprising they can make a good
stake. Wages are fifteen dollars day.
and man who works for himself can
earn much more than that. l have
gone into the logging business with a
mill at Dawson. The spruce trees
are thirty inches through. and after
rafting them down from Ogilvie and
Forty Mile you get one hundred and
| thirty dollars thousand foot for them
sawed into boards. Then there is
butchering for the man who will drive
sheep over in the summer. 1t has
| been done, and it is to be done again.
| But it is useless for me to 90 on tell
| ing all the occupations that would pay
high profits. The future of the North
west country is not SO long as that of
country that can look forward to
other industries than mining and the
business that depends on mining. but
it is longer than the lifetime of any
of us. The surface has been pricked
in few places, but do not know that
the best has been found, and am
quite sure no one has any idea of the
tremendous extent of the placer dig.
gings, to say nothing Of the quartz
that is sure to follow. Then, all the
other metals, silver and copper and
iron, have been turned up, while coal
is plentiful. l believe thoroughly in
the country. All have doubt about is
the character of some of the men who
are rushing in to get rich by just
picking up the gold.
"Working claim can go on at all
seasons of the year. and part OF the
process is best in winter, but prospect
ing is good only in summer, when the
water is flowing and the ground loose.
That is another reason why 1t is use
less for new hands to go in now.