The herald., 1897-09-23
PRINCE COMES BACK
AN EX-STREET RAILWAY EN-
PLoYE ON THE KLONDIKE
Was One Of Five Who Staked Charles
Lamb, the Man That Struck
It Rich


season in the Arctic gold fields, Norton
R. Prince, formerly a conductor in the
employ Of the Los Angeles Railway COM
pany, has returned from Dawson City,
arriving by way of st. Michaels. He left
Dawson August 22d, steaming down the
Yukon in company with many others,
who prefer wintering in climate more
genial than that offered by the Alaskan
Mecca of gold hunters.
There are 1000 miners and prospectore
now in the vicinity Of Dawson City" he
said to a Herald reporter, last night"
and the situation regarding food supply
for the long winter months is decidedly
ominous Wages are SO per day at Daw-
son and SIS per day outside on the creeks.
but not one man in twenty has employ
ment.
1.-THE hundreds who have rushed in
during the past three months now see
their folly. Destitution and suffering
cannot be avoided in the cases of those
who went in with meager outfits, fear,
for supplies cannot be bought there. The
owners of grub will not part with their
supplies for love nor money"
Prince was non-committal regarding
the amount Of treasure he brought with
him beyond exhibiting an ounce nugget,
which he acknowledged he bought in
Dawson. He had done we'll enough, he
said; as well as hundreds of others have
done who failed to locate paying claims
depending upon day labor for an income.
1.-THE pay country was months ago all
staked out and the mob that has pushed
in must locate new diggings or get out.
IT left Los Angeles ON March 18th last
and just ninety days later reached Daw-
son, by way of Dyea and the Chilcoot
pass. Shedding was good then and five
good dogs hauled the supplies of myself
and travelling partner picked up over
the pass in two weeks. Words cannot
describe the condition of the mountain
passes now. Beelzebub ie the roadmas-
ter now on those lines"
Prince, 1t will be remembered, was one
of five street car employees who staked
Charles Lamb to Alaska a. year ago last
spring. Lamb was formerly section
hand in the employ of the Los Angeles
railway, and with Clarence ]. Berry, was
one of the first to strike rich claims
Lambs hackers were, besides Prince,
G. w. Yarger, l.. H. Smith, G.. Peterson
and A. s Holloway. They raised about
$3.50 for him and were to share in what Of
value he might strike. They also agreed.
1t is alleged, to look out for the wife and
child he left behind in this city.
Early in the present year Lamb located
two rich claims, one of which he intended
giving to his hackers. Accordingly he
wrote to Prince of his success and ad-
vised the five men to come to the Klon-
dixie at once. He also wrote to his wife,
telling her of his intention regarding the
second claim.
Mrs. Lamb, 1t Is told, replied by re-
turn mail that she had been left to her
own devices to secure living months
before by Messrs. Prince ct al, and that
she had been forced to work as chamber
maid in San Pedro street lodging house
to escape destitution.
On learning this her husband refused
to carry out disagreement to divide with
his hackers, and accordingly sold the
second claim for $4,000 Then last
March he came back to this city for his
family, returning with them to Dawson
Another Of the many stories among
ctIcEI AdAWdy men OCCd6lOIbeQ ny
Princes return Is to the effect that
Smith did. in measure, provide for
Mrs. Lamb, and that in consequence her
husband has let him in for a share in
his gains, excluding the others.
Questioned about these reports last
night. the returned Klondiker returned
somewhat evasive answers. The stories
were away off," he testify observed;
Lamb had promised his hackers a share
in his flnds. and he thought all would
come out right In the end. Meanwhile
1t appears that the grub stakers, all of
whom but Yarger have been on the
Klondike since last spring, are working
for wages, without claims Of their own.
Prince denied that Mrs. Lamb had been
neglected; her house rent had been paid
for two months, and her husba nd g lodge
dues had been kept up. It was true she
had been forced to work for a living;
80 had his own wife during his absence.
Prince will return to the Kiondike next
spring.
Crandalps Respite
The preliminary examination Of Frank