Middletown transcript., 1897-07-31

4ULIlu ucdt anu LIlBlu COIu Cdub0 Lu0
searcher for gold but little fear, and of
the thousands who are Fastening to
Alaska l can only predict that large
percentage of them will meet with dis
aster. When new mines are discov-
cred the prospector who makes the dis
covery seldom realizes on his find.
Thousands rush in, claims are taken
up by adventurers, who buy sell and
batter, and the claims are finally ab-
sorbed by companies of men who fur
nish the capital for the proper working
of the mines, while the prcspector or
mining pioneer starts on new tours TO
unknown regions for the purpose of
finding richer claims than the one be
has left behind. Now, in the Alaska
region it makes no difference on hlch
side of the boundary line the gold is
discovered; the ukon is the only chan
mel through which the products of tie
mines in the Clohdyke region can f. d
access to civilization. The benefits til.
will be derived from the Clohdyke or
Yukon gold discovery are almost GER
tain to help this Country. The pat. :
way to lhe mines is open for three
months in the year, and for the other
nine months the mines are closed book
to the investors who have furnished
capital for expeditions 60 that region. A
high mountain range that is practically
impossible throughout the year pre-
vents AN overland route to the gold
pockets at Clon iyke. You Can readily
perceive that for every ounce of gold
taken fiom the Clondyks region there
will be far more suffering than in any
effort made in the early days to develop
the gold mines in this country"
Another miner who had travelled ex-
tenslvely in every gold-bearing region
under the sun made light of his prede-
cessor's assertion. He said:
sit is over forty years ago that gold
was discovered in California, aud since
that date we have advanced in mining
as well as in any other calling that re-
quires brains, capital and physical en.
durance. Mining in the Clondyke re-
gion will prove comparatively easy
task when compared with mining else
where. Why,I believe that the Clondyke
region is easily accessible in the winter
months. Just across the Pacific at
Vladivostock any number Of dogs and
sledges may be procured, and altho ugh
the latitude of the Clondyke region is
a little higher, there should be no diff
Guilty in establishing communication
with the mines. The dogs make long
journeys attached to sledges in North
ern Siberia, and under favorable con-
ditions, which frequently exist for
weeks at time, rapid sledge journeys
may be made with dog teams. Hence
there should be no difficulty in reaching
the Clondyke mines if the parties max
ing the journey are properly equipped.
"Now, in regard to starvation in the
mines. Starvation may occur in New
York if one has not the money to buy
food. It is safe to say that the Alaska
Company and other companies that
have been formed recently will contract
to feed everybody who reaches the rr-
gion before navigation closes. With
good boats on the river and lines of
steamers plying between Seattle and
Sitka, as well as lines from SanFran-
cisco, especially when the river is open
for three months in the year, there
should be no possibility of starvation
in the Yukon region"