The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1897-01-18

Itself : difficult 10 cross. The lakes are
subject to violent gssesr ana there aIe
once IN the country the newcomer Ellos
himself no more cclaf5r1a bic
During the summer season. w1en me
days sometimes are really hot there are
swarnlS q mosquitoes and gnats WHICH
nave not their equal in the world, ana
which sire enough alone 20 0tSce8r2 sc
most msn. have heard stories. which |
can readily believe 70 be tree, Of strorS
ana hardy men being - torwente5 by
these pests while on the 1rail through
the swamp 70 the Birch Creek alggings
despair.
The method. Of reaching this and other
cszElngs consists partly n pulling a l0a0-
- boat against a swift stream and often
over rapids. and partly in rradging
through the swamp over a rough noun
tain trail with a heavy load on ones
hack. n winter The thermometer falls
80 low tAaI Il cannot De measured by
any available means. Il j. certain. how
ever, Shat Ii reaches 70 degrees below
zero. During ali this winter season very
little can be done. and as darkness ak
ISIS most Of the time, life often seems
intolerable.
The actual expenses OF getting into the
country are considerable. Indians mast
be aired 20 90 part or whole OF the
transportation % supplies across the Catl-
koot pass at very hign wages. and the
cost Of the necessary 0utnt IS IN Itself
considerable. On arriving AT the GigglngS
provisions are often not ohtaiuaole at any
price: or Z they are 10 Be had the variety
is slight. The supply is always Uncert ain.
depending upon the lateneSs OF the spi -ng
and the fall.
Potatoes 81 Per Pound.
Owing 20 the difficulty OF bringing in
supplies prices are very high al the river
post and much higher in the digginEs.
The freight alone from the coast 70 the
digglngs costs as high as 50 cents pound.
50 thar when one eats potatoes at s. 3
pound and bacon at S cents pound.
other things in proportion, the cost OF
living Is enormous, and even employment
al $40 day for sixty days out OF the YER
viii not enable a man 10 grow rich very
rapidly. Employment. moreover. is scarce,
there being several applicants for every
job. Owing 70 the high price OF supplies.
no claim that does not pay al least Si0 a
day TO each man working can be worked
except at a loss. Many competent men
who engage in mining here and work
faithfully experience failure and are I'M
able 20 earn enough 10 buy provisions.
In such situation il Is very difficult
70 make ones Way out Of the country,
Tor the journey I'D the river along the
usual route requires onward Of thirty
days hard work. and provisions must he
bought for the trip. The trip down the
river and back TO civilization by steamer
Is expensive. and Of late years the num-
Der seeking TO get out In that way has
exceeded the carrying capacfty or the few
steamers. Last year fully $50 men who
wished and intended 10 leave the country
SIN there.
'.Uuder the conditions which now exist
there are quite enough In the Yukon dis
trict already. and the object of this arti-
Gle is 10 discourage peonle from rushing
there without due consideration. Prob
ably ninety-nine out of every hundred
men are untitled by nature for such life
as Yukon. mining necessitates. and had
much better never make the attempt.
The hundredth man must be miner and
frontiersman by nature strong and pa
a Nd n saf
cluded life Even such a man viii very
likely fail on account of the large element
OF chance. and the most successful miner
obtains only a few thousand dollars in
profit after a number of years patient
toll.
Good Place to Stay Away From.
ANY great increase in the number of
men going into the Yukon district would
limited food supply and the lack Of facili-
ties for transportation. The result would
be famine. disorder and failure. Several
years ago this. actually happened, when
all the Forty~Mile miners were without
food and were obliged 10 travel down the
Yukon over the ice 10 st. MichaeFs In the
dead of winter, terrible Journey OF 1000
miles. At that time there were only a
few men in the country, but II the num-
Der had been very much larger even this
resource would have been impossible
MY general advice 10 the average man
intending to go 70 the Yukon gold district
Is to stay out Many men go there every
year and suffer hardship. failure. loss OF
capital and sometimes of health If any
one undertakes the trip he should take
with him enough supplies To last him as
long as he intends TO stay-one year. two
years, or whatever amount He should
have money enough TO last him into the
country and out again, If necessary. aud
should start early enough In the season
10 enable him 20 return up the river If he
intends to come out the same year. for
the facilities for transportation by steam
er are likely 70 be entirely Inadequate.
II EDWARD SPTTRR
limited States GaatogiooV c,r,-a.-