The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1897-10-15
WILL INVADE KLONDIK e
Booth-Tuc!zer and Other Saliva
tionists Expound Their Plans.
A Big Campaign Preparing-Advnnce
Guard on the March-MOre to Fol-
IOw-Fenr Neither Hard
ships Nor DesertiOn.
Copyright, 1871

preparing. nevertheless, to join the
money-mad throng on the hills of the
klondike. presents paradox that
piques ones interest. The fact remains,
however, and never did the greed for
wealth inspire greater enthusiasm for
the long and arduous journey north
ward than does the object of this COM
pany's quest. 1t is mems souls, not
nuggets. they are going to seek; the
consciences of hardened men are the
mines they will delve in; and they will
not rest until they have panned out all
the spiritual gold that is to be found in
human nature there. These religious
prospectors are of the Salvation Army,
and they start for Klondike as soon as
Comma nder Booth-Tucker returns from
England to perfect this most unusual
campaign.
Ever since the first wild scramble for
the British Columbian gold fields set in,
the high officials of both the Salvation
Army and the American Volunteers
have been considering plans for practi-
cal work among the miners. That the
men and women of the army and the
volunteers are, with very few eXcep-
tions, gathered from among the COM
mon people, the offspring of humble and
Woodworking folk, augurs well for their
success among the rough classes with
whom they will come in contact at the
mines. In this fact lies their strength.
In the old 40 days had such organiza-
tons existed much of the variegated
vice and wholesale bloodshed of those
times would have been avoided. The
history of 40 is not to repeat itself in
the Klondike region.
Field Commissioner Eva Booth, who
is in command of the Salvation Army's
operations in North America, exclusive
Of the United States. has already dis
patched Capt. Staiger and Lieut.. Thor
oldson to Juneau to lay plans for
mammoth campaign in the early spring.
Commissioner Booth has shown the
deepest interest in the proposed opera
tions. which are directly within her ter
ritory, her field containing 3.500,000
square miles and extending from Ber-
muda to Vancouver. Capt. Staiger, be-
sides making such preparations for the
arrival of the Salvation Army corps as
he can at this time of the year, will con-
duct salvation services wherever suit
able house for the purpose can be found.
Capt. Staiger is an Ontario man and has
oeen in the army many years. Lieut..
Thoroldson is a Sweoe accustomed to
nigh ATTITUDES; he has made number
of voyages far north and can endure the
rigors of Klondike winter. These Off
GERS have been ordered to go where the
most people are and to hold open air
meetings in the toughest as well as the
most civilized sections.
When questioned as to the probable
ity of her commissioners themselves
becoming infected with the gold fever.
Commissioner Booth replied with much
spirit that such thing was unthink-
able; that to soldier of rank in the
Salvation Army desertion was crime
only less heinous than a backsliding
from religion itself. Our soldiers are
pledged by the sacreGness of faith to
stand by the Cross and the colors,"
said the fair commissioner; and she
looked as if she were ready to prove
her assertion.
bOuDlluS INC IcpOI - SSdlt east " al u
from the Pacific coast relative to the
preparations that are making in the
latter place for a march on klondilie,
Editor in Chief Cox. OF the War Cry.
the official organ of the Salvation Army,
telegraphed to San Francisco for con-
irmation of these reports, and was as
sured that they are entirely true.
Among the advance guard off for the
gold fields is Private Charles II. Dale,
one of the best known characters of
the army in the west. Dale is now
holding meetings at Yukon, and will
soon be joined by two men and two
women from the salvation ranks. Dale
has been in the army only three months,
but he Is an enthusiast. He is
wealthy mine owner and warm per-
sonal friend of Mark Twain. the lat
ter having dubbed him years ago "Old
Hank"
AS for the American Volunteers, they
have as yet taken no decided action in
the formation of soul-saving corps
for the Klondike, nor will they move
on the miners until the rigorous north
ern winter has spent its force. There
seemed to be a note of pique in the
tones of Commander Ballington Booth
as he assured the writer that the
American Volunteers would take no
advantage of the prestige to be at once
established by the Salvation Army in
the frozen gold fields.
when the time is ripe for action"
asserts Commander Booth, "then we
shall be to the fore with willing hands
to rescue and to aid the Klondike
miners, but until our plans are posi-
lively decided upon we shall seek no
publicity. Too many workers in our
field err in this direction"
AS he spoke the commander gazed
dreamily from the window of his pri-
vate Office in the direction of his late
official home, the big barracks of the
Salvation Army.
The view taken by Commander Booth
Tucker regarding the work to be done
in the Klondike by Salvationists was
brisk and businesslike. ut really is
a kind of adjunct to our pan for coll
onizng the poor of the country l am
about to present the plan to Gen.
Booth, and my trip to Europe is partly
for that purpose. Meanwhile a corps of
healthy soldiers-men and women
will be dispatched first to Juneau, and
then on up to Dawson City and the
Klondike mines. 1t will be necessary to
have some kind of shelter for the corps.