Little Falls weekly transcript. (Little Falls, Morrison Co., Minn.) 1894-19??, 1897-07-30
he KNOWS The KLoNDYKE.
Little Falls Man ReCeivesaLet-
ter from One Who has been
at the New EldOrado.
TELLS HOW TO REACH 1T.
1t is a Rich Country, but One
Must Endure Many Hard
ships There.

George G. Cornwell. of this city,
wrote to a friend OF his in RIVER Falls,
Wis.,, who returned last fall from the
Klondyke country in Alaska for in
formation in regard to the country
and for his opinion in regard to the
great discoveries reported to ha* e
recently been made. His ncm Ia
Fred j. Currier, and he was in
Alaska two years, leaving there last
fall on account of poor health. He
did very well while there, but at
that time the richest discoveries had
not been made. His letter to Mr..
Cornwell ia as follows:
RIVER FALLS, WIS.,, July q, ~.
G. G. CORNWELL, LITTLE FALLS,
MINI:
Dear Sir-Your favor of the 10th
is at hand. I am well acquainted
with the Klondyke region. The
strike was make there just before l
came out last fall. and thought was
reported rich at the time, l had no
idea it would prove SO good as &C.
counts would indicate. The klon-
dyke was good fishing stream
when was there. coming in on the
east side of the Yukon, about 40
miles above the town of Forty Mile.
1t ia about 700 miles inland from
Juneau. Circle City is 200 miles
farther north. also on the Yukon.
The best way to reach these points
is the one 1 took when ] went in.
Go to juneau and from there 100
miles north to Dyea. Then it is 80
miles over a range OF mountains
Irregular sky scrapers) to the head
waters of the Yukon; there we build
our boats, and it Is all down hill the
rest OF the way. There are a few
bad places in the upper river-Miles
canyon, White Horse rapids, Five
Fingers, etc. but the most of the
way is plain sailing. In the spriag
we often made 100 miles day. 1t ia
rather dangerous unless one is
familiar with the river, but most OF
the boys get through all right.
AS to the cost. A person can get
from here to the mines, as have in
dictated, for about 1925. but it would
not give him any outfit to speak of,
and he would Immediately have to
supply himself in there at greatly
advanced figures. 1twould be worse
than folly at present to venture In
there without a years supply of pro-
visions which would cost probably
about $125 per man here, and 5 times
that in there. The trip can be made
at any time not later than the latter
part of August, but W ould not ad-
wise anyone to go now unless he has
lots of money to hire Indians to
pack over the Chilkat pass to the
headwaters of the Yukon Us cents
per pound, on 1000 pounds, $3.50 for
packing.)
Intend to go in in the spring, and
this 81 miles can be made on snow
(about April y; then I will build my
boats, and as soon as the ice goes
out will be ready. getting to the
mines about May Is.
There are three times, too many
men in there now for the provisions.
and fear there will be great suffer-
ing there this winter.
There may not he another Klon-
dyke in the Yukon, but there are
thousands Of gulches carrying gold
that have never seen a white man.
Its q good country for man who
will stay with it-lots of hardships
and hard work. One year ia too
short ito accomplish much; about
three years is the average time most
of the boys stay, and not all OF them
make fortune, either, but, in my
opinion, the opportunities are better
there than in any other part of the
world. Yours Truly.
FRED J. CURRlER.