The Louisiana populist., 1897-09-24
! UPON A FALSE BASIS.
THE HORRIBLE KLONDYkE
CRAZE A LOGICAL RESULT.
VI the Financial Policy Which Makes
All Human Energies al Industries
Subservient to Gold-Clinton Furblsh
Writes His Views,

Writes His Views.
Gradually the whole picture OF the
new 81 Dorado is being revealed. At
nrst We read of returning heroes who
mad struck it rich" up in Klondyke.
lhey came back to civilization with
such treasure as would enable them to
let Others toll while they enjoyed all
the delights and distinction that come
70 men OF wealth and intelligence.
mere were hints OF hardships endured.
but these We're only such embellish-
lnents as are given by heroes modestly
anu WITH reluctance. One Of the fortu-
nates told of the fate of his partner.
he mad been for three years enduring
the extremes of Arctic winters when
Inc klondyke craze was new. He was,
therefore, of little more use for active
work" He had been left to care for
tne camp while the stronger came down
Win the dust to secure supplies for the
coming winter. In view of later de-
'aiis IL IS easy to see why the worked
ou' partner was left to "care for the
camp Noting the contents of rough
oags' cans, and other convenient re-
ceptacles borne by the adventurous
ones, thousands are rushing to Klon-
ayke. Steamboats, are crowded to over
moving, and still the multitude presses
mad with the one desire to reach the
frozen gulches. Nor has this wild con.
TEST oeen diminished by later details,
IN some degree it seems that the more
horrible the picture the more intense
the craze becomes. There are others
VINO would care for the dying" and
tnen divide the dust"
And what are these later lights
thrown On the picture? We knew in a
vague way Of the dangerous water
voyages in such craft as might be found
IN tnat section. We had been told
OF the hundreds Of miles of mountain
passes over which the pilgrims must
enmD. 1t was no new thing that
oltter cold prevailed through the long
winter season. But gentle woman had
endured these hardships. Young brides
nao followed their husbands, and lived
IN such habitations as might be ex-
pected where palaces boasted Of two
rooms. One such had returned satisfied
10 leave her husband In the ditch while
she would spend at home what he could
make. But now come stragglers with
no thought of retracing their steps over
those horrible mountain passes, and in
giving advice and warning to intending
explorers make clear what should have
oeen known before. In preparing for
klondyke one must provide himself
with one suit of the very heaviest un-
oerwear.' No need Of Two suits. Win
ter comes suddenly up there, and when
once you have put on winter clothes
they can not be taken off till the sum.
mer sun shall have removed the danger
OF such imprudence. II cleanliness be
next to godliness, then there must he
little OF the latter on the Klondvke
where bath during the nine months
OF winter means death. But II is also
not up there among the glaciers No
night blesses the toiler under the sum.
mer sun. And the thermometer takes
rest from the winter cold by climbing
hundred degrees above zero. And
these are the months when man must
work washing out what he has dug
during the winter.
From such variations of heat and cold
there must be logical results. Nature.S
laws are the same in Alaska as IN
South Africa. Looking up at each end
OF the Brooklyn bridge we see two ~
those long arms that reach down from
above differing from the others in
that they are wider apart at the base
during midsummer than in the coldor
months. The explanation is found IN
the necessity for an expansion ioint -
allow for the effects of varying temper
ature, and we are told that the struc.
ture would not last long without sncb
appliances. The range of heat and cold
is far greater in Klondyke than in
Brooklyn. Up in those frozen regions
the same causes produce the same ef.
fects. And so we learn that tbe
gulches are becoming one great grave.
yard OF exhausted humanity. In their
Wild eagerness men have neglected IN
consider their strength and have WELD
ed to the inevitable. while their treas |
ure has been divided among those who |
cared for them." In better phrase r.
would be said to have been divided
among those who watched for them to !
ole. But what chance would there
have been for return in their weak.
ened condition? Hundreds of miles ~ |
mountain passes where the epides
force the impatient traveller to camn |
|or month at time in snow and
'leet, because Of the danger in those
lndescribable storms. The paths are
cy and, save in good weather. walkinp
S impossible, while vast abysses yawn
or those who can not stand in slippery
places. No matter how impatient The