The Philipsburg mail. [volume] (Philipsburg, Mont.) 1887-current, 1897-08-06

uOWn ana SODDeO III uttef despair
The method of reaching these and
other diggings consists partly in pull
ing loaded boat against al swift
stream, and often over rapids, and
partly in trudging through the swamp
or over a rough mountain trail with a
heavy load OIL ones back. In winter
the thermometer falls so low that it
cannot be measured by any available
means It is certain. however, that it
reached 20 degrees below ze' o. During
all this winter season very little can
be done and, as darkr ess exists most of
the time. life often seems intolerabe.
The actual expenses of getting into
the country are considerable. Indians
must be hired to do a part or the Woe
of the transportation of supplies acro' S
the Chilcat pass at very high wages,
an tie cost of the necessary outfit is
in itself considerable On arriving
at the diggings provisions are often
not obtainable at any price; or. if they
are to be had. the variety IS slight.
The supply is always uncertain, de-
pending upon the Ia eness of the spring
and of the fall.
Owing to the difficulty in bringing
in supplies, ices are very high at the
river posts and much higher in the
diggings. The freight alone from the
coast to the diggings costs as high as
so cents pound, so that when one
eats potatoes at 81 pound and bacon
at So cents pound. other things in
proportion, the cost of living is enor-
nous, and even employment at $40 per
day for sixty days ont of the year will
not enable Il man to grow rich very
rapidly. Even employment for wages,
moreover, is scarce there being sew
eral applicants for every joh. Owing
to the high price of supplies. no claim
that does not pay at least @l0 "A day to
each man working can be worked ex-
cept at a loss. Many competent men.
who engage in mining there and work
faithfully, experience failures, and are
unable to earn enough to buy provi-
sions.
In such situation it is very difficult
to make ones way out Of the country,
for the journey up the river along the
usual route requires upwards of thirty
days hard work, and provisions must
be bought for the trip. The trip down
the river and back TO civilization by
| steamer. is very expensive and of late
years the number seeking to get out in
that way exceeded the carrying capa-
city of the few steamers. Last year
fully 150 men who wished and in
| tended to leave the country by steamer
We're unable to do so, and are still
there.
Under the conditions which now eX-
ist there are quite enough in the
Yukon district already. and the object
of this article is to discourage people
from rushing there without due con-
sidera'ion. Probably 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 hun
dredth man must be miner and from
tiersman by nature. strong and pa
tient, q hard worker, and a lover of
secluded life. Even such man will
very likely fail OH account of the large
element of chance. and the most sue
cessful miner obtains'only few tbous-
aud dollars in profit after number of
years Of patient work.
Any great increase in the number Of
men going into the Yukon district
would be disastrous on account of the
strict limits Of the fcol supply and IA
cilities for transportation. The result
would be famine, disorder and failure.
Several years ago this actually hap
pened when all the Forty Mile miners
were without food and were obliged to
travel down the Yukon over the ice to
St. Michaels in the dead of winter, a
terrible journey of nearly two thous-
and miles. At that time there were
only few men in the country, but if
the number had been very much larger
even this resource would have been
impossible.
My general advice to the average
man intending to go to the Yukon
gold district is-to stay out. Many
men 90 there every year and suffer
hardship, failure, loss of capital. and
sometimes of health. If any one un-
dertakes the trip, he should take with
him enough supplies to last 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 neces
sary. and should start early enough il
the season to enable him to return NJ
the river if he intends to come out thu
same year, for the facilities for trans
J portation bv steamer are likely to b'
entirely inadequate.
J. Edward Spur.
United States Geological Survey.