The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1897-07-24
fortunes. We arrived there ana worked

! Tor SIX months, but without success.
1T was the most difficult kind of
work. I had no money, and my part
ner's purse kept getting smaller and
smaller. Ny partner believed that If
We had couple OF men 10 work for Us
We would De able 10 make showing.
He agreed to pay two brothers, James
| and Henry Members, IS apiece for a
month, to work for us. They had come
north on the steamer with US, and were
penniless.
| 1--WE four worked, but there was no
signs of gold. Here is shown the hard
luck you sometimes encounter. We
worked the Members for six weeks. The
old man agreed to give them the claim
If they would work another week for
! US and nothing developed. They laughed
and said they were giving US cheap
labor. When the week was ended Billy
said. The claim - yours and we went
10 another part Of the country.
Three weeks later two miners came
our way and told US that the Members
| had struck pay dirt, and when we saw
| them, one year later, We learned that a
week after we left they struck it and
had taken out OF our claim more than
$40 600. Two years ago they sold out
ana left the Youkon with $175. 900.
THE two men who are working that
claim today are rich, and will take out
$1,000 more before another year goes
by. Bad luck accompanied us every
where. and it is an actual fact that be-
fore the Klondyke was on everybody's
lips, in fact before nine-,enths Of the
people in Alaska knew where il was.
Hilly and ! were there.
1T was rear here that I lost Hilly
We had been suffering hardships be-
cause no gold was in sight, and Hilly,
who was so years old, was compelled TO
60 to work for several miners. l went
With him.
The old man could no. stand It, One
night ne told me that he did not be-
iieve he void i've two more days I
told him he was mistaken, but in "A
hours he was dead, and we put him to
rest in a little creek
81 let. the Klondyke after that. and
tok up new partner named Willis,
Californian, but fate had evidently de-
creed that was 20 go it alone. and VIII
is was drowned two weeks after we en-
tered into partnership. 1 drifted about
the Alaska country until is month. ago.
II Was meeting men all the time VINO
mad fortunes. I decided to return 1
went back &c Juneau and wrote 10 my
brother in England for money. While
whiting TO hear from him / fell in with
couple OF miners. They had heard of
TIE Flcndyke finds and were en- route.
The wanted third man, and guaran
teed that while I was with them 1
should have plenty to eat. You may know
was hard up when put my name TO
paper agreeing TO work for them for s.
a day and board. -
I'VE went to the Klondye. Everybody
was finding gold. The ewo men released
ME from my agreement and by a strange
fortune, landed on me same claim that
HiEy aud 1 had worked a year or two
before. 1t yielded gold from the start.
DO you know l sometimes think that
the fret time l was in Klondyke there
Was no gold. and that il was washed there
after lee? Anyhow, the old claim gave
me gold from the start. I took out 500
600 in three months. One day / worked
ten hours, and it seemed to me that ev-
cry pan OF dirt was filed with nuggets
and fine gold.
Wen i reached the country Il was in
is infancy. There were two young fel-
lows ;nere who seemed 20 think they
owned the Klondyke. 1 think they had
taken cut $50, 900, but they refused t.
ming, with the other miners. One OF
theme We seld0w saw. I. was reported
that the one who kept out OF the way
was rea.y a girl dressed in boys cloth
ing. They scld their claim for s25. CO.,
Il believe the couple were man and
wife.
Il know dozens Of men who will come
out OF the country within the next three
years with great fortunes. I would like |
70 see the amateur keep away. 1 forgot |
cha: I was one myself. and that others |
are as anxious for gold as was.
James Belt, man who says he lives |
in Iowa. told me one night that he had /
taken out on his claim $4,000 in less |
than seven weeks. and that ne could haze |
taken out $2o, 900 II rheumatism had not /
interfered with his work. When | left /
ne was growing because he could not |
employ men 10 work his claim. ne day /
ne leaughinsly offered me $50 a day % 4
work for him.
Here is story that Belt, who is hon
est, told me. A man had taken out a
quantity OF dir, from his claim. and cor
siiered il valueless A Frenchman Of
tered him $500 for il. and the offer was
accepted. Within one month the French
man had taken out enough real fine gold
70 pay Tor the pie. and in two months
he had taken on, an additional 5000
up 20 June Jas: 1900 people had cross
ed the summit. and aoou; the same nun
Der had winte7ed al Dawson ard its
Dawson is baby: but i grow
ing "a rapidly as me II;le saw mill can
CIT timber.
Common lumber Is worth $50 per coo
on the axe. TOXIN lots sell. by a gang
who located on them. a. from $50 %
s., 600 They can't give you title. TIE
Alaska Commercial company AMI The
North American transportation and Ira
ding company nave concentrated their
forces ana supplies there
Extra steps are being taken = have
en7lga supplies I1ers for the winter. and
tie transportation company alone has a
ken - Dawson about $50 tons = food.
1t costs 81 20 &c; your sair, lzundsr-
Il. 80 cents for cisa-. 81 80 fo- aieal.
Eaoze meat Z - cents per pound. can
ned gods 70 cents per can. -four 81 PEI
barrel. sugar 20 cents pr pcani- bacon
% cents
The companies easi zd5pssd ne casa
system. and IL : pay as va = TIE
soa1.-y l. governed b. a E2ii COMMIT
sions- ami cap,a.1 a: u0as-ei 77iice-