The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1897-03-26
GOLD, BUT NO FOOD.
Riches OF the KIondike Region Be-
yOnd Precedent


LAS To the richness oil tne hiohuihc rc-
gion had intended to say nothing, but
know the facts will not be concealed by
others, and l may as well tell you that In
my forty-two years experience on the
Pacific coast so much gold has never been
found in the same extent of country. In
fact, you may believe anything you hear;
it can hardly be exaggerated. ?"
These words appeared in personal
letter received in this city from w. f.
Cornell, says the Seattle Post, formerly
in charge of the State printing Office of
Oregon, and for several years n resident OF
that State. He writes from Fort Cudahy
under date of Jan. ID, 1897.
Il have concluded that we may as well
have a rush here the coming season as at
any future time" he continues. "When
few hundred or thousand, men have found
that food which will support life In one
man for seven months in an arctic win
ter will not keep four or five from starva-
tion, and those fow hundred, or thousand,
have been put away under the Ice and
snow, the world will have lesson which
viii probably be OF benefit TO the wise
thereafter. The demise of few hundred,
or thousand, fools will be no loss 10
humanity The companies doing business
here will make promises OF plenty Tor
those now in the country. We have had
these promises every year and have never
had enough. Miners wages have always
been $40 per day and will not be less for
some time to come, but every man must
find his own food and tools. Remember
that man cannot eat gold dust and IL
it won't buy anything eatable it won't do
any one much good in this region.
"All the loose mennow at CircleCfty VIII
be up here in the spring They would be
here now if there were food for them at
this place, but there is not. Ii is hard
trip from Circle City, POS miles, and the
amount a man can haul on sled VIII
not keep him more than week. A lew
who were able to get dogs have come up
and gone on TO the new diggings, but dogs
are difficult to get, and IL takes money TO
obtain good team and harness and sled.
The dogs must be fed, and the only OBJ
tainabe food for them is bacon at 40 cents
pound and flour ut s. per sack These
are Circle City prices, neither bacon nor
-four being purchasable here at any price.
Dogs are worth from $50 20 Sl25, according
To size, strength, endurace and willing
ness to work. Four or five dogs are re-
quired for good team.
1.-The new diggings are 5l miles up
stream from here-that is, the mouth of
the Klondike River is that distance, and
Bonanza creek empties into the klondike
about two miles above the latter's 5 mouth.
Eldorado Creek, Adams Creek and Others,
naneless as yet, are continents of Bonanza.
there are other gulches in which pros
poets have been obtained running into
Eldorado. Pear Greek comes into Klondike
few miles further up. On the same
side and "A few miles further up Hunker
Creek dcbouches These continents are
all on the south side of the klondike,
which is on the east side Of the Yukon.
The located region of the two districts Is
included in a square of about 20 miles,
and over 700 claims have been recorded,
each 800 feet in length. Gold Bottom is
a fork of Hunker. We have had the
warmest winter so far ever known here,
but there is time enough yet for few
weeks of 90 or 40 degrees below zero.
That wonderful Japan current has sent its
| moderating influence TO us continuously,
| and, although 1t must cross the Alaskan
| Peninsula, the lofty coast range and
many miles of mountainous regions be-
| sides, il keeps the cold away to u remark
| able degree. L will 20 up to klondike ms
| soon as the days are-ieHger, so n little
| work can be done. The sun shines now
| but three hours in the "A. II disappears
altogether for about II days, being hidden
| by the mountains south Of here
"We get letters less regularly since an
| attempt was made to have mail brought
here under government contract than we
| did before. We do not yet know who is
elected president, and will probably not
| find out until June when the men begin
| To come in from the outside. lt Is likely
| some one of the crowd will know. News
| papers sent by mail seldom reach here.