The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1897-09-01
TOUGH WORK.
And No o-o Should Go Who Is Not Pre-
pared For It.

Claims have been located, and they
have found good prospects, but bed
rock has never been reached, as mining
up in that country is hard work, for the
reason that everything has to be packed
to the mines on your back and every
thing has to be worked in the crudest
way-no improved machinery or any
thing of the kind. Your wood for thaw-
ing has to be packed on your back.
Everything connected with mining is
up hill business. 1t is no boys play. A
young man who does not want to work
harder than he ever did before in his
life does not want to leave comfort
able home to go out there. Any man
who has q good home here and a good
occupation should not be carried away
with the idea that be can pick gold off
the bushes in that country.
Gold mining in Alaska and North
west Territories, aside from the natural
hardships of the severe winter, is the
toughest kind Of work. It compels great
personal sacrifices of comfort and con-
stant attention to business. 1t is no
child's play.
There are numerous fortunes still to
be made there, but it will take capital
and experience to get them out. We
have 20 machinery to work with as yet
except Of the crudest sort. Machinery
will probably be introduced after
awhile. I ehall take my own machinery
in next spring. It Will be the kind best
adapted to that sort of mining.
That is one cf the principal things I
came out for-that and to get a little
rest. Since have been here my mail
has steadily increased until it is impos-
sible for me to give it proper attention.
I have number of the most valua-
BILE mining claims in the Klondike re-
gion, all Of which / secured by purchase.
Before left there made arrangements
with my partner to secure options On
any new discoveries which might prove
valuable.
VIII Form q Company.
When came out here, had 40 in
tention Of organizing a stock company
to operate my mines, but since my ar
rival among my old friends and associ-
ates / find that there are so many peo-
pie who desire to invest, rather than to
brave the dangers and bear the expense
Of trip to the Klondike region them
selves, that / am about to place my
mining property in a corporation Of
which am president and general man
ager, and which I confidently believe
will prove the richest gold mining COM
pany in the world.
About the ownership Of the Yukon
and Klondike districts, read in the
papers that this man Arkell claims to
have been the man who fitted out Lieu
tenant Glave, John Dalton and a whole
party Of Chilkat Indians-I would not
say how many-that he was the man
who located these mines, discovered
them. in 1891.
Now, the truth Of that is that Glave
and his party went up the Chi1kat
river, across the Chilkat pass, and ex-
plored the head Of the White and Alsack
rivers, which empty into Dry lay, a
part Of the Pacific ocean, little south
Of Yakutat. They were probably 900
miles from the mouth Of the Thron
Diuck, where the gold diggings are, and
ON the west side Of the Yukon river,
while the Thron Diuck river is on the
east Of it
don't know what they did. They
explored and ran around through that
country. They had four horses-that is,
three horses and o male. There was no
mining or prospecting done by that
party. They were hunting for place to
locate trading post
Jack Dalton did locate trading post
in 1898 on the headwaters Of the AL
sack river, which he is still running and
which is supplied by pack animals
around by way Of Chilkat pass. Mr..
Arkell states that Lieutenant Glave died
on his way back to his rich gold mines,
which he had discovered on the Thron
Diuck. It is well known fact;that
Lieutenant Glave died in Australia
about 1898 OF 1894.
No Gold In That Region.
In the region explored by the Arkell
expedition no gold has ever been dis
covered. It is certain that this party
did not penetrate the Klondike- Yukon
region or go anywhere near the Yukon
river. The nearest point was probably
Fort Selkirk, which was at a distance
Of about 800 miles. No expedition that
went there ever reached the Klondike
district or discovered the existence Of
gold there.
There was not claim staked out on
it until Aug. "a Of last year. and that
was located by George Mccormack. At
the time Of the discovery, in the whole
of Alaska would say there were prob
ably $500 men scattered over range
of territory Of 1000 miles at leasts
The ten years was there previous to
the discovery of the Bonanza and Gold
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