The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1897-08-25
taken away hundreds who will never come

D6Ck.
"They have swarmed upon the boats,
many without the first idea Of the location
OF the fields or any knowledge concerning
their destination. They have failed to see
that the gold region is vast wilderness,
snow-bound and Ice covered full Of death
even to explorers and adventures who
have become trained to the rlgor OF per-
sistent fight for life.
"There will be greater horrors there than
there were In the West, since here the new
corners found q climate In which they could
live, and, having failed to find mine, they
were able to get work in other directions.
There Is no alternative in the Klondike.
The hundreds who have gone must dig IN
the dirt or nothing. If they can not get
work as miners they will have to get out.
"This would not be 80 bad, but there Is
no way to get out after the winter starts.
The food supply Is sure to run low and this
means absolute death. look for the most
frightful tales Of distress to come down on
the first boats that shall leave the new
fields In the spring."
J. R. de Lamar, who Is probably the
greatest gold mine operator IN the. Unltea
States, and who understands every princi-
pie Of placer mining, says:
"I must say that L am surprised at the
wonderful interest that the KlondiGe placer
mines have excited everywhere. 1 never
saw anything like 1t.
"The mines are wonderful, but probably
not so wonderful as represented. Grass Is
always greener, you know, further away.
I have seen experienced men from the
Klondike region-men I know-and have
thoroughly probed the facts about the
country.
at is absolutely foolish to start for
Alaska now. Men who have spent several
ALL hot ha Vp1-n
now closed-closed not by ice, but by
drought. No steamer can 60 up to hlon-
dixie after the middle Of July. The only
other way to 20 Is afoot over Chilcoot Pass
"Now, il you start that way you will have
to walk $500 miles, and each man has 70
carry all his provisions for year, MS De,
loneings and traps. There Is no well-defined
trail. You have to walk over moss on an
average three to four feet deep, through
which one sinks from six inches to several
feet every time he steps.
There are billiards. which last several
dsys. Then 1t Is necessary to dig holes In
the snow and moss and stay there until the
blizzard Is over. This moss has the same
mslarial effect as new dirt has In dugout
1.-THE Klondike can never be compared to
California, because living there Is 80 differ
ent. After the rich digglngs in California
were worked out the miners took the next
rich placer dirt, and finally the quartz
mines. Only the richest Kondike ground
can be worked, Alvin Pierce, who Is Just
from there, tells me, because wages are Sls
to s2O day, and sometimes much higher
"The miners now are paying SlO DAY
for board. He tells me also that provisions
are sure to be short there this winter on
account Of the great rush OF people anu
the utter lack Of supplies. Board WILL Dc
higher than the wages. 1 have given this
subject much consideration and have
cleaned much information, and l belleVe II
is like throwing money away to send par
ties and expeditions there now.
Another thing, the Canadian Govern
ment has passed laws very hostile and IN
furious to mining. 1t never favored
great influx Of miners from the Unitet
States. The Canadian Government leVle:
tax Of ten per cent. on claimssth pro
duce less than $500 month, and twenty
per cent on all over $500 month. Beside:
! that the worst, most terrible and unlus
law ever inflicted upon mining commun
ity has been passed, segre3attng every al
ternate claim for the Canadian Govern
| ment.
II doubt if half OF the people there hav'
any title to their claims, and many wht
come home will find themselves wtthou
claims on their return. Under these laws
it will be difficult for Americans to retaiI
possession of any property bought or tt
keep the gold they find IN the klond1ke."