Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1897-10-07


Mr.. Charles Knight, who arrived at
San Francisco, on the Excelsior, Sep.
H. and il now visiting his people In
our noighboring city. Amongst the
many reporters Interviewing him from
Frisco to Darlington, was one In the
interests OF the Iowa County Democrat,
who In social and desultory chat
elected much interesting information.
Mr.. Knight thinks that there will be
an over supply OF people and an UNI
der supply OF food in Alaska this
winter, and therefore concluded 1t was
good time to take Il visit home, TO
return In March with bounteous
outfit. The miners buy u years sup
ply ut time. and good prices they
pay for 1t. lie paid $4,000 n hundred
for flour, 800 n roll for butter 1900
dozen for eggs which are very
scarce luxury, and seldom was able
TO get fresh meat except an occasion
al caribou or moose steak While
gold, there are also quantities Of
hardships and privatlons TO be borne,
and Mr.. Knight thinks II II man Is
making u comfortable living here he
had better stay. There are only three
towns of any size In the mining re-
gion, Circle City, Dawson City, and
Forty Mile-and they neither have
church nor bank, but have quite good
schools. There are plenty of saloons,
with whskey and beer ut 80 cents II
glass, and cigars ut SO cents each;
but there Is very little drunkenness w.
that Is strongly dscountcnanccd; and
stealing IL almost unknown, for II n
theft IL discovered there Is II miners
meeting called and II the culprit Is
convicted he Is sent out of the country.
The cold IL intense but dry, and Pain
Killer, patent medicine that has
been tested to resist II degrees below
zero, has frozen. The lies and mos
quitos must be supernatural ones, for
Mr.. Knight says that he has seen
them on the snow in winter. In sum
mer they are almost insupportable,
In June, by going ON one of the
=" hills" the sun can be seen the
whole twenty-four hours, and one
must go to bed by time instead of sun.
The party Mr., Knight went with
started In March, and went by the
overland route, Their apportionment
OF baggage was 700 pounds each, and
in going over the Pass they had to
cache It, taking what they could up
the % miles to the summit, cache it
there and return for more, making u
number Of trips From the summit
down to the lakes was not SO bad,
and on the lakes IL could be drawn ON
slcds. One day u severe blizzard
came up, and Mr. Knight and com
panion were separated from the rest
of the party who had the tent outfit
and were lost. They managed to get
into the comparative shelter of some
trees on the shore which they some
what increased by spreading the sail
they had with them, but feared they
would perish with the cold before the
storm ahated, Fortunately 1t was not
OF long duration, and some of their
friends eamo back after them.
MIR, Knight has two claims, one of
which he will probably sell to n COM
pany in California. The other is not
for sale. He carries in his pocket II
handful of nuggets from his mine
and when ono handles and examines
them II Is comprehensive why men
are SO greedy for gold. Tho miners
handle very little money but pay for
things in gold dust at seventeen
an ounce, Mr. Knight says that
the prices in Canadian territory are
much higher than where the Eagle
screams. lie came home down the
Yukon, which must look like large
lake with its 20 miles wide mouth, on
st. Michacl's the Excelsior ran onto
sand-har and broke the propeller
blades. The passengers were finally
called upon TO help move the coal to
the stern OF the boat, and after quite
loss Of time she was again atloat,
the damage was somehow patched up,
and san Francisco was reached in
twenty-one days. The cuisine on the
boat was particularly fine and apprc-
ciated by people who had been In
Alaska some sine, but very aggravat-
ing TO Il half-sea-sick passenger. MIR.
Knight says he has hardly yet become
accustomed to fine meals we'll served
and soft beds. He is essentially n
quiet man, but fortunately good
natured one and cheerfully answers
the unending questions asked him. He