The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-07-18
COST OF AN OUTFIT.
Here's a Pointer for ''Tenderfeet' Go
ing to Alaska.

SAN FRANCISCO, July 17.-San Fran
cisco had bad attack of gold fever, Fri
day, when the reports of the RICH discover
les in the Klondyke district were read.
Hundreds of old miners hunted up the men
who arrived on the steamer Wednesday,
and obtained facts about the outfit and
money needed for the trip. Mr. j. c. Hest
wood who has spent three years in Alas
ka gave the best description of the chances
for the tenderfoot. He brought out $4,000
as the result of two months work on his
claim, which is about ten miles from Daw-
son City. Mr.. Hestwood said:
ITO go into the Yukon requires $3.50 for
an outfit and about the same amount in
cash. To do anything in mining, except as
a day laborer, requires from $1,000 upwards.
The rich pay dirt is only struck near bed
rock, and this generally lies from eighteen
to twenty-five feet below the surface.
THE method of mining is to remove the
surface mass, which is eighteen inches
thick and then build a fire, which burns
all night. In the morning the gravel is
thawed down about two feet This is SHOW
eled out and another fire is built, and in
this slow and laborious way the ground Is
removed to bed rock. This work can be
carried on all winter, except when the mer-
curry falls 60 below zero.
Dawson City is booming town of about
900 inhabitants, and is growing rapidly
Provisions were scarce and dear last WIN
ter and all supplies are costly. An ordi-
nary seventy-fVe-cent pocket knife sells for
81 and shoes bring from So to So. Eggs sell
readily at 81 per dozen. Flour sold as high
as 81 a pound.
Mr. Hestwood showed many small mug
gets from the new Bonanza creek district
where his mine is situated. The gold is the
color of brass and is worth SIG to ST an
ounce 1t is not as pure as is found else
where on the Yukon.
They did not hear of McKinleys election
until last June, but Mr. HestWood saws
there were few silver men in camp. Some
however. feared that gold would depreciate
in value because of the prospective enor-
nous output of these mines.
The new camp is peculiar for several rea-
sons. The prospectors don't have a dead
man even once week in Dawson City, the
headquarters of the camp because Cana
dian provincial police do not allow men to
carry arms. If miners get drunk and fight
they use their fists, and the land laws are
so good that no claim jumping is possible
Dawson City has now four thousand people,
and it is expected that two thousand more
will swarm in before snow flies and the
trail from Juneau is closed for the winter
j. O. Hestwood, one of the miners who
came back Wednesday, said:
Modern history records nothing so rich
in extent as the placer mines of the Yukon
district. The gold dust which was turned
into the Sebly Smelling Company's office
Wednesday is only slight indication of
what is to follow in the near future. The
climatic conditions of that ice-bound re-
gion are such, however that only the very
courageous should seek fortunes there
Food is scarce, distances to be traversed
are great and the country is inhosptabe
"A great many men went into the coun-
try poverty stricken last year and came out
this spring with thousands of dollars, yet
that does not signify that every chu-chow-
ko newcomer) will be able to do the same
There is plenty of room there for five thou
sand more able-bodied men, but let no one
undertake the task of getting there until
he first considers what he must bear and
undergo to reach the Ell Dorado of the far
north, remembering that wealth from min
ing in that region, as a rule, is more acct
dental than o -herwise.
The stories of returned miners vary ontv
in details. T. B. Rhodes, an old miner
tells the following history of his good for
tune: Il am located on Claim 81 above
Discovery. on Bonanza creek, I was among
the fortunate, as / cleared about S40O 0C0
but brought only $1,000 with me. | was the
first man TO get TO bedrock gravel and to
discover that 1t was lined with gold dust
had V-shaped streaks, caused, 1t is sup
posed, by glacial action. In those seams
found a clay which exceedingly rich
in fact there was a stratum of pay gravel
four feet thick upon the rock. which was
lined with gold, particularly in those chan
nelS or streakS. The rock was about six
teen feet from the surface. That discovery
made the camp. 1t was made on Oct
%, 1896, and as soon as the news spread
everybody rushed to the diggings from Cir
Gle City, Forty Mile and every other camp
in the district. There was a lack of food
We had nothing but what we sledded from
Forty Mile Flour sold as high as $40 a
sack, and shoves at SIS apiece. / invested
my money in another claim. a two-thirds
divided interest in Claim %. If 1 had not
bought in l would have brought down at
least $4,000 but the investment there is
the best security and pays interest from
10 to % per cent. year..
Fred Price said that there We're four
miles OF good claims on E1 Dorado creek
and ten miles of claims on Bonanza creek
He brought down $1,000 and left $4,000 in
vested in the gold claim. He warned all