New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-08-01

the Clondyke from here are persons who have
money enough to spare for such an undertake
ing. Those who have barely sufficient funds TO
carry them there are in the minority. Their
one outlook is to find employment when they
reach the gold fields with some more prosperous
claim owner. and to profit by the enormously
high scale of wages which prevails there.
Among the who have gone from New
York are many old miners. After working cut
various diggings in the West. they drifted back
to their Eastern homes in search of other en-
ployment; but now, when news comes of fresh
gold finds, they are ready to start forth again
with picks, shoves and pans. Even veterans OF
the johannesburg fields are to be found among
the pilgrims from this city to the Clondyke.
Their presence in New-York would probably
never have been known were it not for an event
of this kind to bring them to the front. a few
women have gone from the East following the
fortunes of their husbands.
The poorer individuals who visit the railroad
Offices are soon frightened away when they learn
the cost Of the trip. At the mention of 500 or
$500 for one way their faces fall. that sum be-
ing quite far beyond their reach as if it ran
into the thousands.
All classes Of nqurers seize eagerly upon any
printed matter which is offered to them; and. as
a consequence of their liberality in this respect
some Of the railroad companies have run COM
pletely out Of maps of Alaska. descriptive folds
ers, railway and steamship newspapers etc,
They have sent to the main Offices in the West
for new supply. however. so the ambitious
hunter. thrsting for knowledge. will have to
wait only few days for more of this kind OF
literature.
Another phase of the public interest has been
manifest at the libraries and in less degree.
at the various publishers and booksellers. There
Is a widespread desire for information the
subject Of gold mining in general and for details
regarding the rich Alaskan territory in particu-
lar At the Aston Library the officials say that
the interest shown in the matter has been re-
markabe. SO numerous have the calls become
that a group Of about twenty books which bear
most directly upon the allied themes of Alaska
and the precious metals have been selected from
the shelves and placed together right under the
hands of the librarians There is scarcely an
hour in the day when some of them are not In
use The people who consult these books are
representatives Of many classes of society. Some
evidently men Of education and apparently
of means. 1t may be that many of them are
merely gratifying curiosity awakened by the
recent discoveries. and have no intention of leav-
ing the city for Alaska themselves, but the faces
of the majority indicate the contrary. Others OF
the seekers after gold knowledge are shabbily
dressed, and certainly do not look as if they
would be able to pay their way to the Yukon
were they possessed of all the mining wisdom OF
the ages.
Naturally the Libraries are affected more
quickly than the publishing houses. But thy
clerks of the latter have already begun to suppl
volumes godmining to their customers
Guide books to Alaska although they would
probably not be useful as the few up-to-date
directions furnished Ivy the railroad companies,
are also in demand, while publisher who makes
a specially OF scientific books has noticed that
the sale for volumes which treat of gold-mining
has sprung into greater activity in the last few
days.