The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1897-09-17
VOL. |. No |.
First Newspaper Published at
Dawson City,
Dated July IL, Reaches the
United States.
ssTHECLONDYKE NEWS"
Tt is a Three Column Folio IL
v 8 Inches.
Proprietor is Editor, Printer
and Devil.
ssTHECLONDYKE NEWS"


The paper costs rs cents a copy, or $40
d year, invariably in advance. 1t is
breezy little sheet, II by 9 inches in
size, containing four pages of three
columns each. The initial number con-
tains the prospectus, under date of July
II, as follows:
With this issue the Clondylze News
makes its first appearance. II is not
an easy thing to serve as editor and
compositor, as reporter and business
manager and devil on the only paper in
a town of 5000 inhabitants. We, as a
pioneer publisher, have been obliged to
be all these things, for the printer we
brought with us has himself taken a
claim and is too busy sacl1ing his gold
TO care to work longer in lead, ana
there is neither devil nor business man
ager to be hired for wages in all the
Clondyke. Because of these things we
are later with the number than we mad
promised. Nevertheless, We are the
first.
THE News intends to maintain the
lead it has secured 1t proposes TO PRINT
all the news, to give the latest inforna-
ton concerning prospects in the Yukon
and to devote itself to all the interests
of the region. In return it asks the sup
port of ALL The News also proposes TO
pursue a course independent in every
respect. Anyone who does not like TINS
paper may have his money returned to
him by applying at the office.
son was an event for the editor, at
least. In speaking of il, he says:
When in the course of human events
il becomes necessary for free people
TO lay out a new town, the first n ed
they feel is for newspaper, and they
never have to wait long for it. Dawson
has been without newspaper longer
than most new places, owing TO the dlI-
fculty Of transporting the outfit That
obstacle being overcome, the newspaper
makes its appearance quite as though
the town were started yesterday.
I'VE arrived from ST. Michaers with
the outfit for the News the Alice,
the first boat up the river this season.
We had reduced the plant to its light
est weight, leaving much Of our sttuH on
the island, or We should not have secur-
ed passage so soon. Ben BOtsWick came
with US, he being an expert printer; but
on our arrival he found claim, and
we were obliged, single handed, not
only to land our material. but to con-
strUct house in which to lodge it. Our
present abode is 1Zx14 feet in size on the
ground, eight logs high and rooted with
logs. moss and earth.
we are proud of it. for we built it.
Our first issue represents more Ia
Dor than our friends would think pos
sible did they not live in Dawson. We
have been our own carpenter, our own
editor, our own printer and pressman,
our own subscription solicitor. our own
advertising agent. our own everything.
Fortunately, we have had from Is to 20
hours of daylight in which to work,
The choicest bit of news in the first
number of the paper concerns rather
old story. fixed up in new way. 1t
is as follows:
Albert Gray, a bookish lad. who has
been knocking about Alaska for two
years. and who came at the right time
TO Dawson, became infatuated not long
since with a dance girl in the Palace,
and decided a One-half interest in one
of his mines to her. Hearing that his
80 hi fN fhA lyA
young Gray conceived the idea of
avoiding explanations by making the
girl his manager, and leaving the place
for a month two. The father, Orrin
Gray. of Centralia, Wis, arrived early
in July and found no SON He left on
the Alice. On Monday young Gray re-
turned. The girl refused to deed back
the property, claiming that he was paid
his price Gray appealed to the Miners
Committee, but it refused to interfere
on the ground that it served him right
for treating his father as he did"
The News is a weekly paper. In the
first number appeared about two col
umns of advertisements. The first ad
advises the reader to go to The Clon-
dyke" a dance hall. where good music,
good fellowship and good wines were to
be had The Palace saloon and dance
hall remarks that its scales do not
cheat the miner and that poker tables
are always open in it's cardroOm.
Beck q Wilson also advertised that
their dance hall is frst-class and that
cannot be beat"
Then there are two ads of provision
stores, where moose and caribou are
sold. and that is all the advertising
there is. The first page contains three
columns of live news. among other
things the announcement of the eiope-
rnent of Mrs Bradbury and Ward of
California.
In one column of the fourth page ap-
pears this:
AT o'clock last Monday Captain
brated very pretty double wedd ng,
Miss GusSie La More, formerly of Ju-
neau. becoming Mrs. William Swiftwa-
ter, and Miss Violet Raymond bee ming
Mrs. Prince Antoine. Mr.. Swiftwa ter
came to the Clondyke in the early rush.
He located claim 49, Eldorado creek, |
and is now a millionaire. Mr.. Antoine
also owns very desirab claim. The
ladies came to Da wSon City together |
and were married the third day after
sheir arrival We wish them all happi-
ness
In the next column are the deaths:
Robert Carlson, aged IS; Charles
Carlson, aged % Two of the saddest of
many deaths at Dawson this season
were those of Robert and Charles Carl
son, who died about the first of the
month. Their claim was No. 81. Bo-
nanza, and they had taken out over
1,10O ounces when the elder was stricl-
en- with fever Robert was the first TO
fall ill. He fingered a week, and the
day before his death Charles also was
stricken Within ten days both of them
were in their graves They were bur-
ON July Is James T. Jones, aged q
years died of malariaT fever. The fun
eral was largely attended The grave
was the sixteenth to be dug in the new
cemetery.
Aged % years. Frank Belcher of
Pennsylvania, died wednesday night of
typhoid fever. de had about $4,000
slowed in his cabin, and had just sold
his claim for sos. 600 more II was his