davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1897-09-08
poor Nan,s Mines.

The Alaska and California gold fields
are alike also in being placer mines.
Placer mining is commonly called
spoor mans mining" for the reason
that it is done without machinery,
while the implements required IN the
work are few and of small cost. \
placer miner can get along very well
with pick, shovel and gold pam II
the dirt is not rich he can accomplish
better results by running it through a
sluice box, but where the yield is III
nuggets instead of fine gold be prefers
to "pan" it.
The great Klondike strike was made
nine months ago, but nothing was
known Of in the United States until
June IS, when vessel called the Ex-
ceisior arrived in San Francisco laden
with miners from the Klondike, who
in turn were laden with gold.
They told almost incredible tales OF
the richness of the newly discovered
district, where fortunes had been ac-
cumulated in q few months. Expert
enced miners and 'tenderfeet" seemed
to have shared good fortune alike, and
with some justice, too, for the credit
of the discovery of the new gold fields
is due to the inexperienced men.
Another vessel brought TO Seattle q
second party of successful prospectors
and ton and half of gold. These
men had endured peril and undergone
Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1897-09-08
Living Crate Of Eggs.

A successful shell game of o new
brand was worked on Cleveland (Ohio)
egg consumers the other day by an
honest Ohio farmer, who lives down on
the Cleveland, Akron and Columbus
road, seventy-five miles southeast OF
this city. This time the farmer came
near victimizing his city cousins, and
all but succeeded.
A case of eggs reached a commission
house, and when opened it was found
that one of the eggs had Matched, and
fifteen minutes later, when the eggs
were exposed to the air, q dozen chick
ems were peeping.
The eggs in the first two layers con-
tanned chickens, most of which were
dead. The commission merchants re-
ported that as soon as the eggs were
exposed to the air chickens were
hatched. The temperature in which
the crate of eggs had eyidentl y been
since the shipment will not be changed,
and oil the eggs will be given chance
to hatch.
The commission merchants decline
to give the name of the consignee, and
agree that now they have good start
in the poultry business. The eggs
which are Matching must have been in
temperature of ninety degrees for
the last three weeks.
Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1897-09-08

Lewis River, l5u mlies u
ger Rapids, to the Yukon at Fort Sell
kirk, and then down stream 25O miles
to Dawson.
The cost of the trip this way can
not be definitely stated beyond Ju-
neau, because after that point it de-
pends somewhat on the bargain made
with the Chilkoot Indians, who pack
supplies through the pass, and the
length of time the overland part of the
journey requires. The cost from Chi
cago to Seattle is the same as by the
other route, of course, S51.50 second
class and $40 more for first class. The
steamer fare up to Juneau and on to
Dyea is S42. What it costs on the
overland trip each traveller determines
partially for himself, but the Indians
who act as guides and pack supplies
do not work without big pay. -,
Tho Centre OF the Gold Region.
Dawson City, the centre of the new
mining region, although sixty-tive
miles distant from the Klondike, is
said to be typical mining camp
minus the guns. The British Govern
ment enforces its laws in Dawson, and
those laws prohibit the use of firearms,
SO few men carry guns. The laws OF
the camp are enforced by mounted po,
lice, whose captain is aIcivil officer.
Though there are said to be 5000 peo'
pie in Dawson, few houses have been
built, for tho principal reason that
lumber is S1OO per 1000 feet. The
general fear is, of course, that there
will be great suffering there this win
Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1897-09-08
Why take Johnson's
Chill & Fever Tonic?
Because it cures the
most stubborn case
ofFever i'm ONEDAH.

Much has been said about the de-
cadence of the constitution OF our
American citizens, that people don't
live to be as old now as formerly,
etc. Yet the Massachusetts, census OF
1895 which was extremely accurate on
this point, found over $4,000 persons
in tho State who were 80 or more
years of age, constituting three-fourths
of l PC. of the population. OF this
number, over $4,000 are native born
and only some 1900 foreign born, but
in both cases there was larger pro.
portion of women than of men. Thr-
ty-fve persons were reported as lou
wears old or over, including one aged
Ill. The number of aged persons is
fully as large in proportion as in 1888.
This is further confirmation OF the
fact, we'll known to all students OF the
subject, that the health and longevity
of the masses is on the increase, ow-
ing to the better conditions under
which they live.
Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1897-09-08

great hardships in accumulating the
fortunes they brought, and they told
q story that had dark as we'll as
bright side. To follow their example
means q risk of wealth, health and
even life, but for those who are willing
to take the chances the prospect they
hold out is alluring.
Location of the Klondike District. :
The richest of the mines in the
Alaska region seem to be in the Klon-
dixie, a few miles over the British
border. They were discovered, as has
been said, by party of "tenderfeet," :"
who, against the advice of the old
timers in the district, wandered Cover
wonder in the Klondike" and struck it
rich. From Klondike comes much of
the gold and from Klondike seems to
come all the excitement. A few
.stenderfeet, going it blind, have
stirred up the Nation. Out OF the
regions OF their discovery has come,
it is estimated, S2,000,0 900 worth OF
gold during the present summer
Nearly all Of that gold has found its
way into the United States.
Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1897-09-08
About Tea.

The ancient way of preparing tea
was not very appetizing to those
familiar with it, but "what the eye
does not see the heart can not grieve. y
The mode of packing it, in China, was
to have the natives tread the leaves
into the boxes with their naked feet,
AND, as Chinamen's feet are not al
ways scrupulously clean, the effect on
those who saw the operation was not
favorable. They used to say that
sauer kraut was packed in a similar
manner among the German families of
Pennsylvania, but that was probably
slander. At any rate, it is believed
that tea packing is now carried on in
cleanly manner.
There are hundreds of different
kinds of tea, and the best undou btedly
goes overland to Russia. When tea
arrives at the London docks it is sent
in sealed vans to warehouses uptown,
emptied out on large floors and
bulked, so as to make the samples
even. The tea is then put back into
the chest, and all the members of he
tea board Or the tea trade are allowed
two ounces from every parcel, which
makes large quantity in the aggre-
gate. Four days in the week there
are public sales, which often amount
to 10000 packages at time. There
are regular tea testers employed at
large salaries to test the samples.
Some of these experts continue their
work during the entire day. If they
swallowed the tea. they tested they
would drink a hogshead during the
twelve hours. The tea tester must
have the digestion of an ostrich, the
strength of lion and the nerve of an
elephant to endure what he has to
undergo day after day.
Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1897-09-08
l.. 1899, $50
A Perilous Journey.

IQtal. ....To'''ooo "'''''
A Perilous Journey.
Every one of these men has story
to tell of the vast riches of the new
gold fields, but they tell another
story, too-a story of hardship, trial
and suffering through long winter days,
when the sun was smiling on this
earth's other pole and leaving them in
miserable cold and darkness. Theytella
story of prodigious travels, of stagger-
ing journeys and the dangers that be-
set the traveller. They tell what a
trip it is to reach the gold fields, and
when they get through the faint,
hearted prospector, who isn't thor
oughly convinced that he wants to un-
dergo the trial, decides to forego the
trip to Alaska and dig up his wealth
at home or go without. Some of the
eold-mad adventurers, though, rush on
unhee eding, crowding into the Alaska
bound steamers without anything like
enough supplies or enough money to
see them through ten days Of travel
on land. Miners who have been there
say that such as those will perish.
How to Reach the New Gold Fields.
There are two generalroutes to the
Klondike district. From Chicago both
lead to Seattle, and there diverge. One
goes by ocean steamer west and llt-
tie north, and passes throug IN Dutch
Harbor, at the extreme end OF the
southwest Alaskan peninsula. From
there the steamer turns north and con-
tinues on to st. Michael's Island, q little
above the mouth Of the Yukon, In Ber-
ing Sea. At that point passengers are
transferred to the river steamers to be-
gin the long journey up the Yukon,
which winds northward and eastward,
and finally brings the traveller to Daw'
son City, now the principal town in
the mining district, althoug h sixty-hvf
miles from the Kondiks fields.
| The cost of the trip: from Chicago
this way, as prospecting miners usu
! ally travel, is $251.50. !. 1t is divided
as follows: From Chicago to Seattle
ltsecond class), $3.50; from Seattle te
tDawson City, 5000. -.---.,.-,-,,-.-s
Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1897-09-08

1t is hard to tell where the Alaska
gold fields are located except that in a
general way the best of them are along
the Yukon. There are few 'lode''
miners near Juneau and along the
southeast coast of the Territory (the
most accessible part of it), but the ore
is of low grade and mining is made
profitable only by the most careful
management.
The placer mines, from which pros.
pectors are said now to be lining their
pockets with gold, are in the region
remote from civilization, little known,
and, on account of its uncertainties,
dangerously alluring to the average
man. This gold-producing country
of the interior is in the vicinity of the
Yukon near where that great river
turns to the west in its course to the
sea. Before the discoveries in the
Klondike the most productive districts
bad been along Forty Mile Creek,
partly in British and partly in Ameri-
can territory, and the Birch Creek
district, all in American territory.
Along all of the river in this section,
tributaries to the Yukon, gold dig
gings exist, and in many places pay
the prospector well for his trouble.
In all the immense country over
which the placer mining extends it is
estimated that up to last year there
yara 1000 nIinerS The districts In |
which most Of them worked were in q
D broad belt of gold-producing rock,
through which quartz veins carrying
gold occur frequently. Through the
5old-bearing rocks the streams have
cut deep gullies and canons, and in
heir beds the gold which was con-
aimed. in the rock. is, concentrated.
The mining of this country consists,
therefore in washing out the gravel of
;hese beds. So the miners worked,
being fairly we'll paid for their labor,
Until the ''tenderfeet" made the Klon-
like discovery. That was nine months
" so ago, and the news of it is just
eaching the outside world. It was
lot long in reaching the miners along
Forty Mile and Birch Greeks, though,
nd they shouldered their picks and
moved forward in wild rush at the
Irst word of the new lucky strike. AS
result gold dust and nuggets by the
on are turned into the mints out on
he coast, and men who never before
Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1897-09-08
Quinine and other fe-
yer medicines take from5
to 10 days to cure fever.
Johnson's Chill and Fever
Tonic cures i'm ONE DAY.
DOOM OF THE LOCOMOTIVE.
It Has Done Its Work and Must Soon Give
Way to Motors,

About 100 years ago Oliver Evans,
the inventor, was rash enough to say
that the time would CON when his
high pressure locomotive would take
people after breakfast in Washington
and get them to New York for supper.
The idea of covering 200 miles il this
time was of course preposterous, and
he was the butt of many a joke. But
when the rails were fIally laid, which
was not so many years ago, the passen-
gers soon began to want more speed,
and thus it has gone on. Americans
accept inventions as marvels for
whole day sometimes, and then de-
mand more. Some people have been
known to complain of the telephone.
But the locomotive has been filth
full old friend. Locomotive engineer
ing goes 80 far as to say it "was al
ways kept equal to any speed require
ments put upon it, and that the only
obstacles to fast trains a half q CEN
tury ago were the tracks and the lack
of signals, and the absence of efficient
means of stopping the trains. How
human this sounds. If we only had
the right sort of tracks, the proper
warnings, and the power to stop, how
many of us would arrive at our desti-
nation in time to sup ou success and
prosperity instead Of getting side
tracked or wrecked?
It. is the fact, however, that the 10,
comotive has kept strictly up with the
times and few of us care to travel
faster than on the limited trains that
allow us to breakfast in Washington
and take luncheon in New York.
beggarly five hours of smooth motion
that could easily be reduced to four if
the railroads wanted to do it. But the
faithful old puller, varying in size from
the shifting, if not shiftless, busy-body
that puffs around stations, to the mar
velous machine of hundred tons, is
reading the handwriting alorg its
tracks. The electrical motor, dumpy
and ugly, is preparing to retire its
rival. 1t is like mean
little torpedo boat sending the beau
iful full rugged man -of-war into re- +
irement; but it represents force, and
orce rules. Millions upon millions of
lollars are represented in these loco
motives, but even millions cannot pre-
ent the advance of invention. And
Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1897-09-08
Queer Place of Refuge.

The passengers on q Tenth street
trolley car were treated to an unusual
sight early yesterday morning. AS
the cor was bowling along IN the
vicinity of Parish street couple OF
sparrows, one in chase of the other:
swooped down in front of the car.
The pursued, by quick flank move
ment, eluded its tormentor by dartlng
under the roof of the front platform,
and before the motorman knew what
was up the bird had perched on his
hand which gripped the lever. There
it sat contentedly, while the passengers
craned their necks to get view OF the I.
odd spectacle. The sparrow didn't
seem to mind the fact that the motor
mans hand was constantly turning
around as he manipulated his lever
and, after riding on its queer perch
for fully block, chirped its thanks
and flew away.-Philadelphia Record
Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1897-09-08

hluiey " nU.S=sfi ti..a"F =. 5>i".'' 90:
The Governors residence IS In oiIAs.
The citizens up in that frozen coun-
try do not vote for President of course,
being under Territorial government,
but they do send delegates to the Ma
tional political conventions. The judi
cial function there is exercised by q
district court, established in 1884.
The court sits alternately at Sitka and
Wrangle. How odd for court to sit
at Sitka and Wrangle.]
And speaking of Wrangle, among the
things Alaska has done for this coun-
try aside from stirring up the present
gold excitement one of the most for
ward was to involve it in disputes with
England on the boundary question and
the seal fisheries business.
Both of these disputes threatened
war, but white-winged peace settled
over the situation in each case and
brought the suggestion of that newly
invented English-American Institution
arbitration. However, the boundary
question is not settledyet, and the Brit:
| ish lion is even now roaring little and
angrily swishing its tail because OF o
diplomatic (the British call it undiplo'
matic) note from Secretary OF State
Sherman demanding that British YES
sells "keep off the grass" as it were Al
the seal fishing grounds.
|
Tho Boundary Question.
it was not unexpected, of course,
that the discovery of gold in the hlon
dixie region would revive in a measure
Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1897-09-08

the overcoats of men who are out late
nights and in danger from footpads,
and for all who are in danger of being
fred on with the ordinary lead bullet.
He does not claim this cloth would
be of service in the army, for armies
now use steel bullets. But he is max
ing fabric for armies, and so conf
dent is he of success, in view of what
he has now discovered, that he has al
ready made arrangements to go to
Europe to introduce the invention to
the Continental Powers Chicago
Times Herald.
Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1897-09-08

ter, and it will be increased, it is ex-
pected, by the rush of unprepared
prospectols who sailed for the new
fields Immediately on learning what
luck had befallen those who have but
recently returned.
To give an accurate idea of the cost
of living in Dawson City, the price
list of general store there is herewith
given:
Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1897-09-08
the old question of boundary line be-
tween Alaska and the British North

tween Alaska and the Brltlsn NorUn-
west Territory,
The Klondike fields are considerably
east of Fort Cudahy and Dawson City,
and both of these are on British SOIL.
Into the new regions, though, Amerl-
can miners first ventured and made
the first discoveries OF gold. Since
then hundreds of them have trooped
over the border, staked out their claims
in the rich hills and begun to dig.
Should the Canadian Governmentpa pass
an exclusion act all of these miners,
of course, would be dispossessed.
The difficulty of enforcing such an
act, especially on miners who have
staked out their claims, is at once ap-
parent. The result in retaliation by
the Government of the United States
is also easily imagined. The Domln,
ion Government has already established
custom house on the border, and is
doing q. fair business collecting duty
on the goods that go intoathe new .'
country, and miners think they will
be satisfied with that. The exclusion
of Americans would practically close
the country for time, for the best Of
Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1897-09-08
PLACER MINE IN THE .KLoNDIKE GOLD Fields.

Canada in rstaliatory measure by the
United States, Canadians know better
than they can be told.
+ 1t is not believed, however, that
| Canada will attempt to exclude Amer
lean miners. tits true that the United
States excludes Chinese, but Canada
probably recognizes that keeping out
Cinnamon and barring the way for
Americans are two different things.
Topography, Population and Climate.
The Territory naturally falls in six
grand divisions. They are the Arctic
division, treeless e1panse diversified
by icy hills and mountains and with
no inhabitants but the Eskimos; the
Yukon basin, withits extensive forests
near the coast and its inhabitants of Es-
kimos and indians; the Kuskokwim dis
trict, the Aleutian district, comprising
the islands off the coast, ,where fishing
and sealing are the chief pursuits, and
where the population is mixed Aleutian
and Russian blood; the Kadiak district,
including the mainland and islands
south of the Alaskan range, and the
Sitka district, including the archipel-
ago and the coast, extending south to
British Columbia. The Sitka district
is that seen by the tourists from the
States. They gaze on its enormous
forests and imagine they have seen the
country. AS a matter of fact, they do
little more than set foot on the Terri
tory.
The census enumeration of 1890
gave the population of the Territory as.
HtGr-; ...-....l -: go. ~. - -,
Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1897-09-08
In time the trip costs thirty days

In time the trip costs thirty days
four from Chicago to Seattle, sixteen
from Seattle to st. Michael's Island,
and ten up the Yukon to Dawson City
by the fast boat. The distance in gen.
eral figures is 2250 miles from Chicago
to Seattle, $500 miles to ST. Michael's
Island and 1890 miles up the Yukon
to Dawson. total of about $500 miles.
The other way to the Klondike, the
mountain route" is shorter in miles,
but equally long in the time it requires
and great deal more difficult. By
this route the traveller sails more di-
rectly north to Juneau, which is 899
miles from Seattle, and then goes by
lake and river and over the mountains
1000 miles to the new mining terri
tory. On arrival at Juneau the trav-
eler changes to o smaller boat and
sails 100 miles north to Dyea. From
there he has a portage of twenty y-seven
miles through the Chilkoot Pass. The
last half-mile of this pass is over q !
glacier and the severest of climbing.
Chilkoot Indians are employed to pack |
supplies to the top of the pass, but
from there on the traveller has to pack |
his own load.
After getting through the Chilkoot
Pass the traveller reaches Lake Linde-
man. At that point is q sawmill,
where boats are sold for $75 each.
Travellers who do not care to pay that
price can purchase lumber and build
their own boats. The lumber can be
bought for $100 q thousand feet, and
about 500 feet are required to build
BOAT that will answer the purpose.
Still other travellers carry whipesaws
md get out their own lumber, and
nan handy with saw and hammer
an build q boat in three or four days.
Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1897-09-08
Big Block of Granite.

The pedestal for the new statue OF
Peter the Great, which has recently
been erected in St. Peterburg, con-
sists of q block of granite which weighs
about 1917 tons. In order to get to
its destination it had to be carried
four miles overland and thirteen miles
by water. For the overland journey q
railway was used consisting of two
lines Of timber Furnished nth hard
metal grooves. Spheres Of hard brass
about six inches in diameter were
placed between these grooves, and on
the spheres, the framework contain
ing the block was moved by means OF
sixty men.