The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1897-08-12
One Pan 1900. Actual Size.

oef the Northern Pacific steamer, City
d Seattle. provision her and load her
dDwn with all sorts of goods suitable
fur use in the far North. 1t is pro-
POSED to send the vessel up the Yukon
river as far as possible and to utilize
hsr during the winter as headquarters
for the Tacoma colony. All the ex-
perienced Yukon miners insist that
those who venture into the Klondike
country must have at least one years
supply OF provisions, but such warm
fngs are not needed by many who are
only anxious to get into the gold
nelds, and then trust to luck to make
living. All classes of people are join
ing the gold hunters. but street car
conductors and policemen take the
Lead in point of numbers. One capital
lst who proposed paying men $500 a
day and meet all their necessary eX-
penses, besides dividing earnings with
them, was overwhelmed with appli-
cants and had to withdraw his offer.
1t is leaking out that many who re-
turned last spring from Klondike were
careful not to give a true version of
the wealth of the country. Maps of
Alaska are in demand.
The centre OF the new gold region is
not within Alaskan territory, but for
ty miles are not much on map, and
thousands OF prospective adventurers
on the Pacific coast are studying the
somewhat uncertain lines and charts
that will serve to guide fortune hunt
ers into the northwest.
The advent of the Excelsior, with
the load of gold dust, has dispelled
some OF the hazy notions of this dis
tant Yukon region, which generally
has been regarded as a dreary success
sion of impossible snow, and noun
tains of illimitable Ice prairies. The
gold hunters who returned with for
tunes tell of country rich not alone
In minerals, but in variety of climate
and resources. It is not an endless ice
carnival up there. There are two
months of sunshine and summer.
There are trees, and ferns, and flowers.
and where cultivation of the soil has
been attempted, according to the re-
quirements of that latitude, it has been
successful. Nevertheless the dangers
from cold and famine are great. and
the menace of snow, ice and the re-
lentless winters will have a restraining
influence on the exodus.
There has already been a rush from
all parts of Alaska to Dawson City,
and the Klondike camps. IL at the las,
moment there should be an unexpected
rush OF prospectors, with the importa-
tions of additional supplies cut off by
the close OF navigation, starvation
would be the result. II the matter is
left to transportation and trading
companies the supply of provisions
may readily be regulated, so as to keep
prices at the proper figure; for the op-
portunity OF cornering the market will
be perfect. There Is, however, talk of
one or two steamers going north on
independent speculating trips.
The miners recently arrived in San
Francisco from the fabulously wealthy
piacerd lggings are aghast at the out
look ana predict no end of suffering
within the next twelve months. They
say, that the people do not appreciate
the magnitude Of the undertaking. nor
the difficulties that surround it, Two
million dollars, picked up in less than
nine months, and fifty times that
amount awaiting those having the
courage to invade the cheerless regions
and strength to handle a pick ana
shovel tells the story of the mania
that has seized upon the people.
II Is certain that there are now on
the way to st. Michaels more than g..
600 tons OF provieions, but it Is impos-
sible TO get these supplies further up
the river this year. There will. Of