Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1897-11-20
Made q Million.

| ihoudo IL SuaIcF, T6hiOent OF TlttS-
burg. Pa. arrived in Cheyenne from the
west yesterday, says Cheyenne paper
Of the 18th inst, and remained until the
departure OF the afternoon south bound
train for Denver. Mr.. Shafer lie an
interesting parsonage just at this parti.
cular time, and he is beseiged with
questions by his fellow passengers as
soon as it becomes known that he has
made million in the Klondike." Mr..
Shafer is young man, being less than
SO years of age. He is unassuming and,
in his conduct, displays no inexcusable
elatIon because of his success. In con-
versation with the Tribune represent
alive Mr.. Shafer said that he arrived in
Seattle from the land of gold October IL,
and would go direct to Pittsburg after
short stay at Glenwood Springs, Colo
rado. His partner, Mr.. Connell, who
returned from Alaska with him, went to
San Francisco 10 "do business with the
mint" The two gentlemen brought
-aown vroovvv winch tncy uavc t~Nos.
from their claim nine miles from Daw-
son city during the past two years.
During seven months of that time Mr..
Shafer worked the claim alone, Connell
having gone TO st. Michaels for pro
provisions.
"As the country becomes more and
more settled the miners will prospect
further to the north and east" said
Mr.. Shafer. There are thousands and
thousands Of square miles yet unex-
plored in which the indications for the
discovery of valuable gold placer and
quartz fields are favorable. Judging
from the large number of people that
are reported to be going to the Klon-
dixie in the spring I anticipate that
every claim along that river will be
taken up by July.
"As Mr.. Connell and I came out we
found a camp Of nearly 1900 able
bodied and well-provisioned men
camped at Lake Linderman, miles
from Dyea. They were waiting for the
water to freeze sufficiently thick to en-
able them to 60 in on the ice and avoid
the necessity of using boats. The men
who are enduring hardShips in Alaska
today are those who went to the coun.
try without being properly prepared
for the trip. A man must be able-bodied
and well provisioned before he has any
business there.
"As to my own experience / did not
suffer any more in the far north than
/ believe our fathers did who crossed
the plains to California in the early
days of the west. / left my home in
Pennsylvania in 1856 and went to Se-
.atls. 4 worked as railroad man, then
- s@;tes 7 ahinrea In 1aQ1 ON the
We went further and further until th
great Klondike field was discovered
We were less than 200 miles away whe
we heard the report and We went i
with the least possible delay. We con
menced digging and washing, and. for
while, could hardly realize our goo
fortune or the richness of the field. w
took out nearly a million dollars, bu
used more than half Of it in purchasin
claims from those who were satisfe
with what they had and wanted to re
turn to the states. Our claims are o.
undisputed British territory and if tn
Canadian officials now in that regio
grant us the wise. liberal and homes
administration OF affairs that the
promise the country will be glorious il
its opportunities"
Mr.. Shafer will organize a compan,
in Glenwood Springs, consisting of
II. Ware, present sheriff of CARTEL,
county, Colorado NJ. Z. Adams and
number of their friends. Together the,
will reach Seattle February 10th AM
there join Mr.. Connell. proceeding q
once with available machinery an,
supplies to what Mr.. Shafer continual,
refers to as the Field of Gold"