The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1897-09-04

Thursdays Chicago Record contained
the following interesting story Of a
Scranton girls lucky strike in the
Klondike:
Clara Wilson, whose home is in Dem
yer, Col, and who went to little min
ing camp south of Circle City, Alaska
a year and a half ago to serve as cook
for number of miners, passed through
the city yesterday en- route for her old
home.
Miss Wilson does not have to wash
dishes for a living now, neither is she
one of the deserted ones in the pres
ence of other women. She is not a
handsome young woman as personal
appearance goes, but she is now the
possessor Of that which makes her the
loadstone where eligible young men
are present, and would afford her an
opportunity of taking her pick in or
dinary company.
DAUGHTER OF A GOLD-HIJNTER,
Miss Wilson was educated in the pub
lie schools at Scranton, Pa, but her
parents moved to the western coun-
try before she had an opportunity to
get above the grammar grades. At
that time her father had considerable
means, but he exhausted it in an en-
deavor to locate gold in Colorado and
California. Miss Wilson was 16 years
old when her father died and at once
determined to make her own way in
the world. She went to Seattle and
found employment as a domestic on a
steamer bound for Alaska. She found
her way to Circle City and became the
cook and general housemaid for a num-
Der of miners.
Miss Wilson was not satisfied with
this kind of a life. She had had some
experience in mining while accom-
panying her father on his pilgrimages
and she located a copper mine which
is now being worked and which is said
TO be panning out as prolifically as any
of the gold mines that are making the
hlondlke fields famous Miss Wilson
had no sooner staked her claim than
ner possession was disputed by a num-
Der or men, but besides mining she had
learned from her father how to use
rifle and revolver and for days she sat
the sole guardian of her claim.
NOW WORTH 81, 2,OOO 900.
Her possession was finally recognized
and several of the men who disputed
her right of occupancy are now work.
ing with or for her, and it is estimated
that she is worth not less than 81, ,0OO,-
OOO The young woman said yesterday:
Il was in Chicago five years ago after
my father died. Then I was a. COM
monplace restaurant waiter or dish
washer and no one cared for me. Now
am worth perhaps 50, 900, 900 in money,
and am being constantly followed by
young men of good families who would
be glad to take wife. 1 might as well
say now that l am not marrying at this
time. l do not know when I shall go
back to Alaska. 1 may never go back,
for L don't mind saying that 1 have
had an abundance of the kind of living
they have in that country.
No; l would not advise any young
woman to go to that country who has
not had some experience with miners
or who is not prepared to defend her.
self and undergo the severest hard
ships. In that country self-preserva-
ton is truly the first law of nature.
Men forget all their chivalry, and all
though women are scarce they are not
curiosities and do not seem to awaken
any special interest among men, Alaska
miners are not sentimental. They are
looking for riches and they do not care
how they get them"