The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1897-09-02
ONLY A QUESTION OF LUCK.
Trained Miners Miss KlOndike God
While kOViCeS Find Il.
MUCH SUFFERING is BhTIC.PaT5l.
During the Dark Season on Account OF
short Food supply-Peculiar Features
of the Hunt for WesIth-Devel-
opment Will BE Slow.

SAN FRANCISCO, September 1.-The
Bulletin has received a letter from Chas.
Haines dated Dawson city July 26th.
Mr.. Haines is a well-known newspaper
writer and his letter is the first written
by trained newspaper man 70 come out
OF Klondike gold regions. He says:
THE rich diggings have become pretty
lively during the summer. The output
from Eldorado and Bonanza creeks was
famous, and there is plenty OF gold in
sight. There is every prospect OF an i'm
mense output of gold from this district
In the spring The total output this sea-
son Is, as near as / can judge, about Sl-
000 900. but very little ground has been
worked and the dumps will, like some OF
the taillngs OF old California placers, pay
thousands OF dollars when worked with
improved machinery.
ONLY LUCK.
"The placers are the most puzzling and
dcceiving / have ever seen. Imagine a
man picking on and finding the
ground worth only few dollars per day,
and then turning 10 "A waste of mud ana
moss with no surface Indications ana
uncarthing bonanza. That Is the SIT
uatiOn here and an over Alaska. The
man who comes here 10 mine does so at
the expense Of health and happiness, ana
10 is with him a question OF making a
fortune quickly or chances with death
About mo are scores of men who can
weigh their gold by the bucket full ana
who value their claims at Millions
-Four hundred valuable digglngs are
stretched along creeks ana every digging
is a fabulous mine of gold, yet there are
weary men who have gone out ana re-
turned TO Dawson after searching lhe
great country hereabOuts and never a
nugget do they show for their toll, thelr
long tramp over broken ground ana mo
"a country whose disadvantages are eN-
ceeded by no other place on earth.
This Alaska northwest territory Is an
odd prize drawing proposition that can
liken TO nothing that admits OF betltr
comparison than lottery.
"A number Of spots are selected on me
creeks and rivers and for one year the
miner labors. The year closes, the water
runs i'm and the seasons output barely
paws expenses. Not two miles away
from the unfortunate one works man
who has taken from an uninvitlng DIT Oh
earth. "A sack full of gold. Ihe lucky one
did not strike the pocket because OF MS
ability as miner but because chance
favored him. and that was all. In snort,
the miner guesses at II, ana locates any
and everywhere. In nineteen cases out
of twentv he misses Il and has 10 wait
another year for new trial Dawson
is merely a collection of log huts. saloons
and a mass Of tents, about SIX hundred
i'm number When the long nights come
d
low zero there will be intense suffering
here. and 1 shudder to think OF the re-
suits.
SUFFERING EXPECTED.
"Provislons are going TO be very scarce
and there is little reason 10 doubt tha'
the entire town viii have TO get on shoi
raDOns during he winter ana tnal scurNS
viii be rampant. Tho gold that VIII 8.
down the river for San Francisco dhu
Seattle will amount TO about S-'vVV,V.N
Tbore is "A. lot OF gold that Will remain III
camn for ID is used as an equivalent oil
money and is legal tender at Sli pei
ouuce. OF the 5000 or 400 inhaoltah''
only a couple of hundred at the mos'
have made paying strikes, s- -. .,
.,rhere Is plenty Of work at from Sl' 20
s9o ner dav. and many men have palo
:, 30 for living and saved the balance.
"Reports of other strikes are constantly
received here and many are authehtc' 81
FAR AS Stewart and Polly rivers are con
cerned but nothing like 80 rich as the
Klondike has been reported. quite num-
- ~ ncople are preparing to leave mere
FOR Junoau in case the steamers cannon
oct through with provisions, ana the OUT
look for "A grub supply Is not encouIaelns
ON conclusion. the Alaska ard North'
west territory gold fields VIII be develop
cd slowly. ,.o.., s,,.
.gren thousand men may come here ou'
tbcv will be lost In the vast counl' y
when they spread out 10 prospect No'
nero than five hundred Of them VIII
u,,,o n'uro r,ine when they do strike pay
,,,o,eI their fortunes will be mace. IN
S,aors 10 come. when. at the sacrllce Oh
human life and energy the treasures o,
ttis o,root land are located. the wealth ol
,ho 'l North will be something beyond com
prehcusiOn'