The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1897-11-16
Party of Thirty-Five to Start
for the Klondike.
THEY WILL OUTFIT m SEATTLE.
Charles f. Ranken 20 Guide Then
Over Chi!kOot PasS-EacA Member
of the Club to Put Up e25O-They
Expect to Buy Interests I'm Claims,
Open Up Restaurants and Perhaps
Start = Variety show OF Their Own

IaAf2eS t. h6nkeE, FORMER resident OF
San Francisco but who now makes his
home in this city. will leave for Boston
shortly. and when he returns to Seattle In
the early part OF the new year he will have
with him about thirty-Eive women who
wish 20 so 10 the klondike. He will take
them there by way OF ch.ikoot pass. Mr..
Kanksn formerly lived in Boston. and il Is
because OF that fact that he will under
t2--e 10 lead the women into the land Of
gold. His sister will be among them.
These women said Ranken to a POST
Intelligencer reporter yesterday afternoon,
have organized a club and put Up $50
each. They viii arrange 10 secure cheap
transportation from Boston to this city.
Here they will outfit and 1t is from this
city that they will start on their journey
for the North.
Il have letters from them every few
days. One of them wrote to me last sum-
mer when the rush was on and wanted to
start Wesr at once. / advised her to wait
until spring and in the meantime try and
get others to go with her. She accepted
my advice and since then has put in all
her spare time In organizing the Women's
kiondike Club.
1T is a question what they will do after
they get to the kiondihe. They are too
sensible to think that once they are there
gold VIII be found on the ground. They
realize that they Will have to work for it
and undergo hardships. But they are pre-
pared for all that and will so with the In
tention of staying until things come their
way. 1t Is likely that they viii buy al.
interest in a small claim and employ men
to develop II for them. They will do some
work on it. Others OF the club will do
such work as viii present itself In the
letters which / have had from them they
say they believe hundreds of opportuni-
ties to make money Will present them
selves.
why, already they have taken steps to
make some money. For instance several
OF the women, who are great dog fanciers
have twenty dogs. They are big and some
of fancy but sturdy breed, and will from
what ! can learn, be Just the thing for
Alaska. These dogs viii be brought West
and taken North. Once in Alaska, the
women viii figure on selling them for a
good figure. This Will add 10 their pile.
Then they are making articles for sale In
the klondike country. As yet there is
considerable work 10 be mapped out, but
the women are satisfied that they Will per-
feet their arrangements.
Several of them figure on opening a
restaurant. They know that after next
summer the present high prices I'm the
klondike viii not prevail, but they think
TIA. SO Ions as there is any gold In the
country there will be money in the res
taurant business. I never knew of
women's club where so many different
professions were represented. I know of
two women-they are only girls--who have
been on the stage. and they are as clever
team one viii find on an Eastern
stage. They say they will take their
fancy clothes with them and go on the
stage In Alaska. The last letter I had
from them they said that II possible sever
al more artists would be added to the
club. so that as soon as the Klondike
ana ,exx- ~~y.@ n
be launched under the auspices OF the
Women's Club.
While have been making my arrange
ments to take the party to the goiu fields
over the pass. Ii may be that We will char
ter a small schooner and go North. AT
first there were 70 be only few in the
party. but every few days comes let
ter from the East that several new MEM
bers have been added 10 the club. know
that great precaution Is being taken in
securing members, so that there will be
no violent outbreaks or disturbances OF
any kind. The original members realize
the importance OF the move and want only
women who appreciate the step they are
taking and what II means 20 all in case
the adventure proves a failure.
''Womanllke. the members OF the club
propose to make much OF the clothing that
they will take with them. but they pro-
pose 10 do all their buying OF supplies in
this city, Then, too there VIII be many
articles that viii he necessary In undertake
ing such trip which could be bought in
the East. but the women say they will
wait until they get 10 Seattle 10 buy
them"
Mr.. Ranken Is Is years Of age and has
been In Alaska on number of occasions.
Once he was in the Yukon country for
three years AZ another time he was en-
gagged for year in trading. He has taken
"a
was never SO fortunate 20 make great
winning. \ few months before the Kion-
dixie strike lie was within a few miles
OF Dawson City. but sickness which had
been troubling him for sorne time COM
PEELED h!m 20 return to the south coast
ny the overland route, and later ne came
TO Seattle. lie went tn San Francisco.
spent several months. and about the time
that he was we'll the news began % ar
| rive OF the great finds in the North.