El Paso daily herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1881-1901, 1897-07-22
COUNT THE COST,
What an Engineer has to Say on the
Alaskan Situation.

-hAoShuh cltudt1Ou.
The Excitement followiup the arri-
val OF the steamship Poctla ld, in Seat
lie the other day from Alaska, with
Over ton OF gold aboard, shows no sign
OF aOatIng, and everywhere along the
Paclhc coast the one subject of con-
versatlon IN the hotels and on the
streets Is the wonderful discoveries of
gold al kIOndyke. Never since the
early tifLles has there been ANYTHING
ike the gold fever which at present
dominates all classes and conditions of
men. The states OF Oregon, Was hing
ton and California have gone wild over
the news, for not even in the palmy
days OF gold mining in California we
such r1cn discoveries made as are re-
ported from the headwaters of the Yu-
kon. Nor Is this excitement confined
20 tle Pacific coast states. New York
has got the gold fever. Thanks to the
press agencies and special correspon-
dents, the New York papers had long
accounts OF tne strike at the same time
their western contemporaries were
publishing 1t. Short as the time has
oeen since the news reached the east
parties nave already been organic I'd to
proceed TO the new eldOraio, and the
New ork journal estimates that there
are FULLY Two thousand people making
preparations TO leave within a few days
And on i smaller scale this is true of
Number OF Other eastern cities.
With the crowds already prepared to
leave Saa Francisco, Portland, Sc .ttle
and Tacoma, to say nothing of the
exodus from New Westminster and
Victoria, the chief towns in British
Columbia, 1t Is safe to say that the
snowy regions Of the far north will
soon be traversed by an eager crowd
the like of which has never b.en seen
rushing on to any mining region be-
fore. some OF THESE men have doubt
less heard that it is late to start out,
that they can do nothing before the
coming OF next summer, but they are
bound to go, 10 be on the spot and
much will bs the suffering in conse-
quence. There Will also be MANY men
IN there motely gangs OF gold hunters
totally untitled for the work before
them. Under the most favorable cir
cumstance5 the journey is one of hard
snip. Aud now it will be unusually
SO. Those people leaving al once will
just be able to arrive at Dawson CITY
IN time to feel the first ssvere winte,.
frost, and see the coming of the snow
which will, like mantle, cover the
whole country for fully nine months.
AS soon as the Yukon is frozen over
the only means of entrance is by way
OF Juneau, distance of fully sewn
hundred miles. Over this route every
thing In tue way of provisions and
supplies has to be packed either
on sle1gns or on ones
shoulders. AS there are few dogs ia
the country capable of sleigh work, a
very small number will be in pos
ton to undertake the Journey. Men
cannot take sufficient on their backs
to carry them over the nine mon this Of
enforced ldleness. 1t is safe TO say
therefore that many thousands will
either be forced 20 winter at Per. St.
Michaels or Juneau, or to die OF star
Walton. The feeding of the ruth is
already becoming d matter of concern
10 the tradlug companies, as nOtwith-
standing their advice and that of old
timers, that no one sho I'D enter The
country without at least five hundre d
dollars In his pocket, it is known tina /
many men with just sufficient to take
them TO their destination have under
taken the journey. These rash indiyi-
duals Will IN many Cases either slarve
or be taken care of by the community.
How much care they get in the latter
case depends of course on
the amount of provisions in camp.
In case of a shortage which is very
probable, the law of self preservation
Will govern, and those who came In
prepared will suffer for their folly.
Y nder thcSs circ an -tauces it is really
absurd To leave the states for Alaska al
the present time. The season is ,oo
far advanced for any work to be done
by those at present leaving. Toes.
who get in will have tee doub full
satisfaction Of eating up tneir supply
of gruo until the cold disappears, aud
listening to the tales of those who
struck it lucky during the brief sum.
m ar
either April or May, it depends on
which route is taken, via Juneau or
Port 81. Michaels. Under no circum-