St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1897-09-03
vantage Of the work that is now being
done by the great crowd now going in.


lone by the great crowd now going IN.
However, most people who have started
are so enthusiastic they will never turn
back. A few have, nevertheless, gwen up
the fight for gold and have come home.
Yesterday one young man, the son OF a
leading lawyer, arrived here from the
Chilcoot Pass. His name is Hill Hudson
and he is very sick young man. lie
was fitted out with fine outfit and his
parents were reluctant in allowing the
boy to go. Hes seventeen years OF age
and of athletic build. But packing an
outfit across the mountains was too
much for him. His kidneys were affected
so much that it would probably have
killed him to have continued the journey.
In packing an outfit OF half a ton, which
is an eighteen months supply, across the
passes a man has to walk
thirty miles for every mile OF Roadway
made. In other words the gold hunter
would travel over the pass thirty times
in getting heir outfits over. This is kill
ing to those not strong and healthy.
Some camp by the side of the trail and
watch the struggling expect to-be-mll-
lionaires trudge past. Some like young
Hudson, turn back. Some sell their out
fits and secure work as laborers in the
mills of Alaska hoping thereby to save
what money they have and start north
again in the spring. But all could have
saved themselves trouble, loss of money
and outfits if they had simply accepted
the warning OF those who knew the real
conditions and had deferred going to the
Klondike until next February or March.
But there are exceptions to all rules.
Today party of California miners left
Tacoma for Skaguay and Dyea at the
head of the passes. They know their
business" so to speak. They know all
about mines and mining. They know all
about Alaska and still they are going in
at this unfavorable season. Why? Be-
cause they can travel where tender-feet
will fall by the wayside. They can select
!, the pass that offers the least resistance
Perhaps they will select the Copper river
route and prospect along its shores all
winter. Even if they cannot reach Daw
son City by way Of the much Travelled
passes this winter they will prospect
wherever they are. They can get alone
anywhere and they represent "syndi
cate" which expects them to work all TIT
time and keep a-going somewhere. Thes
men. for instance, did not buy their out
t fits until they had visited all the Puge
: Sound cities. They found goods 25 pc
cent cheaper in Tacoma than in Calfor
Il MIA. They bought only such articles
S are absolutely necessary for ayear'ssta
g in the digeings. Their list was made u
o about as follows:
If W.T. lbs. Cos
II Clothing 70 SO
One clothes bag, yards mosquito
T. netting suits of heavy underwear.
,s heavy mackinaw coat. 2 pairs
heavy mackinaw pants. hall doz.
Il heavy wool socks, one-third doz.
heavy wool mits, pairs leather
x gloves, 2 heavy overshrts. pairs
" heavy snag proof rubber boots, 1
= pair Shoes, pkge. needles. thread.
x wax prs blankets. towels,
prs overalls, 1 suit oil clothing,
81 rubber blankets, 1 sleeping bag, L
Il, r,air felt boots. I pair heavy ruDDef
overshoes.
a Crocer;es 1.2OO
n 200 lbs. bacon, 800 lbs flour, 20
he lbs, peaches, 25 lbs. apples. 20 lbs.
apricots 25 lbs. pitted prunes, 20
Ike lbs coffee, 10 lbs. tea, so lbs. sugar
$50 lbs beans, 90 lbs. oatmeal, 20
lbs cornmeal, 100 lbs. rice. 3 lbs
"a baking powuer. 5 lbs. yeast, . lbs.
soda, / large box matches.
Hardware and Camp Outtt 200
on One pair ice creepers, one sheath
knife and sheath. miners shovels,
/ spool wire, sail needles, gold
IT. pans. 2 balls Irvine, half-doz. S-inch
oo fiat files handled AK, pick and
w handles, 1 screwdriver, / Disston
90 hand saw / wood jackplane,
ratchet brace, bits assorted sizes,
"a saw set 800 #. rope. pack strap.
20 lbs assorted nails pkge. mop
'ui nails lbs. oakum, lbs. pitch,
oh set knives and forks six each. d t. a
spoons, 8 tablespoons. compass,l
mt hunters AK aud sheath, 1 magnify,
-. ing glass l mixing spoon, dust
ice belt, ak stone. 2 granite cups,
led fry pan. retinned dishpon. 1 tour
quart coffee pot, coffee mill, granite
csc Kettle tetinned cover eranite
- plates whip saw, l gold SCALE
'ei SLED l tent and stove, box candles
on Armament 20
will One repeating rife 5000 with re.
H., loading tools and 100 rounds OF
NY brass shell cartridges, one large
vii hunting knife and an assortment OF
fishing tackle.
'"e Medicine
Jay One chest assorted remedies, plas-
nm tiers, bandages, mosquito extermi-
:, nator., ETC., one pair OF dark eye
IAN glasses.
$50 Cost and weight of outfit and
:. expense of transportation can be
lite materially reduced by prospectors
+ha travelling in parties of three and
Liz four, as one camping, hardware
and armament outfit W II answer
. for two men. In travelling Dy
nth steamer or rail $50 lbs. OF baggage
oil. is checked free for each passenger
o. ~, Totals 1892 S.
will iola's
of This is but "startcr" however,
mil the Klondike. There are many matter
,ese Importance to discuss between now
the the day of departure and these Will
,old taken up in the order OF their imports
ave in subsequent letters.
o,d THOMAS SAMMoN
lon. Tacoma, WASH, Aug. "a, 1897.
lost
nto The Key of Sheridan's Success