The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1897-09-01

= (le6 Of the value Of the property.
there are several men Of means there
now who have tried to buy claims for
the purpose of incorporating companies,
but miners would not sell to them un-
less they could get their price.
I don't think that any of the COM
panies organized to go there and invest
in claims or for the purpose of explora-
tion will make any money out of it, be-
cause the men who own the property
now know they can get all the money
they want to work with. The cry is that
these men are speculators and want
their claims for a song, and they are
holding the claims pretty high in con-
sequence.
Claims are held there all the way,
for an unprospected claim, from $10,
600 to 100000 and the prospected
claims much higher. Very few if any
of the claims have been incorporated.
My idea is that men who go in there
with $40, 900 or $50, 900 or 100000 to
buy up claims for the purpose of specu-
lation are going to get left. I am sure
that many Of the companies that are
advertising that they have agents in
that country purchasing valuable
claims will never be able to buy any
that will be profitable.
They may be able to buy them on
French creek and Skookum creek, where
there is no water to work them in the
proper time Of the year. The only time
there is water there is in the spring,
when the snow thaws.
Idcn't believe I would put any of my
own money into scheme organized for
the purpose of taking a chance of buy
ing for sorg unprospected property
which is expected to yield millions
The owners Of prospected property
whose value has been demonstrated will
certainly not dispose of their holdings
unless they are fully raid fer them.
Unprospected property is what we call
"wild cat. -
Cid Companies.
I think / have told you about all I
know about the Klondike-Y Yukon dis
trict, its history, its people and its fu-
ture.
About the men who went in there
with me? Well, William Moore who
left Arizona with me to go there, is
now in Spokane Falls, Wash, as min
ing expert. He is going back in the
spring. / guess he is doing fairly well.
He has written me since I have been
here that be is going back with me next
spring.
John McGraw, who also went with
me from Arizona in 1882, is driving a
stage in Montana. / guess he is doing
fairly well. He has married since. John
Rogers, another member Of the party, l
have lost track of. heard be was dead.
n. Il. Pitts, who was in the party, is
running trading post for Harper and
myself at Fort Selkirk, 1877 miles from
Dawson. He is the manager Of the post.
guess Pitts is we'll fixed. think he
has made money right along. Robert
Adams is working in the Treadwell
mill at juneau. I think he is one Of
the rock breakers and has been for years.
The six CT us remained together for
just about year. We broke up after
making one prospecting trip in the
spring around to the head Of Forty Mile
creek and down Sixty Mile creek to the
Yukon. Four Of them went out Of the
country.
Istopped there. broke away from
them at Fort Reliance. staid there
waiting for the steamer until che was
past due. I had NO supplies, SO went
down the river and found she had
broken down at st. Michaels. have
worked Independently and am working
independently now.
I am not in any position to control
the mines Of the Klondike region or
any other place. I guess that is all
there is to say: