The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1897-08-19

edy then .is to walk back, or else en- /
gage as workmen for the large cor |
poration.
In South America, in Africa or in |
various districts Of the United States
where gold has been discovered mea
have had the opportunity when they
failed to find gold, of going to farming
or making living in many ways, but
in the Alaskan country there is alb
solutely nothing to be doing two-thirds
of the year, and to return would be an
impossibillty in the winter time, be-
cause the SHOWS wipe out and obliter-
ate every vestige of the trails that lead
along the Yukon river.
The mines may yield $3.50 100000
like the Aulder Gulch, in Montana, bu,
that money went TO thousands of peo-
pie, while this would go TO the syndi-
cate. or those who bought land from:
them, There are mistaken notions. al.
SO, as to stalking out claims In that
country. A man has a right to claim
one hundred feet square, and he may
stake out a piece OF that size on any
creek, but he Is entitled to no more,
and II he finds no gold on any of his
claims Of that size, and wishes to work
further, he will be compelled to buy
from the syndicate, which has land
laid aside for that especial purpose.
One of the leading mining men of this
country, a nan whose name is familiar
all over the land, in speaking OF the
gold fever, said:
Men will go to hell for gold, no mat
ter whether 1t Is discovered at the
north or south pole or at the equator.
Torrid heat and frigid cold cause the
searcher for gold has but little fear, and
of the thousands who are Fastening
to Alaska 1t can only be predicted that a
! large percentage Of them Will meet
with disaster. When new mines are
! discovered the prospector who makes
the discovery seldom realizes on his
find. Thousands rush in, claims are
taken up by adventures, who buy,
sell and barter, and the claims are f.
nally absorbed by companies OF men
who furnish the cpaital for the proper
working Of the mines, while the pros
pector or mining pioneer starts on new
tours to unknown regions for the pur-
pose of fiding richer claims than the
one he has left behind. Now, in the
Alaska region 1t makes no difference
on which side of the boundary line the
gold Is discovered, the Yukon is tn,
only channel through which the prod
ucts of the mines in the Clondike re-
gion can find access to civilization. Th'
benefits that will be derived from tht
Clondike or Yukon gold discovery ar'
almost certain to help this country
The pathway to the mines is open fol
three months in the year. and for tht
other nine months the mines are );
closed book to the investors who hav
furnished the capital for expeditions t
that region. a high mountain rang
that is practically impossible through
out the year prevents an overland rout
to the gold pockets al Ciondike. 70
can readily perceive that for ever
ounce Of gold taken from the Clondik
region there will be far more suffer
ing than in any effort made in tn
early days to develop the gold mine
in this country"
| Speculation Is already the ruin
. idea of Dawson City. A purchaser i,
spects a claim that he thinks he woul
like to buy, and ne offers just VIII;
he thinks 1t Is worth. There Is n
sklrmishing over figures, the ma
: either accepts or refuses and that
the end OF it. With this claim goo
= the seasons work. BY that l mea
a the great pile Of earth that may COZ
. tain thousands or may not be wort
. the expense necessary TO run 1t throug
, the sluice. That Is chance one mu
y take, however and very few have 10
D anything by 1t this season.
t Ia the whole Klondike region thel
z is not a single claim that has not pa
1 handsomely, and there are still hui
4 dreds of claims that have not bee
Q worked. In testing claim the pro