The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1897-07-17
GONE WILD.
Not Men Enough to Man the
Seattle Street Cars
There Is Such Rush for ClOn-
dyke Gold Fields.
Merchants Fear Their Help
Will Desert Them.
MEN ARE IN A FEVER.
Nothing Talked of Except the
Gold Discoveries.
Steamship Portland Passes
Port Townsend
Nothing Talked of Except the
Gold Discoveries.
Steamship Portland Passei
Port Townsend
WITH A TON OF GOLD.
All Picked Up by Tenderfeet
at ClOndyke.
One Man Took Out $15O,OOO
Worth, Unaided.

Seattle, Wash, July 1.-THE reports
of great gold discoveries in Alaska have
caused intense excitement here. Po-
licemen are resigning from the force;
every street car man that can raise a
stake has given notice to his company.
In fact, all classes of society are rep
resented in the feverish rush to get
north. Men neglect their business and
congregate in groups on the streets in
excited discussions. People are tele-
graphing friends and relatives in the
east to come and jon them in the new
EIdorado.
The steamer Portland of the North
American Trading and Transportation
company is due from St. Michaels with
81, 900 of gold dust on board. She
has not yet been reported at Tatoosh.
and her coming is awaited with intense
anxiety. She will probably arrive
some time tomorrow and is billed to
sail July 20 on her return voyage. The
steamship officers are rushed with busi-
ness and QUILTING stores are taxed TO
their utmost capacity to supply the
wants of those who are getting ready
tofmake the trip.
Merchants are fearful that their help
W
to- fill their places.
Port Townsend, Wash, July 17.-At
O'Clock this Saturday morning the
steamship from ST. Michaels for Seat
tie passed up the sound with more
than a ton of solid gold on board and 68
passengers. In the captains cabin
are three chests and a large safe filled
with the precious nuggets. The metal
is worth nearly 100000 and the most of
it was taken out of the ground in less
than three months of last winter and
in size the nuggets range from the size
of a pea to guinea egg.
OF the 6S miners aboard hardly a man
has less than 81 600 and one or two have
more than $1,000 in yellow nuggets.
One peculiar feature noticeable is
that the big strikes were made by ten
derfeet," while the old and experienced
miners of many years experience are
suffering indescriba BILE hardships and
privatiOnS in Alaska and the northwest
territory and have only few thousand
dollars to show for their labor. For
tune seemed to smile on the ineXperi-
enced men who went into the mining
districts late last year, as nearly all Of
them were fortunate. The stories they
tell seem too incredible and far beyond
belief. Instances are noted where sin
gle individuals have taken out, in two
and a half months, gold to the Valuo of
over $3.50, 900.
Clarence Berry of Fresno, Cal, went
to the Yukon in 1890 and prospected
several years without success. He re-
turned home last autumn, was married |
and took his bride to ClOndyke last No
vember. He is now on the Portland |
with $135,O0O, the result of a winters |
work and fortunes smile.
Frank Phiscator of Baeloda, Mich, is !
another lucky miner. He went to !
Clondyke last autumn and is now re- |
turning with $96, ,027, having worked !
two claims with nine men three months,
and he still owns the claims. He is one |
of the original discoverers of the Edo |
radO district.
Of "a
returning home with plenty of gold, |
they all advise and urge people who |
contemplate going to- the Yukon not to |
think of taking less than one ton of |
grub and plenty of clothing. While it |
is a poor mans country, yet the hard |
ships and privations to be encountered |
frontier life is certain to result in much |
suffering. They should go prepared |
with at least years supply.
Chicago, July "A letter has been |
received here from Captain John ]. |
Healy, who has piloted craft for the
American company through the wind
dated June I from Circle City, near the
boundary, and depicts graphically the |
immense fortunes which have been
penniIess miners.
Captain Healy tells of new regions
which have been discovered; indeed,
Captain Healy says that not less than |
$4 worth of gold is scooped up with
every shovelful of dirt and that ap-
plies to every piece of ground in which
the shovel is dug. Salaries to miners
are not less than $12 a day and a man
can get his provisions and sustenance
for 81.
There is no doubt said Mr.. Weare |
''that the veins of gold are only partly |
uncovered. All my dispatches agree
that this is the continuation of the
mother vein in this country.
''Wm. Humboldt, upon his visit to |
Dutch Harbor. near Bristol bay, pre-
dicted that the mother vein would show
itself in Alaska in a parallel line
Everything indicates the truth of this
prophecy Circle City and Fort Cuda-
hy were the principal gold fields before
the Clondyke fields were discovered last |
fall and the rush for these fields has |
continued since.
Gold fields have also been discovered |
of great value in the vicinity of Noatak
river, which is in British territory, but |