Middletown transcript., 1897-08-14
EXPERIENCE IN KLoND1KE. e

or course every ablebodied man
wants to go to the Klondike gold region
and I'll his numerous trunks with the
yellow stuff. Certainly all want to get
a share Of the riches. Those who are
free to go haven't the necessary funds
to see them through, and those who
have steady work and large families
can't throw up their positions and ac-
cept risk. So the men talk it over
and curse the luck which up to the pres
ent has prevented them from going up
into Alaska and coming back next sum-
mer with enough gold to buy several
large and decidedly enthusiastic brew
cries. Bnt if they knew the real hard
ships they would be forced to endure
before getting their hands on even the
smallest quantity Of gold, they would
not curse their luck half so loud or half
80 long. It is no picnic which these
amateur miners must face ere they
reach the glitteriDg metal. They must
work for it.and they must work mighty
hard. Few men would think of
starting out to find the North Pole, to
run all sorts Of risks, and yet somehow
every man thinks If he were to go to the
Klondike he would not come back with
less than a hundred Thousand dollars
in his inside pocket. It is country
which is full of dangers. Huge noun
tains Of ice must be climbed and at GER
tain seasons Of the year nothing but
snow can be seen for long, weary
months. The miner is AS much out of
the world for nine months as though
he we're on desert island out of the
way of all travel. He must be able to
eat and enjoy dog meat at two or three
dollars pound. or he must exist for
months on beans with an occasional
favoring Of salt. The time is likely
to come when there is no dog meat and
the beans run scarce.
Along with the stories of wonderful
finds Of claims yielding almost fabulous
wealth, and of men who had struggled
for years for a bare existence and then
suddenly found themselves rich, comes
others with tinge Of sadness. They
are the stories Of those who vigorously
started out, full of hope and courage
to win for themselves q share of the
vast wealth; bold adgenturers, who
pushed out farther than the rest and
were never heard from until months
later party Of prospectors would find
in some unexplored gulch little pile of
human bones whitening in the sun-a
melancholy reminder Of the curse Of
gold. telling theil own story of death
and despair, and hanging around the
fatal trail would be droges of gaunt,
wild-syed wolves.
Many of these sad 1nds have already
been made, and in all the eager strug-
gle and thirst for wealth not one in
stance has yet been known where the
little band has not taken the time to
dig shallow grave and decently inter
these remains of one of their fellow
argonants.
In the more thickly settled regions,
however, the, struggle Is not so hard and
deaths, except from natu raj causes, are
less frequent. There also the dying
man can at least have medical assists
lance for the ills Of the body and spir-
ltual consolation for his soul. Missions
Ct the Episcopal, Roman Catholic,
Russian and other denominations are
quite plentiful, there being an average
Of one to every 100 miles, and In most
eases the missionaries are both doc
tor and preacher.
When aman dies on any Of the CLAIMS
be has generally q friend or acquaint-
ance with him who sees that the body
Is brought to the nearest mission of his
lavorite denomin alton, where Ii ID laid
sway with the solemn rites Of the
church.