The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1897-08-10


through the swamp or over a rough
mountain trail with heavy load on
ones back. In winter the thermometer
| falls so low that it cannot be measured
| by any available means. IL is certhin'
however, that 10 reaches 40 degrees below
zero. a.
"Daring all this winter season very lit
tlo can be done, and as darkness eAls.s
most OF the time. life often seems lntoi'
cradle.
EXPENSE OF GETTING THERE.
"The actual expense Of getting into
the country nre considerable. Indians
must be hired TO do part OF the whole
of the transportation OF supplies across
the Chilkoot Pass at very high wages. ana
the cost OF the necessary outht Is In lts'h
considerable.
ION arriving at the diggings provisions
are often not obtainable st any price; or
IL they are To be had the variety Is siight'
The supply Is always uncertain, depend
| ing upon the latenoss of the spring ana OF
the fall Owing to the difficulty in bring
ing in supplies. prices are very hlgh at the
river posts and much higher II the dlg-.
gings. The freight alone from the coast To
the diggings costs rs high rs 90 cents
pound so that when one eats potatoes at
81 "A pound and bacon at S5 cents pound.
other things proportion, the cost Oh
living is enormous and even employment
at $40 per day for sixty days out OF the
year will not enable man to grow rlch
very rapidly.
Even employment for wages. more
over. is scarce, there being several appli.
cations for every job. Owing TO the hlgh
price of supplies, no claim that does not
pay at least $40 a day TO each man work
ing can be worked except at loss Many
competent men who engage In mining
here and work faithfully experience fall-
buy provisions.
COULD NOT GET AWAY.
"In such a situation it is very difficult
tn make ones way out of the country,
for the journey up the river along tho
usual route REQ uires upwards OF thirty
days hard work. and provisions must be
bought for the trip The trip down the
river and back To civilization by steamer
is very expensive. and of late years the
numbe seeking TO get out in that way
exceeded thc,carrying capacity OF the few
steamers. Last year fully 100 men who
wished and intended TO leave the country
by steamer were unable To do so, anu are
still there.
"Under the conditions which now exist
there are quite enough in the Yukon dis
trict already, and the object OF this state
ment is To discourage people from rush
ing there without due consideration.
Probably 90 out of every 100 mon are
untitled by nature for such life as
Yukon mining necessitates. and had
much better never make the attempt.
THE HUNDRED MAN.
"The hundredth man must be miner
and frontiersman by nature, strong and
patient, hard worker and lover of
secluded life Even such man will very
likely fail on account OF the large ele-
ment of chance, and the most successful
miner obtains only few thousand dollars
in profit after a number OF years patient
work. ~.
"Any great increase In the number OF
men going into the Yukon district would
be disastrous on account of the strict
limits OF the food supply and facilities
for transportation
"The result would be famine disorder
and failure.
Several years ago this actually hap
pened, when all the Forty Mile miners
were without food and were Obliged to
travel down the Yukon over the ice to
St Miohaels in the dead Of winter, terri
bic journey OF nearly two thousand
miles. AT that time there were only a
few men in the country but If the
number had been very much larger even
this resource would have been impossi-
BILE.
STAY OUT.
"My general advice to the average man
intending to 90 TO tho Yukon gold dis
trict is-stay out. Many men go there
every year and suffer hardship. failure,
loss of capital and sometimes OF health.
"If anyone undertakes the trip, he should
take with him enough supplies to last as
long as no intends To stay-one year, two
years. or whatever amount. He should
have money enough TO last him into the
country and out again, If necessary, and
should start early enough in the season
TO enable him TO return up the river II
he intends 10 come out the same year, for
the facilities for transportation by
steamer are likely to be entirely in.
adequate.