The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1897-08-16
MAD RUSH TO ALASKA.
A Member of the U. s. Engineer
Corps Relate His Experience.
Prevalent Gold Fever Was in
Alaska Three Years.

Lieutenant Wilkerson, a member of the
United States engineer corps which has
been in Alaska for the past three years
locating the boundary line between that
territory and tbs British possessions in the
northwest, passed through Kansas City
recently on his way to Washington. The
other members of the party went east by
the way of Omaha. They will meet in
Washington, where their report will be
prepared and presented to the government.
Mr.. Wilkerson is far from being enthu-
siastie over the new goldfelds of the north
west. He paints in somber colors the
natural difficulties, especially the climate,
to be met by people from this country who
go there. Ee says the reports of the ease
with which fortunes can be dug from the
frozen earth of the Arctic regions are
greatly exaggerated, and that thousands
of people who are fastening to the gold
fields will live, if they live at all, to regret
their folly.
''Are the stories of fabulous wealth
which are being circulated in this country
regarding Alaska true?'' was asked Mr..
Wilkerson.
"TrueP They are gross exaggerations.
They are outrages upon the intelligence of
the people of these United States,'' ex-
claimed he. "Look at this, - he added, as
he pulled a fine gold watch from his
pocket. 81 put in so days of the hardest
work ever did in my life digging enough
gold to make the case of that watch. 1t
is nonsense to talk about making fortune
in Alaska in few days. 1t is true that
some persons have struck it rich and have
accumulated some money, but they are
the exceptions and not the rule. Why,
there are only about two months in the
year that mining can be carried on there.
Tho remainder of the year it is a struggle
with the intense cold. Sec this sealskin
suit of mine here? Well, 1 have sat in my
tent day after day with that suit on be-
side a roaring fire, and it was necessary to
be constantly changing position, first pre-
senting one side of my body to the fire and
then the other, to keep from freezing, and
when man wants to change undercloth-
ing up there he has to work with the
rapidity of lightning change artist on
the stage to keep from being frostbitten.' -
"How long during the year is the Yu-
kon open for navigation?'' was asked.
During the months of July and August
only. During the remaining months of
the year the ice is from 10 to so feet thick.
During July and August the ice breaks
up, and the river is a mass of floating
chunks of ice. Those two months of the
year are entirely too short to enable the
transportation companies to carry up sup
plies for any large number of people. 1
have seen times when bread could not be
purchased in the Klondike region for $40
a loaf. 1t was not obtanable at any price.
Everything in the line of provisions is
outrsgeously high priced.
''The glowing accounts of fabulous
wealth in the Klondike region are being
circulated by the transportation company
which has a practical monopoly of the
traffic on the Yukon. During the season
of open navigation it coins money. The
charge for carrying a passenger from the
mouth of the Yukon to the Klondike is
$50.
"When I came down the river on my
way TO this country, there were hundreds
of people on the river bank clamoring for
passage to the coast in order that they
might get away from the country. Our
boat was loaded down, and we could not
carry them. They will have to remain
there. There is no chance for them to get
away. 1 asked an official of the transpor-
tation company what all the people they
were carrying up to the Klondike would
do when they got there. I'VE don't care
- what they do when they get there
he said. 'They can come back at $50
head if they don't like it up there. -
"What proportion of the gold producing
territory is in the territory of Alaskan
''Our survey will show that the greater
portion of it is in Alaska. Only small
portion of it belongs to the British north
west POSSESSIONS
"What will be the nature of your report
concerning the gold country?'
'WelI, am not at liberty to tell you
anything about that. When we get to-
gether and prepare our report and submit
it to the government, it will puncture
some of the fairy tales that are being cir
oulated concerning that country. We have
been up there three years and have had an
opportunity to study the climate and the
natural conditions of the country, and our
report will dampen the ardor of some of
the enthusiastic people who are planning
to leave their homes, families, positions
and all the comforts of civilization and go
into wild, bleak, uninhabitable region
where nine feet of snow has fallen, to my
certain knowledge, within the space of "a
hours. kansas City Times.