The Philipsburg mail. [volume] (Philipsburg, Mont.) 1887-current, 1897-10-01
LETTER FROM DR.. LE|SER
A MONTANA MAN WRITES FROM
ALASKA.
Pretty Difficult to Get Reliable Infor-
nation From the Klondike Gold
Fields-Some Good Advice

DR.. Leser, of Helena, who left that
city several weeks ago and joined the
gnat procession going to Dawson City,
wrote an interesting letter to the Butte
Mining World, under date of August
Goth, which we herewith reproduce
DR.. Leiser is1 a brother-in law of W.
S. Tv oily, of this city. and brother
Of Mayor Leiser. of Anaconda:
Here upon the shores of Alaska
pen to 'enlighten the World on the
great KlondiEe fields Here at st.
Michael's. the exchange station for
ocean and river steamers, we are wait
ing our turn to go up the Yukon,
There is possibility of remaining two
or three weeks. then there will be the
risk Of ice and winters freeze up
The transportation companies are not
equal to the task Of carrying men and
freight. | would advise sturdy min
ers to take the overland route. Tt is
awful hard, but this trip is more than
awful-lt is Id. Of course, deli
cate people and women cannot 20 over
the range, but in fact they have 10
business here it is not Gods country,
aud the miner who cleans up ten,
twenty or thirty thousand in a few
years, earns it coming and living here
You will have had earlier gold
data by boats ho1neward bound than
| can give. Since the carly summer
boats. which took out one million or
more, there seems to be only about
$500, 0O) reported coming down the
river. Now, we Will not dispute the
matter Of gold being in the district,
bat if You divide the finds between
say 20oO miners you viii see the aver
age is not astounding, and owing TO
the expense and the tediousness people
ought to figure closely and stop to
thluk Good miners with great en-.
Gurauce can risk the venture, but no
Others should. 1t is said that 10000
people are at Dawson already, bnt I
say 1000. 1t is said that provisions
will be scant and want will reach the
camp. AT least no luxuries can be
epected. L am sorry | cannot today
give direct information as TO mining
prospects and opportunities, but we are
still quite cut off from the latest news.
When on the ground | may tell some
thing to govern the Spring trade.
am informed that the boat just gone
up the river carried $500 tons of fright,
of which just 1900 were whisky. This
is a fact. as il was loaded here. SO
our friends will not despair of getting
through the winter all right.
'Rumors are so current that grub is
scarce i'll the Yukon regions that
large list from our boat-still waiting
for transportation up the river-have
bought small river steamboat of sixty
tons from the Jesuit missionary society
here and are loading it with provisions
bought at this place. Sixty men pay
each 5000. which gives each / go
share III the boat as permanent owners
and transportation for 1000 pounds of
freight to Dawson. Food is very high
here, vet so much less than at Dawson
as to make it very plausible invest
ment. No one should come to this
point with the object of Quitting. as
flour is IS a hundred and other things
in proportion.
cit may be interesting tc your read
ers to know that of 1863 passengers on |
our boat, Montana heads the list with
23. nearly all old timers and sturdy
miners New York comes next with 10, |
and the rest comes from nearly .he
whole world over. Our bnat-tbe John
!. Healy-has just arrived (Aug. 26)
from Dawson City, and will be ready
tomorrow to transfer us--a matter Of
from two to three weeks. II seems i'm
possible for passengers or officials to
get any information. One notion is,
there has been very little gold brought
in, and the people, especially the
companies, do not want
TO put dampener upon the excite
ment. Another theory is, there is lots
If gold aboard but the object is to
discourage the rushing prospetors and
keep them out for a time because of
5he scant provisions.
'There is no doubt about he matter
If scant grub; in fact, the general
at Dawson closed up, hay
ng nothing left to SELL 1t is stated
hat only two staple articles are still
cntiful-hardware and whisky. At
my rate, no one must come to the
now or later. except with his
ears provisions. Little doubt but
hat food will be short this winter.
''It is still persisted in that plenty
f gold is in the region. Men will
lot work claims that do not pan more
han $40 to $50 day. 1t is predicted
hat next spring lot of money will
ONE down. Winter is recognized as
he mining season; that is. the actual
york must be done in winter, with
he cleanup in the spring. Not much
honey is expected until spring. may
e able to give you facts from Daw-
on. -