Lincoln County leader. [volume] (Toledo, Lincoln County, Or.) 1893-1987, 1897-12-31

&c Aheg DCSoLlS pOpuluus, yet even
these will be only at points accessible
to steamers. Those going to the gold
fields must not expect to find claims
near the present centers of population.
They will be compelled to prospect dis
tant streams and gulches, and if sue
c%essful, they may locate several hun
bred miles from the nearest store. To
he compelled to make a journey after
supplies might cause the loss of the en-
tire seasons prospecting, even assuming
that the things needed could be our
chased at all. Every prospecting party
should be fully equipeped to subsist
itself for Il year. Otherwise it can not
carry on its work under the conditions
necessary for success. This is made
clear when one understands the method
of mining and the difficulties OF travel
in the winter season, in a mountainous
region without trails, the ground COW
cred with snow and the thermometer
almost continuously below zero.
The ground is frozen from surface to
bedrock, Il distance varying in mining
claims from 20 to 40 feet. Even in
summer it thaws out less than a foot
from the surface. The hest pay dirt or
gravel is just above the bed rock, and
to sink a shaft down to this requires a
great deal of fuel, and it takes many
weeks of hard work in the open season
to gather fuel enough to last through
the winter for heating and working
purposes. Water for washing out the
dirt and extracting the gold can he had
only in the summer and early fall. In
some districts water flows only a few
weeks each year. All the dirt taken
out Of the shaft is piled up near it till
the following summer, and until then
the miner can not tell.what will be the
result of his years labor.
This is the ordinary programme OF
the Yukon miner. He reaches the gold
fields in June or July. He spends the
next few weeks in prospecting and
finally locates a claim. There is then
but a short time left in which to gather
fire wood and prepare for work. Dur
ing the winter he sinks his shaft and
piles up the dirt to be run through
sluice boxes the next INNER. When
he can get water he begins washing,
and by the time he has completed il
more than a year has passed from the
time he first arrived in the gold fields,
and it may then be too late for him to
get out OF the country that season. II
he ven in supplied for Is months and
has kept his supplies he is all right. II
not, he may be in the position of those
Klondike miners this winter, who have
not supplies to carry them through till
spring and can not buy them at any
price.
So much for the necessity of an
ample equipment. Now a few words
about the nature of it. Some things
are absolute necessities, and one o
these is quicksilver for saving the gold
Take five pounds. To be without i
would be like a soldier without ammu
milton. 1t should be in a metal fash
of some kind, something hat will no
break, and care should be taken not t.
spill it. A pick and long-handle,
shovel are necessary tools, also a golc
pan. You will want a kit of tools foi
making a boat, as well as for buildin,
a cabin, fumes, etc. 1t should consis
of whipsaw, handsaw, jack plane
draw-knife, axe, claw Ratchet. ham
, mer, square, chisel, files, milestone
chalk line and wire and ~galvanize,
nails, also oakum, pitch, oars, row
locks, calking iron, boat cotton, Irvine
sail needles, wooden block and manili
cotton rope.
The necessary camping outfit con
sists of a tent, a Yukon stove. a nest O
three camp kettles, fry pan, bake pan
water bucket, plates, cup and saucer
coffee pot, knives, forks, spoons, tw
large spoons and a butcher knife. TIL
| best materials for utensils are alumni
, mum, graniteware and steel in the OF
l der named. No tin, china or glass j
desirable. There is no economy in no
( getting the best and a full equipment
Food must he good and properly cooke
il one would retain health and be il
condition to work. Insufficient O
poorly cooked food, with little variety
| is the chief cause of scurvy. Too mucI
, care cannot be exercised in this par
! ticular.
As for food, an adequate supply 70
, 10 months weighs about a ton. TIL
chief items are 900 pounds OF flour, 80
pounds of bacon, $50 pounds each O
beans and sugar, 70 pounds each o
/ rolled oats or other mush material an
/, corn meal, so pounds OF rice, six dozeI
cant of condensed milk, 30 pounds O
t butter in sealed cans, $50 pounds O
4 ~evaporated vegetables, 100 pounds o
. evaporated fruit, so pounds of prune
and %raisins, 80 pounds of dried fish, a,
pounds of coffee, with baking powder
soda, salt, pepper, ginger, mustard
4 - IL, 49,. WanInhnn i'm