The evening times., 1897-07-23
DANGERS or THE JOURNEY
Edgar A. Miner Tells of the Ex-
posure, Labor, Ice and Snow.
TRIP ON A STEAM LAUNCH
Chilkoot's Pass, Where Blizzard
Nearly Always Blows, "a Standing
Menace TO Explorer Experiences
TO Dull the Hearts of Many Hardy
Men-Camped on Lake Bennett.

San Francisco, July 23.-Another letter
Just received by the Examiner from Edgar
A Mizner gives a good idea of the life
and perils of a miner in Alaska MI.
Mizner was one of the best-known young
met in San Francisco. His father was
iawyer of distinction and at one time
United states minister TO Central America
Young Miner started for the Yukon last
March He is now in the Klon dixie
district, and temporarily has charge of the
Alaska Commercial Company's interests.
He went ia during April and May by way
OF the Chilkoot Pass and the lakes The
following letter from him was written ON
May 6.
Those who dream OF fortune ia the
frozen placers, who pin their faith TO the
tales OF the fat sacks OF yellow dust and
who tEink that in the far, cold land fortune
is for him who reaches out hand should
attend to this tale OF the journey into the
realm OF gold, and then weigh whether II
is worth the while;
Edgar A Miner started FOR the Yukon,
ticking the steamer out OF Seattle and
being Joined there 10y his younger brother,
Wilson He had had mining experience,
having been frozen in one winter ON the
Pend d'0reine. MiZner Mountain, over
against the Kootcnai country, is named Tor
hun, his prospecting pick being the first
TO find pay ore there.
From a camp on the ice OF Lake Bennett
he wrote on May 6:
lit is nearly two months since l left
you and if have not forgotten you al
together it's not the fault OF the trip, for
surely it's the DEVILS own. The man who
wants tie Yukon gold should know what
he is going to tackle before he starts. IL
there is an easy part OF the trip haven't
struck il yet.
Eight OF us made the trip from Juneau
to Dyea, 100 miles, on the little steam
launch Alert. The steamer Mexico reached
Dyea tie same morning with 423 men. As
she drew so much water she had to stay
about three miles off shore, and land her
passengers and freight as best she might
in more or less Inaccessible places on the
rocky shores.
Then up came the twenty two-foot tide,
and many poor fellows saw their entire
outfits swept into the sea. The tide runs
there like the Fundy race. At Dyea there
were but two houses, a store and, of course,
o saloon So when We landed on the beach
and got out on the snow and ice we had TO
rustic for ourselves. We have kept on
rushing for ourselves from that on.
1--WE camped the first night at Dyea 1t
is most enjoyable thing, this making
camp In the snow First you must shovel
down from three to six feet TO fiud n solid
crust Then you must go out in the snow
up to your neck 10 find branches with which
&c make bed, and then comes the hunt
for a dead tree for firewood Dinner is
cooked on a small sheetiron stove.
Always keep an eye on the grub es-
peoially the bacon, for the dogs are like so
many ravenous wolves, and Ii is not con-
Edered just the proper thing 20 be left
without anything to eat In this frosthitten
land. At night it is necessary 10 tie up
the sacks OF bacon in the trees. or build
trestles for them. But to the trip.
THE second day we went up Dyea can
yon. Itisonly three miles long, but seems
fully thirty. This is true OF all distances
IN this country. About one hundred pounds
is about all a man wants to pun up this
canyon, AZ the iceway is steep, and the ice
slippery. So camps mus. be made short dis
tances apart, as you have to 20 over the
trail several times In bringing up your out
fit. Remember, an ordinary outfit weighs
from 500 TO 500 pounds, and some of them
much more.
But the esummitofChilkoot's Pass-that's
the place that puts the yellow fear into
many mans heart. Some took one look
at IL, sold their outfits for what they would
bring and turned back. This pass is over
the ridge which skirts the coast 1t is only
about 200 feet from base to top, but il is
almost srraignI up stuI;Sso wn "a sIeerstet
or snow 8nd ice. There is a blizzard blow
Ing there most Of the time and when IL is
at its height, no man may cross. For days
at time The summit is impossible An
ente1pnsinS man named Burns has rigged n
windlass and cable there, and with this he
holsts up some freight at a cent a pnund
The rest Is carried over on the backs of
Indians. We were detained ten DAYS wait
Ing our turn to have our outfits carried
over and for favoring weather.
After going about three miles ND a dark
canyon whtrling snowStorm struck US
But having risen at such an unconscion-
able hour we would not turn back our
pride was near the end of us. hope NAV
never experience such another day. The
air was so filled with snow that at times
ft was impossible Go see ten feet II was
all we could do to keep our feet against
the wind which howled down the moun-
tains My beard became a mass OF ice.
THE trail was soon obliterated and we
were lost. But we stumbled on and by a
rare chance We came upon the andle OF
shovel which marked our cache
There was nothing to do but fight our
way back to camp. The storm did not
ehate In the slightest In fact, it ragged
Tor four long days 1t was nearly dark
when with knocking knees, we got back
20 camp, more dead than alive.
1.-The next day ten men made ur a partv
TO 60 on the same trip back for their out
fits The day after that they were found
huddled in hole dug In a drift eating raw
hacon. After another day of rest, we put
masts on our sleds, rigged sails and came
across Lake Lindelman and over Linder-
man Portage. We are now camped on the
head OF Lake Bennett"
THOUSANDS SAW THEM OFF.