The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1897-09-02

However, most people who have
started are so enthusiastic they will
never turn back. a few have, never
theless given up the fight for gold
and have come home. Yesterday one
young man, the son of q leading law
yer, arrived he.e from the Chilcoot
pass. His name is Hill Hudson and
he is very sick young man. He was
fitted out with Il fine outfit and his
parents were reluctant in allowing
the young boy to go. He is sew
enteen years of age and of athletic
build. But packing an outfit across
the mountains was too much for him.
| His kidneys were affected so much
that it would probable have killed
him to have continued the Journey
In packing an outfit of half ton,
which is an eighteen months supply,
across the mountain passes a man
! has to walk thirty miles for every
mile of headway made. In other
words the gold hunter would travel
over the pass thirty times in getting
| their outfits over. This is killing to
those not strong and healthy. Some
camp by the side of the trail and
watch the struggling expect-to-be.
milliOnairs trudge past. Some, like
young Hudson, turn back. Some
/ sell their outfits and secure work as
laborers in the mills of Alaska hoping
thereby to save what money they
have and start north again in the
! spring. But all could have saved
themselves trouble, loss Of money and
outfits if they had simply accepted
the warning of those who knew the
real conditions and had deferred go
ing to the KlOndike until next Feb
uary or March.
But there are exceptions to all llrnles.
To-day a party Of California miners
left Tacoma for Skaguay and Dyea
at the head of the passes. They
know their business" 50 to speak.
They know all about mines and min
ing. They know all about Alaska
and still they are going in at this I'M
favorable season. Why? Because
they can travel where tender feet will
fall by the wayside They can select
the pass that offers the least resist
ance. Perhaps they will select the
Copper river route and prospect along
its shores all winter. Even if they
cannot reach Dawson City by way of
the much travelled passes this winter
they viii prospect wherever they are.
They can get along anywhere and
they represent a ''syndidate" which
expects them to work all the time and
keep a-going somewhere. These men,
for instance, did not buy their outfits
until they had visited all the Puget
Sound cities. They found goods %
per cent. cheaper in Tacoma than in
! California. They bought only such
articles as are absolutely necessary
for a years stay in the diggings. Their
list was made up about as follows:
VT lbs. Cost
| Clothing Observation-Disclosures. $95
netting. ) suits heavy underwear
heavy mackanaW coat, pairs heavy
mackinaw pants, ha,f doz, heavy
wool socks, Une-thiTd dOZ. heavy
mitS. pairs heavy lealher gloves
heavy oycrShirts pairs heavy Snag-
proof rubber boots, ! pain shoes l
pHge. needles, thread. wax, prs.
/ Blankets, / towels, prs. CYelalls |
suit oil clothing,2 rubber blankets.
l Sleeping bag, I pair felt boots,
pair heavy rubber overshocS.
; lrpncnpiaC ODp S.On
.OO lbs. bacon. 500 lbs. hour . lbs.
peachcS,"l lbs. apples, IS BIS apu-
cots, lbs. pitted prunes . lbs. cof-
fee. u lbs. tea, 30 lbs. sugar. $50 lbs.
beans, % lbs. oatmeal, p lbs. corn
meal, 100 lbs. rice, ) lbs. baking pow
der, lbs. yeast, soda, one large box
matches.
Hardware and Camp Outfit. 200 $50
One par ice creepers, one sheath
knife and sheath, > miners shoYe!s.
| l spool wire, sail needles, 2 gold
pans. balls twine, half doz. S.inch
flat lies, handled AK, pick and >
handles, screwdriver, DiSston saw,
wood jackplauc, ratchet brace.
btts assorted sizes, saw set 3D #.
| rope, pack strap. % lbs. assorted
nails. pkge. hob nails. 8 lbs. Oakum,
| lbs. pitch, set knives and forks
/ six each, tea spoons. 3 tablespoons,
! ! compass hunters AK and sheath.
magnIiying glass, mixing spoon,
dust belt. / AK stone, granite cups,
fry pan. relinned diShpan, four
quart coffee pot | coffee mill, gram
, lie Kettle retinned cover, granite
/ plates. whip saw, gold scale, sled,
t'nt and stove, box candles.
Armament. nt.....................2O 20 $e4
one repeating rifle, 80 with reload
ing tools and 100 rounds of brass
/ shell cartridges, large hunting knife
and an assortment of fishing tackle.
/ Medicine. e.................. So
! one chest assorted medicines, plas-
tiers, bandageS, mosquito cX1ermin-
/ ator, etc, pair dark eyeglasses.
Cost and weight of outfit and eX-
I penseS Of transportation can be ma
teriallv reduced by prospectors traV-
cling in parties OF three and four, as
one camping hardware and arma-
nent outfit will answer for two men.
In travelling by steamer or rail l5O
| lbs. of baggage is checked free for
! each passenger.
Totals. ...............1,49 ,492 1865
This is but starter however, for
the klondilIe. There are matters of
| importance to discuss between now
and the day of departure and these
will be taken up in the order of their
Importance in subsequent letters.
However, those who propose going
to the Alaska gold fields should pre-
serve each of the letters in a scrap
book or other convenient form. Each
letter will contain some item of i'm
portance, which taken with the SER
les of letters, will complete an up-to-