The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-08-17


most a continuous sun in summer time.
evaporation is very slow owing to the thick
moss, which will not conduct the heat. In
consequence the ground is always swampy.
II is only after several years of draining
that ground will become sufficiently dry 10
allow the frost to &c 2 ut, and then only for
a few feet. DuriEg the winter months the
cold Is intense With usually considerable
wind.
"A heavy mist rising from open places
in the river settles down in the valley in
calm, extreme weather. This dampnesS
makes the cold TO be felt much and is con-
ducive to rheumatic pains colds, etc.
49, Miners are very mixed class Of people;
They represent many nationalities and
come from all climates. Their lives are
certainly not enyiabe. The regulation
miners cabin is twelve by fourteen feet,
with walls six feet and gables eight feet in
height The roof is heavy earth and the
cabin is generally warm. Two and some
times three or four men will occupy
house of this size. The ventilation is
usually bad.
Those miners who do not work their
claims during the winter confine them
selves in these small huts most of the
time. Very often they become ndolent and
careless. only eating those things which
are most easily cooked or prepared. Dur
Ing the busy time in summer, when they
are 'shoveling in they work hard and for
long hours, sparing little time for eating
and much less for cooking. This manner
of living is quite common among beginners,
and soon leads to debility and sometimes
scurvy. Old miners have learned from ex-
pertence to value health more than gold,
and they therefore spare no expense in
procuring the best and most varied outfit
of food that can be obtained.
In cold climate such as this, where 1t
is impossible to get fresh vegetables and
fruits, 1t is important that the most suita-
BILE substitute for these should be provided.
Nature helps to supply these wants by
growing cranberries and other wild fruits
In abundance, but men in summer are
usually too busy to avail themselves of
these.
THE diseases met with in this country
are dyspepsia, anaemia. scurvy caused by
improperly cooked food, sameness of diet,
overWork, want of fresh vegetables, over
heated and badly ventilated houses; rheum-
atism pneumonia bronchitis enteritis
cystitis and other acute diseases, from ex-
posture to wet and cold; debility and chronic
diseases, due to excuses. Nenereal dis
eases are not uncommon. One case of
typhoid fever occurred in Forty-mile last
fall. probably due to drinking water polut-
ed with decayed vegetable matter
In selecting men to send to this country
/ beg to submit a few remarks, some of
which will be of assistance to the medical
examiners in making their recommends
healthy. They should be practical men,
able to adapt themselves quickly to their
surroundings. Special care should be
taken to see that their lungs are sound,
that they are free from rheumatism and
rheumatic tendency, and that their joints,
especially knee joints, are strong and have
never been weakened by injury, synovitis
or other disease.
1T is also very important to consider
I.
full hopeful dispositions and willing work
ers. Those of sulen, morose natures al
though they may be good workers, are very
wears off. to become dissatisfied, pessi-
mistic and melancholy"
Surveyor Ogilvie, in "a report of trip
weather: ut is said by those familiar with
the locality that the storms which rage in
the upper attitudes of the coast range dur
ing the greater part of the time from
October March. terF1f1c. A
caught in one of them runs the risk of los
ing his life unless he can reach shelter
in a short time During the summer there
Is nearly always a wind blowing from the
sea up Chatham strait and Lynn canal,
which lie in almost a straight line with
each other, and at the head of Lynn canal
are Chilkat and Chilkoot inlets The dis
tance from the coast down these channels
to the open sea is about $50 miles. The
mountains or each side of the water con-
fine the currents of air, and defect inclined
currents in the direction of the axis of the
channel, so that there is nearly always a
strong wind blowing up the channel; Com
ing from the sea. this wind is heavily
charged with moisture. which is precipitat-
ed when the air current strikes the noun
tains and the fall of rain and snow is
consequently very heavy"
Mr.. Ogelvie on this same trip had much
difficulty with the Indians, and they de-
manded $40 a hundred pounds for carry
ing his goods. On being told that the party
had a permit from the great father at
Washington to pass through the country
and that the Indians would be punished II
they interfered, they reduced the price
to $40.
Regarding the agricultural resources of
the Yukon valley, he says: 1.-The agricul-
tural capabilities of the country along the
river are not great, nor is the land which
can be seen from the river of good quality.
When we consider further the unsuited
climatic qualities which prevail in that re-
gion, it may be said that as an agricultural
district this portion of the country will
never be of value. My meteorological rec
ords show over 8 degrees of frost on the
1st of August. over 10 on the Sd, and four
times during the month the minimum tenn
perature was below freezing. On the 18th
of September the minimum temperature
was 16 degrees, and all the minimum read
ings for the remainder OF the month We're
below freezing He estimates that there
are about 100000 acres of land along the
Yukon and it's branches that might be used
for agricultural purposes.