The state herald., 1897-08-27
(sitka. Alaska. Letterl


The sudden finding Of gold in a hith-
erto unsuspected country has made
millionaires out of poor men. In
minute from poverty they came into
affluence. The United States will have
more multi-millionaires than ever,
more plutocrats, and more Sudden
riches" Canada has not struck 1t SO
rich, for the successful prospectors have
almost without exception, been United
States citizens and residents of the
states. In the sudden making of mil
lionaires it is difficult to tell who has
struck 1t richest, accounts are SO wide
ly divergent. But all agree that no ac-
counts have exaggerated the facts. SO
far as the finding Of great quantities
OF gold Is concerned. The richest man
among the new Alaska millionaires is
Joseph Ladue, the owner of the town
Of Dawson, and the finder Of enormous
gold deposits. Ladue is resident of
Schuyler Falls. Clinton county, N. Y.
where, 1t Is said, he is soon to be mar
ried to an old sweetheart whom he
could not before afford to wed. When
the gold fever broke out in mild form
a failure in the Black Hills. and found
enough to tell him of greater things la
ter on. He returned to his home, but
later went back to Alaska. took up a
claim In the very heart of the country,
paid for certain quantity of land
which was then for sale at a very low
figure, and started in to look for gold.
His first find brought settlers there by
the dozen. Dawson" the place was
called, and as the owner sold off small
portions of the land his fame grew and
spread. He now owns Dawson, having
sold but little, and is so many times
millionaire that his wealth cannot be
estimated. He is the Barnato Of Alas
ka. the man who struck 1t rich, and,
knowing a good thing when he saw it,
held on to 1t. II is only another tale of
South African luck, but much nearer
home-enviously near. The rush to the
Alaska gold fields is such that all out
going steamers are filed far in ad-
vance. These steamers run intermit-
tently after the cold weather sets in,
and there are long intervals when few
Alaska voyages can be made. This ac-
counts for the awful haste to reach
there before the inland waters become
unnavigable. There is also an over
land route, but this also becomes i'm
practicable after awhile, owing to the
lack Of travelling accommodations and
the long distances that must be gone
over without finding habitation.
Alaska has never been settled" ow-
ing to the great cold there. but 1t is
thought that 1t might in time be made
as livable as any of the other cold cit
les, and. indeed, as st. Petersburg or
Christiania or any of the large North
.of-Europe cities. But this is quite u
'step ahead. though not at all i'm
probable.
At present. IL you want to get to
Alaska and become Barnato. there
are two ways of going. One is by sea
and the other is overland. II you take
the sea route you can start by steam
ship from Seattle. II you have been for
tunate enough to secure accommoda-
tions ahead, and crossing the Gulf OF
Alaska, touch first at Unalaska, passing
through the Aleutian Islands. From
there the route lies directly north, get
ting colder and colder every minute.
= Here you will need all the arctic wraps
you have brought with you. The ships
fare will be warm, nourishing food
cereals. chocolate, meats and spices.
But for all that. you will need fur over
coats. fur hoods. blanket wraps. woolen
mittens and big. warm, fur-lined bags
In which to sleep. For one going from
q very warm city into this region the
change is so great and so sudden that
there is sure to be great suffering. and
many OF the would-be Barnatos turn
back here. The crew. on the other
hand. enjoy II. being accustomed to n
polar latitude-for you are now ap-
preaching the pole. In spring the
weather would be getting daily warm
er ns the season advanced. but now you
would ilnd II steadily growing more
biting. The steamship stops at St.
Michaels: and here. within sight OF
Behrlng sea. almost within hniling dis
tance OF the Behrlng strait, you leave
tho steamship and start Inland to
scarch for gold. Tho Barnatos have
nearly all followed the Yukon. Il leads
INTO hionuSkc, anu ohc VI us uipu-
taries Is the Klondyke river. Dawson,
Joseph Ledue Barnnto's town, is on
the Yukon: and Circle City. another
rich spot, lies on Its banks.
Land Is for sale here very cheap.
Or you can do as many prospectors
have done-start in hunting for gold
without making too many Inquiries
The find II so sudden that there Ia no
sharp line drawn between that which
is sold aud that which belongs to the
United States. and u man is free TO
hunt where he will, For your own
comfort. however. II Is we'll TO have