Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1897-09-03
NEW LAND OF GOLD.
HkRDSHlPs THAT ATTEND FORTUNE
HUNTING IN KLONOlKE.

The Journey to This Alaskan FL Dorado,
Where Nuggets Are More Plentiful Than
Square Meals is Long, Expensive and
Periious-No Ordinary Man Can Endure
the Rigors and Privations story of a
Returned Prospector.
The stories of fabulous finds Of gold
in Alaska are attracting the attention
of the world to that section just now
1t so happens that the richest gold de-
posits thus far found are on British
soil. There is no question about that
and the KlOndike placer mines are over
the line on the British side and not
really in Alaska.
The journey to the new gold fields Is
long and expensive, and perilous. No
one ought to start on less than $500 to
pay for transportation and the outfit
which is required to get to the gold
district, and then one must live after
getting to the diggings The present
excitement mildly reminds old-timers
of the California fever back in the
days of forty-nine. The best way to
reach the gold fields is to go first to
Seattle then take a steamer up to Ju-
From Juneau the best route is by a
small steamer to Chilcoot Pass. Leav-
ing that point the journey has to be
made on foot across country to Lake
bennett. The outfit must be packed.
This is done by Indians, who charge a
good figure for the work. At Lake
Bennett the traveller makes himself a
rough boat or buys one if he can to
o,rsfc Two
have to be made and it is laborious
dragging the boat overland The Lewis
River is followed down to the Yukon
and then it is still several days journey
to KlOudike and Sixty Mile Creek. The
principal place for buying more sup
plies is Circle City or Forty Mile Creek.
This trip is made by going across
country and sailing down the Yukon.
That is altogether a distance of 1000
miles. There is another route around
by the mouth of the Yukon and thence
up the river, but that is 1000 miles
from Seattle and would take all sum-
mer to make the trip.
Frank Moss an old-time miner, who
four years ago was one of party Of
Americans to visit the KlOndike coun-
try, has returned to his home in Great
Falls, Montana, and tells a story of
great suffering. He describes KlOndike
as a placer camp seven miles long and
thirteen miles wide, located in sink,
walled in by bOulders of rock 1900 feet
high Gold, he says, abOunds, but no
ordinary man can stand the hardships
of the uncivilized region. When he left
here four years ago he was a sturdy
fellow; now, from hardships and priva-
tons, he is a cripple for life and badly
broken in health. In three years he
saw more than two hundred graves
made in the KlOndike basin. a large
majority of the victims dying from
starvation. The steamship companies
bring in all food and allow no private
importation, consequently it is not IN
common to go for weeks with but a
scant supply and for days entirely
without food.
The richest strike, he says, has been
made by a twenty -year-old boy
named George Hornblower, of Indian
apols. In the heart of a barren waste,
known as Boulder Field he found a
nugget for which the transportation
company gave him $500. He located
his claim at the find and in four
months had taken out more than ST.
900 600.
The richest section, Moss says, is yet
1t is 100 miles from
Klondike and known as the Black Hole
of Calcutta 1t is inhabited by ex-cOn-
victs of Bohemia and murders and
riots take the place of law and order.
A few months ago Klondike organized
a justice committee and its laws pre-
vail there now.
With the great crowds preparing to
so to the scene nov, Moss says hun
ger and suffering will be great Wien