, 1897-11-12
THE LAND OF GOLD.
THOMAS II. SHAFER TELLS OF
MINING OPERATIONS IN
THE KLONDIKE.
CneXplOred Lands Await the Adven-
turous Gold Hunter - Party Of
Glenwood Springs Men Organize
and Will Dig Gold on the Yukon
Next Summer.

lhonas IL. Shafer. IA resident OF
Pittsburgh. Pa. arrived in Cheyenne
from the Vest yesterday morning and
remained until the departure of the
afternoon south bound train for Den
yer. Mr.. Shafer is an interesting per
sUnase just at this particular time, and
nc is Desieged with questions by his
fellow travellers as soon as it becomes
known that he has made a million in
the klondike."
Mr.. Shafer is yet a young man, being
less than 80 years of age. He is unas
no ~ineXcusable citation because of his
success. In conversation with the Tri-
Eune representative, Mr.. Shafer said
that he arrived in Seattle from the land
of gold Oct. u, and would go direct to
Pittsburgh after a short stay at Glen
wood Springs, Colorado. His partner,
Il Mr.. Connell. who returned from Alas
ka with him, went to San Francisco
to do business with the mint The
two gentlemen brought down $500 900
which they have taken from their claim
the past two years. During seven
months of that time Mr.. Shafer worked
the claim alone. Cornell having gone
to st. Michael's for provisions.
AS the country becomes more and
more settled the miners will prospect
further to the north INT east" said
Mr.. Shafer. There are thousands and
thousands of square miles yet unex
plored in which the indications for the
discovery of valuable gold placer and
quartz fields are favorable. Judging
from the large number of people that
are reported to be going to the klon-
dixie in the spring | anticipate that ev-
cry claim along the river will be taken
up by July.
AS Mr.. Cornell and | came out we
found a camp of nearly 1,500 able-bod-
led and well-provisioned men camped
at Lake Linderman, three miles from
Dyea. They were waiting for the water
to freeze sufficiently thick to enable
them to go in on the Ice and avoid the
necessity of using boats. The men who
are enduring hardships in Alaska TO-
day are those who went to the coun-
try without being properly prepared
for the trip. A man must be able
bodied and well-provisioned before he
has any business there.
las to my own experience, l did not
suffer any more in the far north than
I believe our fathers did who crossed
the plains to California in the early
days Of the west. | left my home in
Pennsylvania in 1886 and went to Sc
attic. l worked as a railroad man,
then as a sailor. l shipped in 1891 on
the whaler Jeanette and it was while
lying off the mouth of the Yukon l de-
cided to stay in Alaska.
Il went ashore. and. after a few days.
Joined my fortunes with those of w.
D.. Connell. an experienced prospector.
Hearing tales of the vast gold fields. we
went further and further until the
great klondike field was discovered.
We were less than 200 miles away when
we heard the report and we went in
with the least possible delay. We COM
menced digging and washing, and, for
a while. could hardly realize our good
fortune or the richness of the field.
We took out nearly a million dollars,
but used more than half of 1t in pur-
chasing claims from those who were
satisfied with what they had and
wanted to return to the states.
Our claims are on u%ndisputed Brit
ish territory. and if the Canadian off,
Gals now in that country grant us the
wise, liberal and honest administration
of affairs that they promise, the coun-
try will be glorious in it's opportuni-
ties
Mr.. Shafer will organize a company
in Glenwood Springs, consisting of R.
II. Ware. present sheriff OF Garfield
county. Colorado; NJ. E. Adams and a
number OF their friends. Together they
will reach Seattle February 10th and
there join Mr.. Cornell. proceeding at
once with available machinery and
supplies to what Mr.. Shafer continually
refers to al the Field Of Gold."-Chey-
enne Tribune.