The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1897-12-02

81 have been six weeks in the East. hav-
ing visited all the leading cities. and there
is no doubt in my mind that Seattle Will
capture the great bulk OF the coming
Alaska trade. 1t is just Us natural for
everybody TO talk Seattle in connection
with the Yukon rush as IL is for them
to mention the klondike in connection
with the recent great gold finds. The
great city Of Chicago does not like US be-
cause her merchants say that We tell the
world there is only one way TO reach
Alaska, and that is via Seattle. One mer-
chant told me that, and l replied that
there was no good reason way We should
conceal the truth"
Thomas E. Eyarson, OF the Seattle
Wooden Mills. who IS just home from the
East, made the foregoing remarks in an.
interview which he gave TO the Post-ln-
tellIgencer yesterday. His object in going
East was TO purchase additional machln-
cry for the increase of the company's
plant He saws that wherever he went
ne heard Seattle and Alaska. Thousands
will, undoubtedly, he says, come West
in the spring, en- route for the Yukon. A
few will go to San Francisco and num-
Der will make some purchases in Tacoma,
but the great majority Will not go north
until they have visited Seattle and bought
their supplies and outfits.
why, those people back East who have
studied the Alaska situation with a view
of going north in the spring" said Mr..
Eyanson. SAY that as matter of course
they must come to Seattle. I had talk
with one woman, a Mrs. Lemon. of CHI
cage, who has organized party of young
women who will go with her to the Klon-
dixie as soon as spring comes. They pro-
pose TO buy mines, work in restaurants
and do dozens of other things. They will
all have money and will be prepared for
the trip to the far north. This Mrs.
Lemon said she thought she would do
some buying in Tacoma, but said she
recognized the fact that Seattle was the
great Quitting point, and she would not
think of leaving for the north without
coming here. She and her party will
come west by rail, but the ship that will
carry them north will come around the
horn.
THE people of the East. as has already
been said many times, are very much ex-
cited over the Alaskan finds, and when
spring comes you will find great rush to
the Coast. OF course. there are many
people who have talked of going, but who
change their minds I believe in being
conservative about this thing. I will be
satisfied If we handle $4,000 people In this
city. / believe that we will surely have
that many"
While Mr.. Eyanson was in the East he
was besieged by newspaper men. The
fact that he wrote Seattle, WASH" after
his name was sufficient to attract the
eagle eye OF the reporter, and in every
city he visited he was interviewed. The
st. Joseph. Mo-, Gazette gave him al
most two columns. He told the reporter
who interviewed him everything he could
think OF about the Alaska country: add
vised everybody 10 come TO Seattle and
told just what an Alaska outfit consists
Of Here is one thing Mr.. Eyanson said:
IF you know OF any one who is going to
Alaska from st. Joseph tell them above all
things to take time to cook their food well.
They need not be in hurry about the
gold: that will stay there. But first OF all,
tell them to cook their food and eat heart
lily and then go after the GOLD. / think the
Yukon placers will turn out the richest TIE
world has ever known. The country is as
yet comparatively unknown. No one has
ever ventured far from the trail, on ac-
count of the scarcity OF provisions and the
difficulty OF repienishng the stock when it
falls low. There is a vast territory to be
explored, one-fifth of the area of the en-
tire United States, including Alaska Itself.
II Will be the work OF years to explore the
country thoroughly and obtain even par
tial conception of its wonderful richness"
At st. Louis Mr.. Eyanson said to a Re-
public reporter;
Seattle is making vast preparations for
begin to rush northward next spring Ar
engagements are being made for the out
fitting OF at least 5000 prospectors. Who
are expecting to pass through the city
next spring. Everybody should get lis
outfit in Seattle. 1t knows exactly what
the miners need and has ample stores of
everything and regular and reasonable
prices. There will be no advance of goods
because of the rush. Everybody who
comes to Seattle will get just and fair
treatment on the part OF the merchants Of
the city. There Is no disposition 20 gouge
people because the opportunity presents
itself.
Everything necessary for the Journey
may be purchased in Seattle. II is the
nearest and last equipment place in the
country. Ten thousand people were out
fitted there this summer. when there was
no warning Of the sudden and big demand
One hundred thousand could obtain sup
plies there next spring and still there
would be no dearth Of outfits.
Seattle is on the boom. II will continue
TO grow and prosper from this out TT has
received an impetus which nothing can
stop. klondike in Alaska means Klonajke
IN Seattle. Let men who are hunting the
yellow boys come on and we will treat
them all alike when they arrive in the
spring"
To a Philadelphia Inquirer reporter Mr..
Eyanson mad this to say:
The question of an outfit is one OF the
most important problems that the pros
pect!ve miner has TO face. From the sa-
vice OF experienced miners the clothing of
he prospective claim stalker should con-
sist of mackinaw short coat and trous-
ers. weighing foryy-five ounces to the ward.
which means thickness of ore-quarfar
~ an inch. The shirt and underwear must
weigh from thirty TO twenty ounces, so
mat the cold can be kept ont Wooden
socks are worn and n long stocking is
stretched over these socks and he felt or
rubber shoe. To protect the head maeki-
naw hoods are used, and are only taken
If when the miner crawls into the sleep-
ing bag lined with wool or fur and covered
with canvas. This bag IS six feet long
and IS three feet wide. This outfit is only
used nine months IN the year, corduroy
Being adopted In the more heated months