Griggs courier. (Cooperstown, Griggs Co., Dak. [N.D.]) 1885-1902, 1897-08-06
NEWS ABOUT kLOnDYkE.

nIWO ADUUj klUNUIke.
TACOMA, Wash, July %, 1897.
I. E. WARNER, Esq,
Cooperstown, N. d.
Friend Ed:-Your letter of the 22d
at hand. So you are Klondyke crazy.
am not going but we are stalking .
man to go in who starts on the ID
prox.
1t is very easy to talk about going
to the Klondyke, but you must stop
and think of the viccissitudes of 4
climate where the mercury is 70 below
zero all the time or nearly all the
time and also of the trials in getting
there. 1t will cost to outfit two men
they should go in parties of or 5)
about sl6oO.00. If you go via ST.
Michaels the expense of transpor,a-
tion to Dawson City is $4,000. but
they will not allow you to carry any
grub if you go via the Chilcoot Pass
that is boat to Dyae, then pack 81
miles over the Chilcoot Pass, then
build boat and go dowa the Yukon.
Going this latter way you can take all
the grub you wish and is usually
takes 2,OO0lbs per man. To pack this
over the mountain is hard piece of
work. We are making i, sort of q
wagon and sending q horse and are
also sending boat in sections to be
used first to pack the outfit from the
boat to the shore at Dyae. next down
the river after you are over the noun
tain.
To go to Klondyke you must be
man, strong and capable of standing
the trip and of doing hard work after
you get there. You must make up your
mind to be gone not less than IL
months. After you get there and
locate a claim you commence by burn
ing down, that is, pile wood on the
ice. set fire to it and rs it thaws dig
down. This hole is 4xs and to bed
rock varies say "A. AS you go down
the soil is hoisted by windlass and
kept till spring when the water runs
over the land and then it is work night
and day until you take it all out OF
course if you are lucky to find claim
that runs $500 to $1,000 a pan why you
can stand the effort. In working in
the pit you are compelled to pick on
your hands and knees and you get
overheated and then you must come
out to spell the man at the windlass
and you are apt to take a cold that
may develop into pneumonia. 1t is
fully 60 below all the time.
1t is better to go in parties of three
to five for the reason that two must
prospect and leave third man at the
camp to keep the wolves from eating
the grub.
The reason you cannot pack any
grub via ST. Michaels is that the COM
pany that operate the boat also own
the stores and they wish to sell at
their own store houses.
shall not go this summer and if go
at all it will be next spring and with
the idea of taking stock in there.
We will have good and reliable in
formation ere long from the boys we
are sending in and when learn more
will write you. This country is hard
on the eyes and you must think of
that, and you want to leave your fami-
ly where they will not want for year
and a half at least, and to have grub
stake to carry you through.
So far as reports go we are inclined
to think that they are in the main true
and that the Klondyke is the most
wonderful camp in the world. One
who has had a taste OF pioneering
feels as though he must go.
J. A. wants to go and came near
going and 1 shall be surprised if we
do not both go next spring.
| Yours truly
Willis