The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1897-08-31
For the MESSENGER =
z KLoNDKKE LETTER.
Tacoma, Wash, dug. s4, '97.

Tacoma, Wash, dug. S4, '97.
Letters still keep coming in.
from all parts of the United Stat
es, Canada and Europe, ali ask
ing about Klondike.
People want to know when to
go to Klondike.
They want to know how to get
there.
They want to know what it
will cost.
Nobody wants to know how to
get back from Klondike or how
much money will be made there.
They all expect to get rich and
they will not begin to think about
getting back until the shoe
pinches.
In the first place, no matter
how much gold comes out of the
Klondike this season, don't go
there until spring. Simply make
up your mind to play waiting
game. Don't go till spring. And
don't go at all unless you can
stand a hard mountain tramp.
Of course if you have plenty of
money and can afford to pay
your way regardless of expense,
you can go anywhere, any time,
with more or less comfort. But
the ordinary man who expects tc
get his share of the Klondike
nuggets and who does not pro
pose to spend one fortune max
ing another should begin calcul
ating right now and keep it up
without changing his base of op
erations, for about 4 months.
When four months rolls around
it will be about New Years anC
the Klondikers should then be
gin to get into marching trim
February 18th is early enough t.
start over the mountain passe
back of Dyea and Skagway. il
Alaska. 1t will be good sledin,
then and a half a ton outfit CA
be hauled over the mountains
without much trouble. To go +
Klondike via. the Yukon rive
would bring the gold seekers t
the diggins pretty late in th'
season. Those who cut expense
will go over the mountain pass
es. Those who have plenty c
time and wish to see the countr
can go aboard a steamer her
and ride in ease and comfort t
ST. Michaels and then go up tn
river to Dawson City and tn
Klondike district.
By the way, how far is it fror
Tacoma to st. Michaels q?
How far is it from Tacoma t
Dawson City via. the all waite
route =?
To either point is much Ions
er journey than to Europe. 81
Michaels is 2, 500 miles from T;
coma and Klondike is LOO mile
., from st. Michaels. Before tn
! season there have been but thre
! or four steamers that reache
St. Michaels each summer. No
the Klondike excitement
: bringing many new lines int
! service and last week six stean
: ers were headed for St. Michae
I at one time. These ocean steam
ers have barges and river steam
> ers in tow, which will be used c
the Yukon river next summer
!, They will bring down from Klo-
: dixie the lucky miners who wis
= to return home to civilization
|, by that time some enterpriSin
: Yankee has not built an electr
: railway or tramway of some XII
! over the mountain route which
!. much less than half the distan,
? from Tacoma, being 1850 mil
z over the Dyea. Chilcoot al
= White passes and 90 miles long
! over the Stickeen river route.
) Today hundreds of hardy m,
= with blistered feet and achil
bodies are toiling over these We
passes. A few of them will rea'
Dawson City this fall but mo
.e of them will not make much pr
4 gress until the snow comes. Al
l. yet, with these conditions know
5, to people now on the mounta
Is passes and trails, many go
IL seekers are still going mort
it They have made all their arrang
If ments to go and they are goin
a With them it is Klondike, rig
le away, quick, or bust. Most
r them will bust so far as gettil
It into the new diggings this ye
S, is concerned. Those who W;
Id until the beginning of 1898 a
k start with a fresh stock of pl
v visions and supplies will get
1t Dawson City as quick as ma
Id who are only just starting now