Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-09-06
BOUND FOR ALASKA
Experience Of a Washington Man
Going to the Gold Fields.
PREPARATIONS OF PROSPECHORS
News Brought by Those Re-
turning.
STIK ZEN RIV Err ROUTE
Special Correspondence of The Evening Star.

Special C0Irespnndcn nee Of The Evening Star.
JUNEAU. Alaska, August 20, 1897.
We are off for Alaska We leave Wash
ington by the 10 O'Clock train on Sunday
morning. August 1. and as We sit on the
rear of the observation car, watching the
beautiful scenery of the Potomac valley
swirling away from us, We overhear a
party Of three talking of the klondike. We
Join in the conversation and learn that the
party il from New York, bound for the
gold fields. They are going through by
rail To Seattle. whence they are to sail on
the Sth IF August by the steamer Liza An
derson for st. Michaels and Circle City.
They secured in New York through tickets
TO Circle Guy for s2l1.15. They will be per-
mitted tc carry free 10 pounds of baggage
On the steamer they carry 100 pounds
of freight for 10 cents a pound, and any
amount in excess of 80 pounds for III.
cents d pound. Each Of the party intends
10 purchase III Seattle about 500 worth of
provisions. The trip from Seattle to ST
Michael's will occupy about fourteen days.
frCm st. MlchaelS to Circle City about
three weeks; this will put them at the lat
ter point by the middle of September. I'm
less the winter is unusually early this year
they viii doubtless go through safely.
Attacked by the Gold Fever.
Inc next day at chicago We saw many
evidences that the gold fever had struck
the big town. We had nine hours to while
away. and AS strolled about town We
were told that many hundred gold seekers
had left for the northwest during the pre-
cedins week. and that many of the large
stores had been remaining open nearly all
night selling kiondike outfits. As We
rolled out of the great depot Monday
night bound for ST. Paul twenty or thirty
prcspectOrs swung aboard AT Milwaukee
we took on another contingent; and when
We lett St Paul on Tuesday afternoon we
had half hundred aboard. They are all
sorts ana conditions OF men, experienced
miners and beardleSs boys: broken-down
lawyers and doctors, shop clerks and Ia
oortrs; some thoroughly prepared and with
with no money. no provisions and no plan
beyond Tacoma Seattle hoping that
sonnet aInS would turn up there to bear
them on to the gold-bearins Yukon
II dakota We picked up a party of old
ininers rom the Black Hills. They are we'll
informed and well prepared In Montana
We took on a number OF gold seekers who
nave abandoned good positions in the Ana
conda mines. made famous in the last cam
palSn. TO seek the yellow metal in Alaska
IN Friday morning we rolled along
through Washington party of about sixty
prospectorS held a. meeting in one of the
forward tourist cars, formed a co-operatiye
society, elected officers and agreed to stand
by one another in the dreary wilds whence
they all are bound. As some go one wav
some another. and as the Yukon country is
so large to almost destroy the possibii,,v
OF any number of these men coming TO-
gether. the whole affair appeared thea
ana mere child's play. and was laughed at
by the older men.
During the afternoon we came to the end