Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-01-28
LIFE AT DAWSON CITY.
The Comforts That Energetic Amerf-
cans Have Carried In.
Eafber rvonu in Tonlia.s waoklv


The Comforts That Energetic Amerf-
cans Have Carried In.
Esther Lyons In Leslie's Weekly.
A journey Of forty-five miles from Sixty
mile Post brought US to Dawson City, the
wonderful city OF the new mining district.
populated almost in night. Although real
~ sixty-dve miles distant from the Klon-
dixie, 1t is typical mining camp. minus the
guns. The laws OF the British government
sre enforced at Dawson, and those laws
prohibit the use Of firearms: consequently
few men carry guns. In and around Daw-
son at the present time there are about
1900 men and 150 women. Dawson, Of
course, Is very primitive and very dirty, al
though from recent conversation with
Mr.. Ladue understand that every effort is
being made to clean it. There are large
stocks of provisions in all tine storehouses
and 1t looks as though there could be no
hunger in the Klondike. There will be lit
tie or no lawleSSness, and there is proba-
bility of very little sickness. The Alaskan
winters are healthful. In September can
be seen quantities of black ducks vending
their way southwark, and even on the
streets of Dawson can You see the sparrow
and hear its chirping. Here, as every
where In Alaska, nature has stored her
treasures in a safe of ice: in fact, one writ
er has called Alaska the nations ice box,
Uut u INC IL represents the future paradise
of poet and painter. Nature has done much
for Dawson, but the energetic American
has done more. He has built warehouses
In which he has stored acres of food, built
comfortable log cabins, erected a theater
established many saloons, billiard rooms
and dance halls. The sums of money spent
in these billiard saloons and dance halls are
simply fabulous; fortunes change hands
every night at the different gambling de-
vices. AT poker in a single night 500 600
frequently changes hands, 1t being nothing
unusual to see $4,000 bet on a single hand
Yet do not infer from this that all the
miners are gamblers Many of them never
even enter saloon or dance hall.
/ have little friend out there an old
school mate, who is teaching school She
hugely enjoys her winter there. She Is at
Circle City. She takes daily ride behind
a splendid dog team, and l tell you it,
great fun. You ride a while. and then you
get out and run; then you get in and ride
again. No one really knows what a sleigh
ride is until they ride behind a fine dog
team. The inhabitants manage to get con-
siderable amusement. They have private
Dances, parties. and in the summer time
they even have picnics. The arctic win
tiers are most keenly felt by those miners
who are obliged all through the long, dark
winter to live In tents and dugouts.
Dawson City is rectangular in shape 1t
Is laid out in town lots. Its streets are
sixty-six feet wide 1t is situated on a
stretch OF low ground on the northwest
bank of the Yukon, Just below the mouth
Of the Klondike. Town lots in Dawson
City are selling now at 5000 each. Up To
the present time % cents at Dawson is the
smallest piece of money used: 1t Is called
four bits. Both Protestants and Roman
Cathoncs nave already established mission
churches in Dawson. Those who visit Daw-
son next spring will see live metropolis.