The times., 1898-07-25
DAWSON CITY SCENES.
Mining Has Heen Disappointing to
WeaIth-Scekers


Dawson City. N ". T, June 23.-This is
written at midnight, without artificial
light For the past month or six weeks
there cannot be said to have been any
night, and about as much work is done
during the hours usually set apart else
where for sleep as during the day. The
various sawmilIs work double shifts.
boats are arriving hourly down stream,
and the main street is thronged with peo-
pie all night we'll as all day.
The first boats TO arrive here from up
the river came on May 13. These had
been built on some of the upper lakes
and hauled on the ice to the foot of Lake
Lebarge, where the river begins. As soon
as the ice had gone out, which was some
weeks earlier Shan in the lakes, they
dropped down with the current, scarcely
needing any other propelling power. The
Journey from Lebarge can be done in five
or six DAYS The first boats to come ali
the way from Bennett began 10 arrive
about June s. and since that time every
day and every hour of the twenty-four
the river has presented the appearance
of a struggling regatta.
The front avenue of Dawson along the
river was intended by those who laid out
the city 10 have houses on only one side,
leaving a wide thoroughfare between
them and the water. Some persons OBJ
served that at certain places this space
was over the sixty-siX foot usually al
| lowed for a street and conceived the idea
of getting lease OF the excess from the
| -, in
| ing such a lease from a couple of local
Dominion officials at a rental of $4,000
year The lessees have now sublet this
| strip at prices varying from s6 to $12 per
| front foot per month, i. e., a space ten
feet wide pays a ground rent of $50 10 s120
a month!
There is a sand bar in front of about
one-third of the town which at low water
is bare. On this quite village is encamp-
| ed in tents. These are also subject to
| eviction on very short notice by sudden
rise in the river.
The first man who brought in fresl
| eggs sold them quickly at $50 apiece,
| They can now be had at 50 a dozen
| Oranges sell at 30 to 60 cents each: lem
| ons, % cents. Ice can hardly be classed
| as an imported article, yet il sells at 81
| pound. Think of that for a subfrigid
| zone.
| Newspapers three TO four weeks old
| bring from so cents TO 81 each and are
| eagerly bought up, especially by the
| Americans, who are feverishly anxious
| over the war with Spain and to hear all
| about the naval engagements at Manila
| and Cuba. BY the way, the news that
| Great Britain sympaEhizes with the
| United States has made our American
| al -tOJ m fri To
| the Union Jack, and the British lion s
caudal appendage is now getting a long
| desired rest.
The cleanup of the immense dumps
| taken out last Winter on the creeks is
not in all cases proving as satisfactory
| as was expected.
The fact is wages have been too nigh.
| No mining camp In America has ever be-
fore paid men-ordinary unskilled labor
ers-s1.5O an hour. and none but the very
rich claims can pay that rate. In 1885,
and 1896 only Sc a day was paid and pro-
visions were less expensive. Until, with
improved transport facilities, the cost OF
living and the rate of wages are at least
cut in two, comparatively few claims will
pay for working.
The food question thus promises t
be even more serious than it was las
year. An immense number of people are
without any provisions, some with wha
they think will last them a year. Thost
who have had several winters experienc,
here say that the usual estimate by til,
inexperienced is far too low. One thou
sand pounds of food is generally though
sufficient for one man for year, ant
doubtless it would be in a large CAM
and cooked in a careful way by com
petent cook, but the ordinary man i
, not a careful cook, and there is a grea
deal of waste from various causes.
Another difficulty is the scarcity o
fuel. 1t was found impossible to get me
to cut much wood last winter, and tn
little that was cut will be exhausted tn
first trip of the boats, if they do ge
up.
The output of the mines this year Ia
been placed at s30.000,000. Even now
some with the facts before them sti
talk in this fashion. The more conserva
tive have never counted on more tha
S6,000,000 to $S000,0 ,00O
There is not much stir in the sale c
e mining claims, as the moneyed men wi
: not arrive till the steamers come up fror
!, | ST. Michaels, about July 20.
j Dawson is a very orderly town. Ser
Gus crimes against the person are almos