The Dickinson press., 1898-03-12

owing to insufficient funds, nothing oan
stem the incoming and outgoing tide.
Afew days ago ! talked with i man.
named Frank Hartman o. MeadvilIe,
Pa, who was grub staked " friend,
and who left for the Klond;ke July 10
Of last year. He arrived In Dyea Aug.
10 and went in over Chilkoot pass. The
journey to Dawson City occupied his
time and muscles until Oct. II. He To-
Gated q rich claim on Hunker creek
which he expects will pay well, bat as
his food supply gave out and he could buy
no food except sugar he was compelled
to return for more. He started on the
return Dec. II and made the trip to
Dyea In % days v e the same trail he
went in on, but he had no food to carry
beyond the amount he required for the
journey. He slept in the snow, froze
his ears, climbed ice packs ten feet high
and was obliged to wait over a day on
two occasions to avoid losing the trail
in the storm. He is a rugged, deter
mined fellow and says he shall return
later in the season. When I saw him,
he said he was waiting in Seattle for
funds to take him home, which / learned
he soon received. 1t occurred to me that
if it had not been too fearfully cold he
might have tarried q day or so longer at
his claim and washed out a few panfuls
Of gold or enough to have paid his way
home, but perhaps he had no means Of
doing it. At all events, the young man
showed me the lease Of his claim from
the Canadian authorities, and I have no
reason to doubt his story.
A Determined Gold Seeker.
The latest arrival among the Klon.
dixie gold seekers is MI. ]. II. Blandy,
who, with his wife and child, came all
the way from Brainerd, MIMI, a dis.
tance Of /, 800 miles, in a small covered
wagon drawn by eight powerful dogs.
He brought about 400 pounds Of pro-
visions, and his dogs are we'll trained.
While going over the snow belt he took
of the wagon wheels and inserted rum
ners. Mr.. Blandy will take the entire
outfit to Dawson City.
I have just returned from the wharf
to see a large steamer sail for Dyea and
Skaguay. Her decks were crowded, and
nine.tenths Of her passengers got aboard
at Seattle, the balance having been
booked at Tacoma. It rained-it always
rains in Seattle at this season-but there
was a great throng at the wharf to see
the gold seekers of. They stood under
dripping umbrellas for an hour and
finally waved handkerchiefs and hands
until the steamer was far out in the
sound.
And there is room for every n who
desires to take passage north. for all the
available vessels on the coast-steam and
sail-are being put into the Klondike
trade. Seventeen lines are now in actu-
al operation in this city, and each line
has from one to FIVE vessela To these H..
IL other companies will be added before
the season is ended, while several small
vessels are being constructed for private
parties and individuals. These last will
take north sawmills, mining machinery
and tons upon tons of food. This com.
petition will smash rates likewise both
for transportation and outfits, for the
rivalry is active and sharp. In fact, food
may not be worth any more in Dawson
City a year hence than it is now in Sc.
attic, and Klondike clothing may soon
be a drug in the market. It all dependa
A. A. HUI