The Philipsburg mail. [volume] (Philipsburg, Mont.) 1887-current, 1898-01-28
FROM MYHEKLONDlKE
DR.. J. J. Lesser Writes Entertainingly
Of That Country.
THE ESTIMATED GOLD OUTPUT
Interesting Recitals of Personal Exper-
fences in the Land of the
Midnight Sun.

One of the most interesting and per-
haps the most truthful letter that we
have lately seen from the Klondike is
that written by ]. j. Leiser. under
date of December 4th. to the Helena
Herald. Mr.. Leiser is a brother in law
to our fellow -townsman. w. S. Twohy.
who also expects to land in Dawson
City early next summer. Here is what
Mr.. Lesser says about the klondike:
Dawson. N. W. r., Dec. 4.-Mr.
Jones, special for the Seattle Post
Intelligencer and for several New York
papers. goes o1t tomorrow and volun-
teers to carry letter for me; l will
have u very brief time to write one. I
will lot need give any general news
relating to this region; every third
party here is especial for some news
paper, therefore the world will be en-
lightened through that source l may
only warn my friends of this: of the
two extremes making this the greatest
country ever in ones dreams, the other
making it the most villainous and the
most overrated, there is happy me-
dium.
You will have. also, details as to the
mining prospects with the present in
terests. Once l made some. ridiculous
estimates for my friends based upon
reports coming down the Yukon as we
came up. Fifty millions was predicted
as the spring cleanup. Since here,
from the best authority, made new
estimate that ten millions will be
cleaned up. Since then, some new
creeks or gulches are panning out bet
ter than expected and the old diggings
doing better if anything than they did
last year. So there may be even above
ten millions mined this season. How
ever, you need not 20 crazy over this,
at least five if not ten thousand miners
are here securing the country. aud the
number of paying claims divided ur
between them only makes a small per-
centage of mining kings. Eldorado is
still chief-much the best Next comes
Bonanza creek, then Hunker creek.
All these pay big. Then comes a NUN
Der OF other creeks-an reported big,
but as yet no evidences. This is the
biggest lying camp created, as it is re-
ported the biggest gold diggings, and
Que cannot believe anything he does
not see Well, Sulphur creek, Eureka
creek. Dominion creek, All Gold creek,
Too Much Cold creek will figure on
the eastern market as big hOnauzas.
They may turn out snch but are not
such yet
Capt. >. j. Healy, whom you all
know. bought three claims on Bon
a va, above, for 1924. OOO Bonanza is
good above discovery not below.
Nothing is good above say 40. Ell.
dorado only numbers one way and
nothing is yet discovered above 60.
But none of you want to buy any
claims on the market You will all
get bit. If you were here with money
you could buy into claims and take
your chances of making money You
have no show lying outside or buying
stock IN companies it is "sure-
thing game' for those who sell.
! tramped week all over the noun.
talns and streams. travelling a hundred
miles or more, with sled, grub. tent,
ETC., with frost at 30 degrees below,
but came home without any claim
could not find vacant one which |
wanted. But l came home tough
Pulling sled up the gulches and pack.
ing sled, grub, and tent over noun
tain tops is invigorating.
Leaving out the budget of general
news and mining news, one must re.
vert to personal news, which is not the
proper thing. However, as my own
daily existence is counterpart of the
great host here encamped for the win
ter l will be excused. l told before of
rents and of real estate prices nothing
is going down. I mentioned high
prices of grub; it is still up to the
highest pinnacle, and not probability
Of falling. Yes, there will be enough
for those having money to burn.
The past month l took "pard" and
went to housekeeping lent, single
room cabin. $75 per month. We had
little sheet iron stove, one bucket,
two tin plates, two knives and forks,
and spoons, one gold pan for baking
with, one frying pan. Our daily
meals are yeast powder biscuits OF
,
sometimes corned beef and beans.
We have fairly good supply of food.
but not utensils to cook and prepare
with. We have no broom and cannot
buy one NO axe, nor can be buy one
no candles, cannot bay any for lesi
than $50 per box, so we get our light
from bacon grease in tin can. Nc
oil to be had; days are from nine tc
four, and we need lights, you see, but
we do not want to come home tc
boast OF being fools enough to pay &c
cents each for tallow candles In plain
fact, not one thing out OF every dozen
we need can we buy. The trading
companies here charge eastern prices
multiplied by five. manufacturers mul.
tiply by ten. and scalpers multiply hy
from ten to fifty.
A Mrs. Keiser, from the states, i,
here and loaning money at eight r.,
cent. Very reasonable you will say
| said so. but eight per cent. per month
IS 20 per cent. per year.
Paper and envelopes are not to be
bOuQhf at auv prioo M fnrnituro Il