The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1898-10-12

pect - .. Knocked around x you travel
in Alaska.
row escape from drowning. All there was
% II : tn3t went out on ne rail 10 wash
ana my feet went out from under me.
landed titt n the water and swami ashore.
q distance o. taigty yards.
Dawson Spectators.
Il left Dawson September -. About a.
g. tons of goods had been delivered by up
river steamers, with few more steamers
st.u expected. The goods taken over the
passes by chechacos and small traders hal
supplied the demand III the early summer.
but by September / these goods had been
practically consumed. All lines OF goods
were in demand al Yukon store prices. In
q few eases outfits were sold at low fig
ures by discouraged immigrants. VINO were
anxious 10 get away. but this vas not the
chandisa taken in by immigrants next
year. Those who sold their outfits this
year did so az loss, unless they count
their labor in packing and boating the
goods AZ nothing. Some small traders made
a profit by taking in early goods This
was possible. because all lines were short
last winter. This year there is no such
shortage. 1t would be a pure gamble to
try 10 guess what lines will be short next
spring, II small traders undertake the
expensive transportation early next
spring they Will. in most cases. get left.
Yukon prices are misleading to those who
have not carefully studied the conditions.
For instance -four is selling III Dawson NJ
s 20 s. per sack. fifty pounds. When hour
would seem To De a promising venture.
but when We remember that il is worth
from 81 10 s. per sack 20 carry II 10 Daw-
son, and ada the cost, OF insurance and
sale with interest on the investment for
about year. the net profit is not large.
In fact the Yukon country Is like all
other localities. II is easy 10 make money
when you understand thoroughly what you
are undertaking and have the capital and
ability to sustain your plans. Otherwise.
it is just as easy 70 lose money there as
elsewhere. except that you lose ii great
deal faster. The same principle applies 70
those who go thre TO mine real miner.
with perseverance and enough grub
money, can succeed but the ma iority who
GO are bound to fail because they are not
miners. As yet not very many men can
find labor or openings In general bus ness
lines. This Will come when more mining
territory has been developed. The Yukon
country has reached a point where II needs
capital more than anything else. The W.
kon district will not be worked out in two
placer deposits. The mineral area is very
large and. placer mining as yet has only
been commenced. l think the Yukon dis
tr!ct viii double fts output each year for
several years. l think this years output
has been about sl500o.011
Not much prospecting has as yet been
have been found As Yet prospectors are
compelled 10 Limit their search TO the ter
ritory Immediately along main water
courses When the country Is opened up
more and there Is a better distribution Of
provisions, the mountains Will be pros
pected.
Much sickness in Dawson.
When I left there was much sickness
in Dawson and many deaths chiefly from
typhoid fever. and still the mortality was
not much greater than you would expect
in i community Of $500 or 30,0u people
al l Al
ertion and anxiety. The ki0ndlkers dur
INK summer are 20 be compared to an
army III the field mere than anything else
While the situation Of Dawson from a san
ttary standpoint Is bad. this is rot the
cause of all the trouble. All the lowlards
OF The river ana creeks, coated as they
are WITH moss. wi,a the warm sun above
and frozen ground below. must be ma
lar.al. They cannot dry because as the
moss warns the ice nelts more and more
underneath.
As 10 steamboats, the Yukon now has
many fine ores. but not many of them are
suited 20 their service. The passenger
tFaihr on the over river hereafter will
he light. The Moran boats were about the
best II the new boats this year They Were
not huitt for passenger service but fer
fi"iGhting- They carry lots II freight AMI
they st there BY The Way, the death II
Paul Moran Vas great shock to me
w1en read Of Z in ghe Fost-Intellizencer
tbs morn NJ w spent several days to-
ge'her in Dawson asst month esteemed
;
dac to Robert Moran ana MS brothers for
the sucoess they have attained IN cor
st-uctine ard delivering eleven ont -
twelve of their river boats Either one II
TIL mechanical the araueiaI or maritime
features - that feat would tax The ability
~ 81 ordinary man.
y nile vas in Dawson We constructs!
S.. - and warehouse. NJ II T T. P3I-
ier. formerly 80 Seattle. IS our agent there
I rem4ioei there 100 long . get out bv
he lower river 50 came out by way II
the pass. I lea there September 3 ana
passenger business down the river had
already ceased bat everything Indicated a
ia-e fin. Passengers leaving two weeks
after dd M river VIII probably reach the
coast al right before thc river is closed
WIN Zee After q aoUt October there VIII
ne A period Of about thirty DAYS during
which 10 one can leave thu Yukon FOR the
OUTSIDE. That * - say after the float
INK lee begins 20 interfere with navigation
about thirty da;s elapsa before dog teams
eau travel over T2e river Ice
Winter Travel VIII He Heavy.
y anticipate a good deal ot travel over
:ha go from Dawson this winter Thou
saH3s = discouraged men wili come out
over the t-e ~ho d.3 TT have money %
pay -he'- wav out ~ steamer
! spent a couple II 53vs H. thr vicinity
Il Lake Bennett ana fvei \ good deal of
conf l+r.~ lH tne f9vors ne reu1rts ar
7~a coming from the Atm district Tao
Waite Pass railroad Is progress ns rapidly
ttd rs wonderful piece ri work !, IA
INC heSt raTrow-cauge road I ever saw