Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1898-03-04
BACK FROM KLONDK|E.
Herman Snyder Returns from
the Gold Regions.
HE STAKES OFFA CLAIM
Owns a Strip of Land Near Dawson CITY
That He Expects Will Some Day
Make Him IA Rich Man.
Story of the Trip.


Holman Snyder has returned Hrom
klonaike.
Last September Snyder. who con-
Quoted the BaltHmore House, on TWEEN
ty-uhlru street. in that section Known
as Bar Harbor,' disposed Of his bust
Ness, packed his grip-sack and started
for the gold fields of Alaska to try bis
fortune. TO-uay he WINS a claim n-ar
Dawson City that he hopes and has
reason to belisve VIII SINE day make
him "a rich man. In a month or 80 he
WEI return to the klondike region and
metal.
To a reporter for the Daily Press
Snyder told the story of his ventu
LeaNing Newport News, HE went di-
rect to Seattle. There ne purchased an
outfit, wfi.ch included a years provi-
stors, heavy clothing, a cooking stJve
and q tent. ThSn, with a party IF three
MEN, he started for Alaska, taking a
steamer for Dyel. From there the trip
WAS made overland on a dog train. This
was a perilous journey. Many small
kes had to be crossed, alI higl
mountains climbed.
Snyder and hits party set foot in Daw-
son CAty on November ., having been
out twenty-three days. The next day
SNYDER went in quest of god. He
staked off a claim and paid, the record
ing fee of SIS. But IL did not attempt
to mime the yellow metal. as it was too
cold and the ground was frozen ha I'd.
He intended to walt until warm wealth
er set I'M, but found that his supply "
provisions w7~ulI run short. ard 1t
would be impossible to replenish his
.urd=r. He determined to sell what
provisions The had left and go to Seattle
and get a new supply No difficulty
was experienced in selling the rations
at the market price OF 81 per pound.
Ha had 200 npIlnSS On T ANNA ~ . CIV.
der started for Seattle, paying the
S20G to take him to Dyea. a;
Dyea he 'uGrak passage on a steamer for
Seattle, arriving February 16. Then he
conc!uded to come TO Newport Nsws,
and reached here last SATURDAY..
Snyder is very enthusiastic over TIL
possibilities that the god regions hold
out. The country, he says. is immens@-
~ rich, but it costs 70 I've in Dawson
CITY AN provisions sell at 81 a pound.
mo matter whether they are beans. po-
tatoes, rice, flour. coffee or meat. Pen
nfes. nicksls ana dimes are unknown
there: Gold dust is generally the cu--
rency With Which everything is apomgbt.
E~E"cHycSfy cc."':es . 1ef,. "f Scafes and
aftar & bargain weighs out the
price. Drinks which are bought as fire.
aus'ntly as amy either commodities by
mining men, Who mostly have brought
an outfit uf other necessities with Them,
1850 ~ Ia - 'aIo lSl WALL
half a penny-weig1ht of dust.
Dawson City has a population Of
about 10. 900 inha itahntS and the people
dwell in tents. log and frame houses.
This elements of lawlessnvss. Which
have invariably characterized other new
mining camps. a'e entirely absent in
the new 1IlTtrado OF the great North
west. There are salp ms in plenty,
gambling rooms ard dance balls, but
deeds Of violence. and even of d!Shon-
esty, ara practically unknown. The law
is administered by the Canadian uu-
thoritiSs in an impartial and able man
neT. me Dominion mounted r~~elico am
ply keep oder. and the miners them
selves eNhih!t a commendable spirit #
peacefutneas and good citizenship.
There are a number az wonlt-n in Daw-
son City. but Snyder says he only saw
one negro, and he Was a saloon kazrer.
Although the mercury in the Their
plays a low down game dur
ing the long winters, Snyi5r did not
find the extreme o-,i va y hard to b5al'.
on account OF the IrEneSS of the atrnoS-
phere. In the summer time. except for
the plague of mosquitoes, tho climate
is quite pleasant, the temperature ttften
rising Is high as so in the shade. The
coolest weather he felt was last month
willis en- ROUTE 10 Dyea. when it was
forty-tive degrees below zero. But ]
SWeated more tg5n." said Snyder. than
I did in Newp.rtt News last august. The
air was dry. and j was wrapped up and
had to work.
Since Snyt!er's return, a numb5r of
his friends have become mt elesre in
the klundike regions. and his reports
have given some the gold fever. It is
said that a party of alt least twenty
five persons Will RETURN to Alaska with
snyder this spring.
When asked how much tit costs to
reach Dawson City We'll equipped, Sny-
der said a person shcu!d not start With
lass h 81, 800!
1T IS seldom a newspaper is seen in
Dawson City. MOI Long sine an enter
pr!sing neWsslealer carried 1000 papers
into the camp and disposed of the most
of them at 81 a copy.