Evening journal., 1898-05-16
GOING LIKE SOLDIERS.
colo Hunters for the ISIon dixie Go
Hemvily Armed.

colo Hunters for the xlon dixie Go
Heavily Armed.
There is now trailing across the state
from east to west some of the motliest
crowds of men that ever crossed con-
tinent. 1t is the crusade to'the Klon-
dixie that is now on in earnest. In
few months the movement win be re-
varsed. and thousands Of thclcrusaders
who now have money will be,worling
their way back home again without
any, but rich in experience.
Every west-bound Nopthern Pacific
express that passes through Helena is
loaded down with Kl0ndil1ers. The
other day there were 1Acoaches on No
1 the west4bound train, which pulled in
about on time. Nine coaches make an
ordinary and heavy train, but the rush
was so great that five additional coaches
had been attached to the train. The
| through Pacific express was not eN-
| ceptionally heavy the same day, for
every day there are from three to six
| additional coaches to each westward
bound train. The passenger list of this
through train included about 200 men
bound for the gold fields and 100 dogs.
Most Of those bound for the Klondiko
are young men, but there are few
gray-headed enthusiasts among them.
Many of them arefrom the far cast, and
there are delegations from Iowa, llli-
nois and other middle states. A rail-
road man who came into Helena on this
Z same Pacific express said that 90 per
q cent. Of the Klondikers Travelled armed,
and many Of them exhibited theirweap-
] ons in true Buffalo Bill style. They
0 seemed 10 think that as they were in
r the wild west it would be advisable TO
! have their trusty siN-shooters at hand,
ready on the instantto repel an attack
of train robbers.
an one car alone" said the railroad
man, there were about 80 men who
&" wore big Colt revokers in scabbards
o attached 70 harness under their arms.
z Nearly every one of them also had big
IS hunting knives attached to their belts
The weapons were all bright and shiny
and made an imposing array. If the
train had been going the other way
/, one would easily have imagined flli
a clustering expedition on the way to lib
q crate Cuba. I think fromdhe Way some
ar of them talked they rather looked fol
the train 70 be held up, and were almost
r. wishing for the adventure. These mel
it exhibited their weapons in the wa.
I'd that might be expected ofWild Bill, tn,
le King Of the plains. They would get OF
le when the train stopped and walk NJ
and down the platform with their hi
gums and knives in plain view. The
we're on parade. and it did them good {
walk through large crowds at the NOR
z. important stations. These fellow
en- and their arsenals were never parted
up They actually slept with their pistol
k and their knives strapped to them.
1t "Now, I suppose that the nrmamer
ID of these men must have cost each
Sc. them in the neighborhood Of $50. Som
~ Of them had rifles as well rs revolver
7" ond I saw one man with q shotgun. a
,an though they had expended so much ff
M guns they did not waste any money 9
a. 1 the dining car. Nearly every k!oi
lal dlkeF on the train either brought h
OF pros1siona with him or ate at statioi
at. nlonq the line. And they Ind DO mon'
es- 10 spend for sleeping car berths eithC
Ing Perhaps they were only inuring thei
50 selves to the hardships they propose
- - subject themselves 20 on their way
~ the gold felds."-dIelena lNIont) Ind
-'' 1t