The National tribune., 1898-03-24
IN THE KL0NDIKE.
Much Yellow Ore Being Mined
u in that Rich Country.

Condition Of Affairs Rather Satisfactory than
Otherwise of Starvation at
Dawson not Fulflled-How Business is
Conducted There-Something About the
Routes TO the Gold Regions.
The latest advices from the Klondike
region from reliable source give infor-
| nation as to the situation up to the end of
January. 1t is stated that, according to
the best estimates, about $40 900 600 worth
OF gold dust will come out when the sluicing
OF the gravel has been finished by the end
OF June. Some estimates place the amount
as high as 81 ,0O0,DOO. According to the
statement of the Canadian Register of
Claims the ground taken up by the miners
ana Staked out equals about 100 square
| miles.
The claims cover the various creeks.
spreading out to the east south and
southeast OF the tlondike and the Yukon,
ana various reports have been made OF
rlch hndS upon several streams but the
accurate status OF the new developments is
not yet known. The best posted miners in
the region claim that several new cities will
spring up at various locations in the region
next summer, and probably outstrip Daw
son CITY, which is not well located as a
base OF supplies for the entire region.
Up to the end of January there had been
no suffering for want of food in Dawson,
although supplies of some articles were
rather short. Building had progressed
rapidly all Winter in spite of the fact that
the thermometer had not risen higher than
two degrees above zero and had fallen fire.
quently to as low as 10 degrees below
zero.
There had not been much sickness
among the people and no disorder riot
ing. IN fact, 1t is de clared by old miners who
were familiar with the bonanza mines at
Virginia City, Tombstone and other places
IN the Western Stases, that Dawson City is
the most moral mining town known in the
history OF the American gold excitement.
While there is some drinking and some
gambling, the conditions are unfayorab bic for
rIotouS living. The difficulty and expense
Of getting there have kept out the s,liftless.
worthless and EenniesS population that N S
always gravitated toward the center of mir
ing excitement in the United States. The
hardShipS and privations OF LIE on the road
to the Yukon AMI after getting there have
not been tempting to this class and in
deed the trials of the new argOnauts have
been so great that only men OF determi-
nation and character have been abe to
SurmOunt them. The result has been an
orderly, peaceable, lawabiding, sef-re-
speeding community of men bent upon
their purpoSe-to secure fortune from the
mines ana get away as quickly as possible
to the hantS of civilization.
during the Winter the inhabitants OF
Dawson have numbered about 1000 men
and 125 women, white in. the cabins on the
claims along the Various creeks of the
region within 80 miles of Dawson, there
have been probably living 800 more de-
pendent upon Dawson as a base of sur
plies.
The population of the lregion was larger
last Fall, but the failure of the steamers
that were expectedsto come up the Yukcn
with additional foYd supplies to arrive.
frightened the Canadian authorities, who
furnished free transportation to all who
wished to go to Fort Selkirk or Circle City,
and this resulted in a stampede of not les
than 900 men at the time the Yukon froze
over
This was material aid to those who re-
manned, as it lessened the drain upon the |
food supply, and removed much of the less |
stable element of the population, as well |
as those who were lily provided to face the |
long Winter. The result was that those |
who remained have been as comfortable as |
he hasty preparations against the extreme !
cold would permit.
There arc at present in the town rs log
weilings, and about 600 tents most OF
Which are boarded up at the sides to afford