The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1898-01-07
WHAT GERMANY THINKS OF KLoN-
DIXIE.


TIE German people. as Is well known.
are very eonzers alive and siow TO be-
neFs "a anything nos fully saesEa1datsG
y Lasls- Inssr skspstessm led them 10
Pace NGt Sr1zll sFe6enee IN the ta4es OF
untold riches when they first came from
sAe new wonderland Bat gradually the
news from Alaska received car14-nsa ton,
AND as soon SIS the far-Tsaca.ng coRse-
qoences Of the gold discovery were duly
impressed on the minds OF The Herman
people, many OF the NEST adventurous
appeared eager 20 rush to Alaska al once
fortunately for the welfare o. such rel
lows all the leading German Journals
were prompt IN cautioniGg their re2Gers
against undue haste by pointing oUI ine
haF2ships % al Alaskan winter. ana oy
demonstrating The absolute uselessness O.
arriving al lie gold regions before sum
nler. On the cgker hand, many unScTdpta-
I0Gs agents OF steamboat huss. psrtice-
larry OF those starting from E1S1sA ports,
sent tseir circulars broadcast throughout
Germany. and made II appear as II noth-
ing was needed but passage on one or
their beats and "a little money 10 take
the person from New York 70 Alaska 20
insure for would-be g0id-seekers a hrs<-
class opportunity 10 become rich. but tue
Germans had seen such circulars before
and knsw how little they were 10 De re-
hed On WITH their usual good sense ana
business enterprise they now commenced
TO investigate the matter thoroughly.
with the result that they decided 10 wait
TIL March or april before making any
move IN the matter further than 10 pre-
pare themselves with tie necessary funds
ana looking for congeniai travelling COM
panions. At the present time the people
OF Hamburg and Berlin are as well posted
about Alaska as the people Of Chicago
and New York, and there is little danger
that any OF them will so 10 the klondlAs
without being duly prepared for II.
The latest adyices from Germany were
dated IN Hamburg December IA, and
stated that. as tar as IS now known IN
that city. about four hundred men Will
start from there for the Klondike In the
spring. a party OF twenty-seyen klon-
dikers were to take steamer st Bremen
on December IS, and are about due III
New York. These men. IL IS said. have
made arrangements TO go to San Fran
cisco TO buy their outfits in that city.
and 10 start fer Alaska as soon as they
can secure suitable passage. All other
parties which leave Germany later III the
season will be strongly advised TO go to
Skaguay by way OF Seattle, and not to
buy their outfits till they come here. The
writer OF this article is correspondent Tor
the leading papers OF Hamburg, Berlin.
Cologne and Vienna, and has demon
strated the advantages Of Seattle IN a
number Of articles. Besides, party at
Hamburg who takes great interest in
Klondike affairs, and whose advice IS
sought by all who intend 10 so there. is
fully impressed with the Importance of
Seattle as the best last starting point Oh
the Pacific coast.
Among the 400 men previously NEIL
toned are large number OF miners from
the Harz mountain and from sesian
mining districts. None of these, 1t is
true. has any experience In gold mining,
but 1t Is believed that they viii give
good account Of themselves. IS they are
known to be trustworthy. frugal, and ac-
customed to hard work and rough cli-
mates. They will come here In small par
ties and each party will be accompanied
by one or more men who have been in
America before, speak English fiuently,
and are conyersant with the customs
here. Every man who wishes TO join one
OF the different parties must show that
he possesses at least 1900 marks (about
$3.50, before leaving the German port. It
is calculated that the steerage passage
from Bremen or Hamburg costs $40, ev
erything included. and the railroad fare
from New York or Baltimore 10 Seattle
$50. so that each man Will have about
$3.50 on his arrival here.
All men provide themselves in Ger
many with several pairs Of heavy shoes.
good undercIothes. flannel shirts. over
ais and such things, and 1t Is thought
that the $3.50 will suffice to buy provis-
ions, tools, the balance of their outfit.
pay for their transportation to the Klon-
dixie. and leave them at least $50 cash
in hand when they arrive there. No mat
ter how that may be, I think the men
will manage to get along nicely. partic-
ularly as many OF the men Will have moro
money than the amount stated. Should
these people be able TO make good show
ing large number OF their fellow-coun-
trymen IS certain 20 follow them next
year.
have also been informed that several
hundred men from Austria intend going
to Alaska next spring. Those / have
heard from belong exclusively 10 the
provinces OF Bohemia and Moravia, and
there may be others I did not hear of as
yet. They are said to be mostly poor
people and are now trying to raise the
necessary funds from relatives and
friends. Many OF them may not succeed
in getting the money, yet 1t appears that
quite number. say from 80 to 200 men,
Will come here from the different Aus
TRAN provinces. As I shall be promptly
notified of all movements In this respect,
a few weeks from now will probably
place me In the position to say something
moro on this subject ". l..