The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1898-11-06
HE is A NATIVE TAR HEEL
THE KLONDYKE WAS GOOD TO
HIM AND HE LIKES IT.
He BELIEFS IN ITS GREAT FUTURE
Has a Bag Of the STUFF" With him lust to
Show What kondyke Nuggets Look
Like. Goes from Here
TO London,

to London,
After journey of 9,221 miles, Mr..
J. ID. Thagard arrived in Raleigh from
the Klondyke. 1t required 3S days to
make the trip.
Mr.. Thagard is a bit enthusiastic
about the Klondyke, us he can afford to
be; for the Klondyke was good to him
an dhe left the ersomewhat more rotund
in person and fortune than when he
arrived.
Mr.. Thagard is one of the few North
Carolinians who tried their luck in the
Arctic Eldorado. He is a native of
Thagardville, Moore county, out went
West fifteen years ago to grow up with
Washington and British Columbia. He
talks interestingly of his Klondyke ex-
periences. He does not advise people to
go there without due consideration. how
ever. 1t costs about $500 to go to the
klondyke from here.
Il left Seattle in July, 1885, said Mr..
Thagard LANDED at Skagway and went
across the Chilkoot pass | had 81 In
dams to pack for me and it cost ME 90
30 miles to Bennett Lake. There | whip
sawed lumber for Il boat, and with Il
crew of started on the 800 mile jour
ney to Dawson.
THE trip was not child's play by any
means. The lake is subject to squalls
that blow through the valleys surround
ing it. At White Horse Rapids three of
/. my crew deserted me. So | did not
have an opportunity to time the passage
OF the rapids to see whether we made
the four mile run in 3 minutes, but we
did make it and in a hurry. We came
out with our 3:xS foot boat fourth
full of water. We were more fortunate
than many, for some who tried the
rapids have never been heard of since.
1--WE also got safely by Five Fingers,
where the current insists on taking You
by the left prong. but you have TO take
the right Then after getting over Pink
Rapids. three days journey from Daw-
son. we had smooth sailing"
How many people are at Dawson.
he was asked.
There were $1,000 there when | left
There were 200 when | arrived"
And what did you do when you ar
rived?" IS ~
Il bought some claims. staked others
and leased some on shares. Having
some capital / hired men ut S1.oO an
hour, the prevailing price then, and
worked the claims. My claiums were
located on Eldorado Bonanza, Dominion
and Hunker Greeks. The Bonanza and
Elorado claims paid the best"
Wishing to know just how claim is
..staked." | asked Mr.. Thagard for the
details.
fnI.
then YOU hunt a claim and drive down
a stake, register it at the office of the
gold commissioner, paying the fee of SO.
This entities you to the exclusive right
to work the ground for 250 feet ON each
side of your stake. The other claims
are numbered in their order up and
down the stream.
"How much do the claims usually
pay?"
From nothing to half million dol
lars. You can not judge by appearance
or locality. A half million claim and a
blank one are sometimes located side by
side.
AS you are perhaps aware, Mr..
Thaeard continued 1.-The claims are
worked only in winter. A ire IS bulii
which thaws the ground two feet IN ten
hours. This dirt is then thrown out ano
allowed to lie until the stream thaws IL
spring, when it is washed as III old Can
fornia mining days"
Most of the Claims" he said ''are
from 10 to 80 feet deep to bed rock
where most of the gold is found. One
shaft, however, was sunk TO depth o.
1877 feet. and the ground was stu
frozen.
THE dogs which are used for trans
portation are queer looking ANIMALS,
said Mr.. Thagard, with long silky HAIR
Two of them can pull as much as
horse. Some horses have been broughl
to Dawson. but in winter they are kilie'
ms food for the dogs. Five of the dog
have been known to pull SUI ieet o
green lumber, on the ice.
Mr.. Thagard stated that the hsiiiii'
and hunting is excellent, and the peopi
at Dawson would have starved duriiis
the past winter, but for the Caribou ano
Moose which were killed and brough
i'm
rs not the hey-day of the klondyKe
already past?" he was asked.
Not at all. People were arriving al
the rate of 500 a day when / left, which
was at the season for tlia rush. The
most fascinating thing about it is that
tenderfoot and expert stand almost equa
chances to strike it rich Some of the
best claims are owned by tenderfeet
These latter when all the claims OF
the creeks had been staked went NJ
and staked the hillsides to the great
amusement of the old miners. The
laugh changed however when some Of
these claims proved to be very rich.
Mr.. Thagard said that about $4,000