The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1898-10-10
DAWSON As A WOMAN SAN L
Emma Kelly, of Kansas City Star,
Back From Land Of Royalties
TELLS AN INTERESTING STORY.
Went In rs n Newspaper Correspon-
dent and Comes Ont the Possessor
of Valuable Claims-Describes the
Many Misfortunes Encountered
by Her Sex-Dance Halls Are
the Only Salvation of Many.


| Mss Emma Kelly. who went into Daw-
soG year ago as the special correspondent
( OF the Kansas CITY Star is back from the
| land OF big royalties and gold, On her way
| 10 her home n Kansas. Miss Kelly went in
| SIS a newspaper correspondent and comes
out the possessor Of some valuable claims
! on Skookum and other gulches, which she
| acquired by her shrewdness and energy.
| Her success i an eXenp d .IIcatl0l Of what
/ can be accomplished ~ young woman
| who has the nerve 10 accept mission such
| as representing a newspaper in new min
| ing camp and who has sufficient business
| sdgac.ty 20 take advantage OF her oppor-
| tunit!es al the right time.
| In appearance Miss Kelly is what might
| be called a strikng-iooh young woman.
| Above the average height. she has a fine
| figure and well poised head. She has
! ainsome face and fascinating smile and
| speaks clearly and deliberately, possessing
| iHnd Of amusing anecdotes. WITH Whlcn
| she spices her conversation at all times.
To a Post-Inteligencer reporter ycster
| day afternoon al the Northern hotel, Miss
| Kelly chatted pleasantly OF her experiences
| IN the Yukon country.
on ask HE my impressions OF Dawson
from a wonans Standpoint" she said.
We'll. that is 4 difficult question 10 answer,
d womsa gathers great many impress
interesting as Dawson and vicinity.
Il left Seattle the last OF September a
year ago. When / got 10 Juneau / t0unu
the people there skepjical over the possi bil-
ity OF my getting through TO Dawson so
| late. Mr.. Hal Hoffman. who represents the
| San Francisco Call at Juneau, tod ME l
would have considerable difficulty in secur-
| ing packers. as it was late 10 essay such
trip. With woInans perseverance,, though.
| went TO Dyea, there also | was told il
| was too late TO start over The trail But
| aS lat L S.-, mi in FAaf *
| ers, finally getting enough men together
! to haul my OUTFIT. II was a happy comDin-
| alton. this lot There were Swedes, Irish
| men. Italians and members of almost every
| other nationality. | know they We're sick
| Of the job they had undertaken, but they
| We're bound To carry it out.
I'VE were the last party TO reach Daw-
son by water, the river closing up the next
| day after our arrival. In fact it trOZe up
almost IN our wake dur.ng the latter part of
| the trip On the Journey took large
number of Photographic snapshots and
| wrote several newspaper accounts which
| [ sent out whenever | could Some fellows
| insisted that l should get them in the pic
| ture. which 1 did for | was anxious to get
| my stuff out. DO you know whether any OF
| it ever got in the Star? I received c.ipp. ngs
| in Dawson, showing the views, but no write
| up accompanied il On, we'll, L suppose 1t
| was lost.
Her Arrival Mt Dawson.
our party arrived in Dawson on No
| vember |. and | can tell you 1 was glad.
| The town then presented A very crude ap-
pearance. tents. huts and small buildings
| predominat.ng. l secured as pleasant quar-
| ters as Was possible and made arrangements
| for a winters siege. There were a great
many newspaper correspondents In piw-
| son at that time and / soon got well ac-
qualnted. We organized 4 press club and
| had some right joi.y times. on Thanksgiv-
| Ing We gave a grand ball and entertain
ment. which was the success OF the winter.
And 1t wasn't so slow, ether. There were
| a number OF evening gowns worn and in
MANY respects tho affair had an up-to-date
social flavor to it.
Music, did you say? We had good music.
The night before a dance hall had been
burned and all they saved WAS a piano,
which We got for the occasion. We also
had Fiolins, comets and the like. which
made very good dance music Then We
had speeches. Rotations and singing and a
me banquet The tickets 10 the BAH were
half an ounce IS"
It vas suggested to Miss Kelly that If
ball al half an ounce We're 10 De given
IN Seattle the attendance would not be SO
large.
= don't doubt it," she said. but in
Dawson everybody had money AMI WAS
Willing 10 spend that much for such an
entertainment as the press Clul, gave
Just 81 this time papers throughout the
tionai news about starvation in Dawson.
THIS was very funny 70 Daws0nitps
There was plenty OF food last winter for
This winter 1t may be very different.
as there are hundreds and hundreds 81
people IN there with absolutely nothing
Ny heart aches for my own sex when I
iffrk % -" women ana young girls In
Dawson without means or support The
pol t2-0es arrive fun Of hope ana with
visions Of Sredt wealth, but after they
arc there 4 short while they are brought
face 90 face with stern reality. They seek
pOsif ions in hotels nj restaurants apniv
10 miners * housekeep@rS seek ID wash
clothes or floors ard IN many Instances as
4 last resort, apply for places in dance
10 disappointment. Even these places are
filed - oVerfiowne. II is q dreadful con
dition Of affairs, and heaven only knows
what the winter VIII bring forth
In degree. the sane applies 20 men
There are hundreds IN the city and about
the gulches seeking employment Of anv
have decreased from 81 = day 20 g. s. AMI
sl0. and will go even lower fear
Bench Claims VIII He VI orketi.
French claims thai were NOT retleed last
winter Will be worked tor an there is i'm
them this winter. ard men Will Ia. willing
20 take lays ~ almost any percentage
When asked 4 size thought the ~ res az
DAWSON would produce more in years o.
come than they iid last winter. Miss Kelly
smiled and said. "<o. AZ 20, Ta4t
winter the very best spots ln every claim
we're worke9. miners seemingly wishing 80
get oUt all possible In this manner the
very b@s, gravel was worked ard tAe .glf
secured without any delay. the reason.
for this was the system ot ROYALTIES en-
forced by the Canadian authorities V-ht
t. - awfut and "a eventually i3li DaW-
son. You ara taxed tor tine wate~ H"u
8se, foy TIE wood yoU burn and would
not he SURPRISED - hear q; them }2xla-
the people SO much bfea "a. Miners tif--
20 any new d.Gg.nEs discovered on tht
American SIDE aHa would rather worn
property There a. q T.3aHA lasa praHt faat
iN Northwest territory. fnr tne r-5-a1 fn..t
any sola they and on the American so.
'-7Tle creates, interest vas taken n VI.
newS. people going wlid oyer papers CON