Elmore bulletin. [volume] (Rocky Bar, Idaho) 1889-1906, 1898-03-09
ON THE KLONDIKE.
r1att Judge and Fred Painter
Reach Dawson City.

Il
DAWSON Cry, N W. T., Jan. 10, 1898.
| r. P. Chattin, Mountain Home, Idaho-Dear Sir:
l send this letter out by friend-Bob Laurie, who
the Yukon with in 1885, and who has
been in Alaska ever since. Like many other old
timers, he down the river when this camp
struck JEFF Bogard is another pioneer out Of luck
He is well and was quite glad to Fred Painter
and myself JEFF is working layout in Edorado.
The Caldwell boys are working on lay on Bonanza
Scott Myers and named Alexson are here
also another delegate from Euiore, Charley Hill, a
short, stout fellow, half eowpuncher and half bar.
tender, and is interested in claim on Bonanza.
Mostly Boone and Newberner are working lay on
| his claim and think they will make wages, which
very few will do that creek. Bonanza as yet has
not dozen paying claims Eldorado is too good to
let in lays. They hire men by the hour Chris Fay
is prospecting But must write this little differ
ent, and will commence at the beginning
We landed in Skagway week ahead of the horses
we had bought, which came up a scow. Before
they arrived we had all osr provisions hauled by
wagon to the foot of the hill The first hill TO climb
was by far the worst for horses but it short
Painter and packed all our outfit up on our backs
before our horses came. OF that left things
easy for US as there not much danger Of having
our horses killed on the balance OF the route but
the scows and boats brought such large number of
horses that in a few DAYS the tra, was made impas
sable; besides heavy rains set in and everything in
the shape of trail was soon oblterated The route
lay over five hills to the summit The hills arc coy
cred with slide-rock of all shapes and sizes The
larger ones having considerable moss between them
which the horses soon cut up into muck and hum
dreds Of them mred and died while score ar mora
each day fell over bluffs and were killed
From the summit to the lake ia n series of hot,op-
less bogyhoies and MANY animals were iniu,ed and
killed Horseshoes were in dar,ard a. ,oI,,r h
We managed to keep supply for own use Fred
was the horseshoer and he had to nail ON a many a
a dozen shoes on A trim There were over 600 borses
on the trail We would get our nacks read, nj ni,bt
and start out in the morning ahead Of the rush but
we had to stop and shoe or fix packs then five or
six hundred would get ahead OF us Finally we
reached the lake, and on September D set sail and
after fairly good trip we landed in Dawson o. k.
with provisions enough to last us until June We
paid $500 for our boat
On arriving here every one is disappointed. Moth
ing in sight but a few big log houses and numerous
small ones; the mines 20 miles away. several hun
dred men walking arouna who have no grub; one
half Of the miners who had summered here had but
little supplies Flour S75 90 per sack Of 20 mounds.
nothing less than n dollar n mound. huttpr m
bacco s5 90 per pound
The claim owners all expect to sell in the sprlnp-
and if they want claim in this country thew will
have to buy because there il not n foot Of vacant
ground left on Eldorado. But there are doubtless
many new creeks vet to be found that will be rich
Fled and have been prospeetipg for bench claims
on Eldorado and Bonanza creeks. but found nothing
good We will keep at it for at least six weeks longer
and il we don't strike it by that time we will have IN
20 to work for wages, which are s1Oo to Al Of per
hour
Meals here are So so: beds 81 80. drinks Foe and
the saloon business is the most remuneratiye
There are many rich mines being worked and no.
Ieye there will be over forty tons of gold taken ont
this winter All the reports of big mans Of gold
are facts have seen as bgb as $1,000 taken ont in
one nan. bunker creek has thirty claims that nav
SO to $40 per pan: Bonanza has about fifteen claims
lust as good: Dominion creek has nav in every hole
vet nut down
A man with money here could double it every
week or two. None Of the newcomers brought any
money with them Property can now be bought for
s25oO cash that would readily bring $4,000 in less
than six months Money is loaned at 10 per cent per
spent last seasons coanups are at work now, and all