The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1898-02-06
FROM THE KLONDIKE.
ADVICE TO PEOPLE THINKING
OF GOING THERE.
J. B. Thorson Tells His Experience
and What Others May
Expect.

AApCCts
Thomas Mcconnell of Mcconnell Sta
tion in this county sends in the follow
ing letter that it may be widely pub
lished as warning and word of eau
ton to the many who are preparing to
rush to the Klondike. Mr.. Mcconnell
says he knows the writer of the letter
to be a perfectly reliable and truth
speaking man, whose words OF warning
should be needed. The letter is to II.
Bader of Eagin, OREGON. and is reprint
ed from the Grand Ronde Advocate"
CT January 18th:
Mouth of Stewart River, Alaska, Dec.
), 1897.
Friend Henry: You no doubt have
been waiting to hear from me before
this time, but l thought 1 would wait
till 1 had seen little of the country
before l would write to you. We left
Portland as you know, July Both, and
landed in Skaguay Bay August Sth. We
had very fine trip up the Sound; nice
wea Their and some very fine scenery.
But leaving Skaguay for the interior
our troubles began. We We're told that
the distance from the bay to Lake
Bennett was thirty-seven miles We
had six horses and thought We could
pack our outfit over there in about two
weeks We figured that at that rate We
would have plenty Of time to get in here
this fall, and when two men from Colo
RADIO wanted US to bring their outfit
over the trail with ours we thought that
we might make enough money that
way to pay for our horses. We came
to an agreement with them to bring
theirs over, and brought them over All
o. X; but instead of making money
by>it we lost both time and money.
1t took us just forty days from the bay
to Lake Bennett, and We had to buy
four more horses, which cost us $500.
That made us ten horses, and when we
got through we had five that were alive,
and we sold them for SO. and We're
glad to get that. Instead of being thlr-
ty-seven miles from the bay to the lake
it is a long fifty miles, and up to our
knees in mud every day.
If a man thinks it picnic to go to
the Yukon let him try it. After we
got on the trail a few miles we would
meet men every day who had sold or
given away their outfits and were going
home again. No more Klondike for
them, and / do not blame them a bit.
Those who had no horses had to pack
their 100 pounds or so on their backs to
the lakes or pay from 40 to % cents
pound to have it packed over. Those
who had plenty of money would get
their stuff over first, because they
would sometimes pay as high as 10
cents a pound. l never saw a rush to
a gold field before. Nobody had time
10 stop and talk to you. You could
see all ages and nationalities. Some
would pack fifty pounds, and some as
high as 80. BY the time you pack
! coo pounds from Skaguay or Dyea TO
Lake Bennett or Linderman you know
you have been doing something. Well,
we finally got to Lake Bennett all right.
but we We're worn out and our horses
half of them dead, and the other half
pretty we'll jaded.
Saturday. October 10Th, the boys left
for Dawson to record the claims, and
Louis and l have not seen them since.
We have heard though that they are
looking over the country down there.
In the meantime Louis and / have built
cabin and gathered in our winters
wood We expect the boys back any
day now.
There are no provisions to be had.
Flour has sold for 500 per sack and
bacon 81 per pound.
Dec -. 1S91-The boys returned from
Dawson last Tuesday, and we have now
recorded on different creeks six differ
ent claims They may be worth a mill
ion and they may not be worth ten
cents. Under the new law, though,
man has no business in this country.
Under the old law a man got a claim
$50 feet long but all you get now is
leo feet You have no room for your
sluices or dump or anything. You have
TO pay to the Queen 10 to 20 per cent.
of what you take out They charge for
the logs you put in the cabin, for the
wood you burn to thaw out the ground.
The ground is frozen all the way down
at least as deep as sixty-five feet. | do
not think that / will stay here very
many years because life is too short to
be held up here like a bear many years.
A great many people will no doubt
come in here next spring. and they will
ell be disappointed. They will not be
able TO pick up all sizes of nuggets on
every creek they find A few claims
have paid well, but there are hundreds
that do not pay enough TO work, and
they will be sold to suckers coming in
next spring. l would not advise any
one to come in here, because he takes
too many chances on his life, and there
are too many chances against him get
ting anything after he gets here.
J. B. THORSON.