Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1898-02-22
KLONDIkE's DARK SIDE.
Many Disappointed Prospectors
at Dawson City.
FOOD AND CLOTHING SCARCE.

At Dawson City.
FOOD AND CLOTHING SCARCE.
Men Of Small Means Advised to stay Away.
All the Rich Claims on Bouanza snd
II Dorado Greeks Already Take. Up.
Warning TO attending Investors
Writing to the New York Times from
Dawson City under date Of Dec. 3, 1897,
Mr.. f. LIE Roy Pelletier says:
The information which seems to me
Of greatest Importance to the outsider
just now is that regarding the advisa.
bility Of fitting out and starting for this
country, Of which 80 much has been
written, and that which prospective In.
vestors will welcome.
To the first-to pour men or men of
small means who imngine they see in
this territory opportunities to make for.
tunes and who. notwithstanding all
that has been said 10 far about the diff.
culties to be encountered at every point
along the journey and the probable dis
appointments which await them on
their arrival here, nre still willing, per-
haps anxious, TO start on the journey to
the new FL Dorado-my advice can b.
summed up in one word, don't,
There are many disappointed. heart
sick men working on the dumps here,
winding ON windlass. exposed to the
rigors Of the climate and with the ther'
mometer standing Mt from S5 to 60 de-
grecs below xero-and there Is worse to
come-who had been advised not TO mt.
tempt the trip Many Of them. while
grumbling about the hardships which
they have and are still enduring. blame
the newspapers for having brought them
here. True, some OF the more sensa-
tional papers did give greater amount
Of space TO that part OF the story which
described the riches Of this district than
TO the other side, which told Of the dau
gers and hardships, but in looking over
q lot Of clippings which brought with
me find columns OF matter advising
only those who werewell fitted in every
way to withstand hardships and priva.
tions Of the most severe nature and who
knew from experience something of the
nature Of the life they would be com.
PEELED 60 live here to attempt the jour
aey.
And yet they are here. and while they
tell you their troubles and figure out
how small, after all, is the remunera-
sion at $3.50 per hour-and the average
wage here is ti.25, while many are
working for their "grub"-for six or
seven hours day. they urge the writer
to advise others TO- stay away.
II is feared here that there will b.
another rush Many are perhaps already
ON the way. Nothing but diappoint-
ment and loss await those who come ]
shall try to explain q few Of the reasou,
why this is 50.
All Good Claims Already Taken.
The mining district known as tn,
Klondike region comprises only two
creeks that are known to be rich-Bo
nanxa and its tributary. FL Dorado
All claims ON the creek bed as well a.
all the bench claims have been located
Not all the claims even on these two
creeks are known to be- rich enough 10
pay the expenses OF mining them at the
present rate Of wages, which are, after
all. only sufficient to pay living ex-
penses. Others are fabulously rich
Some Of those on FL Dorado will yield
perhaps $500. 900 each, while others ad
joining them will not pay for the work
ing. The same Is true Of Bonanza
There are many other creeks here.
about, every one Of which, lying within
a radius Of 90 miles. has been staked
from mouth to source, and in many
cases to point beyond the summit of
the slope from which they run, There
Is therefore absolutely no chance for
prospecting or locating in this district.
1t will be necessary for any one coming
to this country to prospect in other dis
tricts, and with very little chance Of
success, for there are hundreds Of men
here now who have spent anywhere
from 8 to Is years in the Yukon dis
tricts prospecting for the gold which Is
said 10 be there, and who are still lock
ing with longing eyes for the fortune
for which they have hoped so long
When men who were within so miles Of
Dawson when this strike was made are
still without the means to buy food for
the winter, how can a man 5000 miles
from here hope TO pick up rich claim
In the Klondike region? There are many
such here. cannot, knowing as much
as 1 do Of the country, use Language
strong enough or convincing enough to
advise those who are thinking Of COM
ing to this desolate country to give up
the notion. No matter how discourag'
ing may be the outlook at home. can
assure the reader that there are more
avenues through which to make liv-
ing and perhaps comfortable FORTUNE
ut home than are presented by the seem
ingly rich Klondike.
Many Disappointed and Distressed.
There are hundreds Of men here to.
day who mortgaged their little homes
and left wife aud children poorly pro-
vided for in order to raise the necessary
money to. make the trip to land which