The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-03-21
IT'S WORD OF WARNING
Dangers in the Mad Rush to
Alaska's Gold Fields.
PREPARE FOR HARDSHIPS
Provision Shoul Be Made for Return in
ase of F~ailure-Great Difficulties in
the Way OF Developing the
Copper River District.

Missoula, March 20.-William Bra
bacon has sent to the Standard from
Juneau a copy OF the Alaska Mining
Record. with the request hat the
Standard publish the following Word
of Warning" from the editorial page
Of that interesting publication:
while the Mining record has no
desire TO pose as an alarmist and has
every incentive to encourage a health
ful immigration to Alaska. IL would
not be doing it's duty as a newspape
IL IL did not point out the dangers and
difficulties which are inevitably to be
met by those who will enter our boun-
diaries without having made ample pro-
vision. not only for their subsistence
during their stay. but for n safe and
comfortable return to their homes in
h event of n failure to realize the
success for which they hope. More
particularly the advice To fully prepare
for hardship and every contingency
possible should be impressed upon
those who contemplate visiting the sec
lions of which little or no authentic in
formation is available.
I'VE can barely hope to lessen the
tide of immigration now pouring to-
ward the Yukon valley from every
quarter of the globe. nor does this pa
per regard IL as it's duty to sound any
warning ptNDlu the DuDlltdllon Oh u
fair recital of the facts. for the reaso
that ample information has long been
readily accessible to all concerning the
conditions obtaining in that region. But
to those who are pushing their way to-
ward the absolutely kno regions
of the Kotzebue sound and Copper riv-
er ii seems necessary to say a word
which il is to be hoped will gain their
heed. No man should dream of at
tarnntfnn tho nanntratinn nf thnGa Nyil6G
unless prepared to battle and conquer
every hardship known to be character
istic of the Yukon country, and further
to meet every contingency which can
prove Incident to a region entirely UNI
explored.
THE Yukon %prospector may, IL he
chooses. so thoroughly inform himself
of existing conditions as To be able to
calculate to the very day the time
when his voluntary exile from civiliz-
alton shall cease. In the vast region TO
the westward n thousand things may
arise To change entirely the most ma
turely considered plans. While. for in
stance. the Yukoner with n years pro-
vision supply is reasonably sure that
he will suffer no privations upon this
score. he who ventures into the Cop
per river country with less han three
times that amount may starve before
being able to replenish his stock. The
transportation facilities of the Yukon
may he depended upon and calculated
10 a reasonable degree. In the other
sections the merest accident, an Incl
dent which elsewhere would scarce be
deemed worthy of notice. may without
n moments warning destroy all posi-
bility Of "A return to the settlements for
an indefinite period.
I'm those wild regions the white
mans foot has never troddcn and there
are none to whom an appeal for aid
might be made. Every conceivable ac-
cident. incident and contingency must
be provided for before civilization is
left behind, for there is no possibility
wilderness is entered. II is not posi-
bile tsere TO follow in the footsteps OF
others, profting by their experiences
an avoiding their %hlunders: there all
and all will yet prove few-will stand
upon an equal footing and each must
he prepared to meet every condition
for himself The conditions require
careful study and cannot even then be
reasoned out by analogy with those OBJ
tanning elsewhere: nothing is definitely
known. little can be positively learned.
everything must be carefully provided
for. oubtle the Copper river and
other UNEMPLOYED Alaskan sections will
eventually prove rich i'm mineral re-
sources. but the conditions attending
the development will differ widely from
those governing other regions, n ex-
peripnce alone can teach them"