The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1898-04-09
The Klondike.
Correspondence of the Democratic Advocate.
Sp,TTTp WASH March 30 1898

Correspondence
SEATTLE, WASH, March 30, 1898.
EDIroRs ADVOCATE Since my arrival in
this city have learned the ways of the wise
in regard to the Klondike and Copper River
counties. You meet all kinds of people here,
and from all parts of the United States, and
might say of the world There is the man
that knows it all just as soon as he gets off
the train in Seattle, the man that knows
nothing and is too dumb to learn, and the
man that knows nothing, but is willing to take
advice and to learn what he should know.
The fellow that thinks that he knows it all,
is the one who, when he left the East, was
right nice kind of a fellow, but upon coming
in contact with some Klondiker Oh the train
between here and St. Paul, and listening to
his adventures. he cannot he told anything
here. The first thing that greets you upon
Your arrival here is rain, coming down pretty
rapidly, for. for the first six weeks that was
in this city, we only had two days that it did
not rain drop. The town itself is right
pretty place, but is the hiliest city think in
the world; You have to hold TO the seat i'll
front of you going up hill on the street cars
to keep from falling out backwards. The
streets are kept as clean as is possible. with
so much rain to make them muddy.
At the last election, on the Sth of this
month, Judge Hurnes, the Republican nOmi-
nee, was elected mayor. He was elected upon
a wide open policy, and so declared him
self from the stump, and now there are about
twenty five gam bling houses. The saloons are
open 365 days in the year, and nearly all the
stores are open on Sunday; in fact, from the
appearance of the town you could not tell that
there was such u thing as Sunday, unless you
went around to some obscure place, and hap
pened to run upon church, and then proba
bly, you might make mistake, for there is
one very near where live that has fallen into
the hands of II dancing master and is used by
him for his school.
don't say these things to keep any one
away from here, but only to show you the
difference between this city and our Eastern
towns and cities.
All that any one thinks of out here is some
scheme or plan to do the other fellow, and
naturally that keeps everybody on the hump.
| don't like to say it, but their have been eight
murders and thirteen suicides here since the
first of February. They don't stop at any
thing in this beautiful city. One man was
robbed here the other day of 1868 in the
largest bank in the city, and no one dared TO
stop the robbers, and as is usual the police
were not to be found. These robberies and
murders are caused by so many people COM
ing here with such small amount of money
to go to the Klondike, and after finding out
their trouble. get desperate and will do any
thing.
To go 10 the Klondike from Baltimore, u man
should have at least $1,000, and it would be
better to have $1,000. With the latter amount
he can go there, and have enough to get back
on if lie does not strike any thing, after hav
ing been there for a year. His fare from
Baltimore out here, including his meals on the
way, will cost him now in the neighborhoOd
of $1,000. Upon arriving here he will have
to take at least week to ten days to look
around and buy his outfit, and that will cost
him S25 more. Then his fare from here to
Dyea or Skagway is $50. His outfit costs
him $3.50 to $500, and to get it through Brit
sh territory costs him $50 more. If he goes
by the rivers he will have to buy boat at
Lake Linderman, which will cost him 5000.
From then on he has no more expense, I'M
less there is an accident or he is taken sick.
A mans outfit consists of 100 pounds of
provisions, about 800 pounds of hardware,
tents and cooking utensils, a small sized ar
senal-shot gun, tie and pistOl-and about
100 pounds Of personal clothing, sleeping bag
and furs. With these he cannot get over
ChilcOot Pass under six weeks, unless he has
it taken over by some one of the tramwayS as
cable companies now are in existence there,
and they have Il rate of Is cents IL pound.
hlOnulkef clOtnlnS CONSISTS OF lne lOi-
lowing: One pair Of heavy woolen socks,
over these pair of heavy German socks and
Il pair of boots reaching above the knee, and
covering the feet of the boots in another
heavy moccasin, very heavy and closely woven
underwear, suit Of mackinaw, and outside
of all, what is called slicker, Il coat on the
inside rubber as piable as leather, and outside
coat of fur. This coat can be turned either
way, it depending upon the weather. On his
head a sweater cap with only his eyes show
ing, and then fur cap covering that cap. In
summer it is quite different, as it is warmer
their then in Carroll county on the hottest
summer day, and the only thing that is neces-
sary to be worn is heavy mosquito netting
to keep those gentlemen from taking too
much liberty with YOU.
i; All Marylanders are welcome at Maryland
Headquarters, Ill Columbia street, where
Mr.. Waters and myself will try and rope you
in, and take your stuff over the Pass for you.
Five ships arrived here yesterday from Dyea
and Copper Run, and upon one was $4,000
in gold; this is only what is happening now
every day. Speaking of Copper Run, would
not advise any one to go there, as there has
never yet been dollars worth of gold brought
out of that river There is no doubt but that
there is gold there, but you cannot get to it
on account of the glaciers.
Very truly yours,