Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-07-11
PAINTS A VIVID PICTURE.
story of KIondike Experiences Told
by Willis Jenkins.

ny W
Mr.. Willis z. Jenkins of this city, who
went to Alaska last August. aIlured by the
stories of great wealth to BE- gained in the
klondike region. has just returned. He
paints vivid picture of the sights that
came under his observation while in the
country where vast fortunes are made in
single day. When Mr.. Jenkins arrived at
Dyea he was advised not to penetrate into
the interior of the country, because of the
lateness Of the season. which rendered
travel exceedingly dangerous. Hardening
to this advice. he obtained a position upon
a steamer trading between Seattle Dyea
and Skagway, which position he retained
for number of months. He therefore had
an excellent opportunity of observing the
army OF fOrtune-seekers and was a witness
10 their successes and, more often, their
bitter reverses. During the summer the
decks of the steamer upon each successive
trip were crowded with every variety of
mankind, from the city bootblack and coun-
try pumpkin to the gentleman banker and
the neer-do-wel man CT the world-alI
eager, hopeful and determined.
But a few months later the steamers
decks presented a very different picture.
The majority of these who returned had
barely enough funds with which to reach
the United States. Privation and hardship
were indelibly stamped upon every face,
and a certain light of conscious failure
lurked, shadOw-like. in almost every sunk
en-, restless eye. Here and there indeed
would be seen a man jealousy guarding a
pack which contained the wealth for which
he had risked health and life itself. but the
deep lines in his face, the stopping of the
shoulders, the emaciated limbs and the
froSt-twisted hands spoke eloquently of the
extremes TO which the love of gold and the
acquisition of worldly goods will lad man.
r1-N NI,r.r
CCOt Pass and the White Pass few indeed
returned with more than a mere pIttance,
when viewed In comparison with thu hard
ships endured in its acquisition. Many of
these who had made fortunes were crippled
for life doomed to a premature grave
through the ravages of consumption con-
tracted in this tantaliZing region of gold
and ice Nor were the rigors of the wealth
er the only enemy to confront the fortune
hunters in this modern FL Dorado Gam
bling, drunkenness and the thieving of
crook card players and Broadway bunco
men reduced hundreds to poverty, starva-
ton and death. In the gambling dens of
Dyea and SkagWay men frequently staked
the result of many weeks of incessant la
Dor upon single deal or venturad to the
destiny of single revolution of the wheel
of fortune.
Mr.. Jenkins says upon his first trip Dyea
was only a small settlement, with few
sbanties scattered hers and there upon the
frozen ground Within a remarkably short
formed into a busy mart, with electric
lights and electric cars, with stores of all
kinds. with gambling dens and dance halls
and population Of several thousands.
Mr.. jenkins never attempted to cross
either OF the passes. The sight of SO much
suffering among those who had undergone
the hardships of the trail and the knowI-
edge deferred him from risking his life in
the frozen country beyond the bounds of
civilization. He is of the opinion that the
hiOndIke fever is dying out. The knowl-
edge Of all that has to be contended with
IS becoming so general that only the mora
Nenturesome spirits are turning their faces
toward Alaska Without doubt the country
IS filled with gold, but the terrible and al
most insurmountable obstacles In the way
OF getting at 1t at the present time render
the quantity in which the ore abounds of
little advantage When railroad facilities
are established to and from the Klondike
then, indeed. will nature yield up her pre-
cious stores, and of the amount Of gold that
Will be transported to this county no Just
estimate can be made.