The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1898-02-01

direct and is authentic. My partner
Just reached Tacoma last week"
Mr. Murbarger grew up in Topeka
and attended the Topeka schools. He is
a brother of Mrs. Charles Seagraves of
this city.H left Topeka for the North
west ten years ago but a part of the
time he spent in Washington. Only
during the past three or four years has
he been prospecting in Alaska.
L was on Stewart river said he,
when the rich strike was made at
Klondike. It is only short distance
away but I did not go over until some
time after the discoveries. I now own
an interest in a claim on the Ell Dorado
besides my claim on Stewart river. Be
fore I left 1 took out enough to make
my family comfortable and as soon as
1 fix up some business have in TOpe-
ka I will go back to Alaska and [ hope
in a few weeks to be again in the gold
country.
THE stories about gold in Alaska
may sound exaggerated but they are
not. No one can have any idea Of the
gold there IS up there. 1 tell you that
this country will go straight up into
the air when the people bring their gold
out of there next spring. Anybody can
find gold on the KIOndike for it is eve
ryWhere. A tenderfOOt stands just as
good show as an experienced miner
and 1 don't know but better for he will
look where the miner would not go near
and ten chances to one will find gold.
Any man who is Industrious and who
means business can get rich in KIOn-
dixie It will require some work of
course but the gold is there and all you
have to do is to find it.
I would like to give people who are
contemplating going to Alaska, some
advice. Don't take your outfit with
you. You will find that YOU can get
just what you want at Seattle or IA
coma. think Tacoma the better place
because there are not so many people
there. You can find just what you
want at those places, and all you need
on can get If ChR2nlU
take the stuff from home, and they
have the advantage of knowing what
you want.
After you get to Dyea, you will have
to take a dog team to go over the pass
A good dog team will cost $500, and they
Will get you over to the KlOndixe in
about a month. There is no use trying
to carry more provisions than necessa-
~ to last until you get to your desti-
nation, for you can't do it. Every once
in while you will come to great walls
of ice ten feet high, and then you have
to unpack your sled and throw the stuff
over.
with that kind of a road you cannot
make more than ten miles day. But
then you will reach a clear stretch of
ice, when you can easily go so and so
miles a day. The dogs have to wear
shoes like men. They are laced up and
the sOles are covered with hob nails.
Don't go prepared to bundle yourself
up so that you can't move. It is best
to wear silk underclothes next to the
skin. and two suits of heavy under
clothing over that A canvas suit is
just as good as anything else over the
underclOthes. By putting dried grass in
your mittens, it helps to keep your
hands warm.
1.-The three months of summer is the
worst time in Alaska. The mosquitoes
will bite right through buckskin nit
tens. Miners smear their faces with a
mixture of bacon grease and coal oil
to keep off the mosquitoes. One appli-
cation viii last two OF three hours, and
then you have to give yourself another
SWipe.
During the summer months the
miners never wash. for it encourages