Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1898-01-06
LYON g HOUSTON
Letters Written From Dawson
City, in November.
LATEST FROM KLONDYKE.
DAWSON CRY. Nov. 6, 1897.

comprehension of this country, and Will
give YOU nv Version on it. | have just
come back from a wild goose chase 40
miles in the mountains to stake a frac-
ton and found it staked [ thought |
had seen some hardships in the woods
back there, but they are nothing COM
pared with carrying pack in these
mountains. [ lost my way IN the sum-
nit of the mountains in snow storm
and it took me four days, otherwise L
would have made it in two days. [ was
out a week With a pack looking for
moose but found none. 1t is pretty
lonesome all alone in the mountains.
and also dangerous. We cant both
leave the cabin as there is so much
stealing going on. The greatest issue
of the day here is grub; we are on
short rations but will pull through, if [
can possibly get moose We will be all
right, it is $1.5O pound. a buck moose
will sell for 81 200. | will start oat in a
few DAYS with a sled and outfit for SIX
weeks up the Clondyke about 60 to 70
miles and see if | can't get some fresh
meat, we need 1t and it is necessary we
should have it. Dave Parcher from
Wausau is going with me. They are
dilly dallying about wages and there is
no work now. they want to cut the
wages from 81 80 to $1,00 an hour and [
am sure we won't pack our stuff 10 to 20
miles up the gulch for that this winter.
We will perhaps, prospect what we can
and see what we can do in the way of
getting claims. and in the spring, after
the severe cold weather when the days
are longer, We can do something. The
government has Instituted such dam
nable laws there is not much induce
ment to prospect here now, and about
all we can do is to watch our chance
and get fractions, or relocate claims
not recorded and perhaps We can pick
up something we can sell. Next spring
we 90 over on American soil. Frank
will, no doubt, 60 out next summer.
You will hear of some hardshlps from
this territory this winter. There are
hundreds of people going out on the
ice. Walter Gardner started last Sun
day; we bought some flou1 Of him and
paid him 81 90 pound. AS things are
now / could not advise any one to come
in here now If / had known what |
know now | could have stayed out on
the Dyea trail or at the White Horse
rapids and made $1,000 or $1,000. [
could have got $25 for running boats
through the White Horse and Miles
canyon. If Frank and | had come
alone and come in light we would have
considerable money and perhaps some
good claims. We might strike it yet, it
is very uncertain thing. The Little
Saw mill made plenty Of money; they
got $3.50 thousand for lumber. A pie
sells for 50 to So; sandwich, 81. If any
one had flour to supply lunch counter
they would have a gold mine. All you
can hear on tile streets is grub, grub,
and | am afraid 1t will be worse next
year. We are feeling good, but oh! if
we could onl y step in and have a meal
back home. Our bill Of fare is beans,
flour, bacon, some fruit, sugar, tea and
coffee. We are trying to get along on
two meals day while we are doing
nothing. We expect there will be fonr
in here by next June, and will sell
rpaIilyr E,r G-S fOI ,D liNC SpDn Lor
rel We have about 475 lbs. of flour.
Everything is high here. Moccasins cost
S6 90; mittehs, 81 to IS. We each bought
a lynx cap for $l7 each. A sled costs
$40. Dogs are worth from 500 to $500.
| wish you could see the array of cos
tunes and caps. Reindeer, caribou,
seal, beaver, and all kinds Of fur cos
tunes; caps as large as a half bushel
measure. The opera house is about the
only place to go; there you will find
men from all parts Of the world. They
dance there every night. 1t costs 81
dance and instead of the men choosing
partners the girls hustle They get %
cents dance besides $40 a week. So
far there isn't anything SO rich as the
EIdorado, although [ think the gold
covers large territory, and [ think it
will be as good over in American terri
tory, anyhow there are il great many
going over there next summer and |
geess / will be there also. [ am sure il
will be hard TO do ANYTHING under the
present laws here. They only allow
prospectors 100 foot claim, and that
means you can only get that one on the
Clondyke or its tributaries and it will
cost you SIS, while on American soil
you can yet 500 or 1000 foot claim for
50. 50; and besides. here they reserve
every other claim for the queen and 20
per cent. of what you take out also goes
to the government.
We made a mistake in not going right
on down the river TO Circle City but as
we are here will make the best of It.
| We have a warm cabin and will manage
to make something before next summer.
Frank wants to sell out and go out on
the ice and sometimes it wouldn't take
much to make me do the same The
ice moved out today, taking a large
number OF boats along with it. The
weather is very mild to what | eX-
| pected TO find il and [ guess we can pull
| through if We don't get too far from
/ o,,r aa b:,, Tho ,lovc oro cotfTpr shout