New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-02-07
A DIMINISHING HERD.
REINDEER WHICH A MINER IS TAKING
TO THE KLONDIKE.
HE LETT THE BORDER or SIBERIA WITH FORTY.
BUT HAS ONLY FOURTEEN NOW-usES
TO WHICH THEY ARE put.

HI, LETT THE: BORDER OF SIBERIA WITH FORTY.
BUT HAS ONLY FOURTEEN Now-UsEs
TO WHICH THEY ARE put.
Reindeer for the Kordike has been the cry OF
many people interested in the development OF that
region OF gold for some time. but while these men
were forming plans ami talking of them an old
Californian David O'Neii acting. After hunt
Ing for the yellow metal In various lands for some
twenty-five years Mr.. ONeil moved his goods and
chattels to Dawson City In 1895. and continued the
NE Of prcspec,or. He met with much success
and he soon had interest In many valuable mining
properties in the new Edorado. But these prop
critics were a long distance from any basis os
supplies The many men whom Mr.. ONei en-
ployed had 10 be fed, and the food had 10 be taken
10 them many hundreds OF miles over trackiess
wastes OF icebound fields and snowclad hills II
was not a question Of obtaining the needful sup
plies which troubled Mr.. O'Neil nearly so much as
II was the difficulty OF getting them up 20 his men.
He had tried many plans with far from satisfactory
results and with the expenditure OF much gold dust
ard many rich nuggets. AS a last resort he deter
mined to see what reindeer could do in solving the
problem.
And so II was that Mr. ONei left Dawson City
on September for the far northern part Of Europe
IN quest OF these animals. 1t was long and costly
journey. entaillng much fatigue and many hard
ships but Mr.. O'Nei finally reached his destination
He wanted the best trained, the largest strongest
and hardest animals that could be obtained, II ne
had TO travel TO the ends OF the earth TO get them
He finally reached the White River region on the
borders of Siberia. some four hundred miles from
Archangel which is nearly seven hundred niles
northeast OF ST. Petersburg. Here he found the
reindeer In all its native glory and after spending
much time and care in making selections he bought
a herd OF the valuable little beasts.
CASUALTIES on THE JOURNEY.
Mr.. o'Nen had at last obtained what he wanted
but he was long way from home. and the difficult
question OF how 20 get the reindeer to the Kondke
was the next thing 10 be considered After con-
siderable delay he 4, last got part Of his herd to-
ge;ser and shipped them to Hamburg II took hf-
teen days 70 reach t.Gt port. and eight OF forty
reindeer were killed on the way The remaining
thirty-two were shipped o.. the British steamship
Glanton which. after than usually tenn
pestucus passage across the Atlantic reached this
port. as told in The Tribune. ard tied up at her
pier In Jersey City. II had been terrible voyage
for the usually hardy reindeer, however. and at its
end only fifteen OF them were left and one or them
was badly injured that it afterward died
When he reached this port with his valuable
charges Mr. O'Neirs troubles by no means
over He had neglected 70 provide himself with the
necessary permit from the Department o, Agri-
culture 10 bring the animals into this country. and
until ne obtained the consent Of the authorities he
could not even take them off the vessel. In ccnse-
quence of this the reindeer rot taken off the
Glanton for several days after they had been
am!ned by Or. Miller. a Government Inspector. Of
Jersey City and the consent Of the Custom House
officials had been secured
reporter for The Tribune the patient little
reindeer standing in row on the pier and gazing
about with their mild eyes If trying fathom
what ii was all atou; and what new experience next
awaited them. They were all about the same size
and did not look much larger than good-sized goats
They had long fur coats Of |htish gray and their
horns had been sa%ed or Ter owner was gaz,
Gustav Damn. sv'ede. and Johan soostmo!non.
Laplander. their care,akers.
A LONG TRIP AHEAD OF HIM
NJ. ONen said that he was pretty well dscour-
aged with the result o. his venture ard his Jour
ney was by He said that he woule
take the deer TO the s,ockyarss at slx,y-nfth-s,
and let them rest Up for a or so and then ship
them 10 Victoria the Canadian Pacific Rail-
road lie had at first intended 70 send them
over the Northern Pacific road. but he found that II
he cid so he would have TO pay greatly Increased
custom duties 70 get them into the K!oraike The
Canadian custom mouse officials. ne said would IL
he followed the first plan. probably assess the value
OF the reindeer the borders Of the <iOndiica "
son a; $1,000 escn. and he would have 70 pay a duty
IL speaking OF his experience in the reindeer conn.
Try he said thS Ne iounG na.Iyes who a!d herds Of
niais The trouble was however, get trained
Deer. lie found Macy owners Of large herds who
dd not have more taan one or two trained animals
each. and these tney wouic sell IL rooF three
years TO train reindeer properly. ana this ar-
ANIMALS The reindeer which Mr. O'Nei hroiDSi
over with him were all engaged az hauling iogs
when he bought them. This. he said vas i6e
principal Industry OF the country. He left roanv
more Of the animals which he had bought behind
had 30 much trouble with he first lot thot 10 |
did not think that he would bother with the othors
lie had q lct OF harness and sleGs Nhlrb he baj |
Intended bring over with the reindeer h't rho
we're all stolen by people who were 70 shin iron,
from Laplard The deer which lie had hroucL, /
over Mr. ONc said would weigh onlv obot, |
two hundred ard ffty pounds each and rnrn thrcs !
ard four years old. others which ne had ieft q, |
Europe were much larger. some OF them weigbtn1
nearly Ave hundred pounds
filings AT TIE KLONDIKE
Mr. ONel is a typical California miner. tail :, |
stature with spare muscular frame. End nos
scssed o. indonitab,e pluck and energy Ia satd |
tha, he had gone 20 the Klondlke for tho SAM
reason that he had TO many other regions who're
{, was reported gold had been found He denied |
that the Klondikc was the richest gold country
in the world. lie declared that while nonv nse1
had been moderately successful In the Klond,e
none OF them had made the finds OF some Of those
I'M the early days Of California
whats 5000 or $D),0o" &c continued .'for
seasons worl? Why. much moro than that IS heinz
fr,. That Tie atorty Of the men in the Tlonntc
Who viu work are doing well. especially as nos, ~
hem have never had any experience In mining
I,ut The trouble IS 10 get work for uon.s
They all want 20 prospect for themselves Mosf III,
'he work is done the share Gystem Thr,. Or
four men will work claim fer - or 81 ner con,
= The gold taken cut. There. were A ro66 ,rcn,,
l;saprointcd In tho Kloniilic last summer ana
here VIII De nanny more next" '''~
lr.1 .h. ~.