The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1898-02-07

derson Creek, which flows into the Yu-
kon below the Stuart, and have a shaft
twenty-six feet deep and have started
another. Are net down to bedrock
yet. Five men stay up there and some
of the others keep them supplied with
grub. l was there fourteen days and
have just come down.
You will hardly believe that men
could live in an S-ounce tent and the
thermometer 60 degrees below zero, but
lots Of men are doing it here. We have
another party of six men UP the Stuart
and are preparing another now to send
up the White River, where one of our
company has found good prospects, get
ting ten colors of shot gold to the pan
from the surface. He had foot froz-
en- and has been laid up some time. but
as soon as he is able we will start.
There are about 400 men here. Many
sit around and wait for others to find
something. and then jump IN and stake
claims. There are stampedes every
day Someone comes in and says he
has found good colors in a gulch and
the next morning everyone goes out ana
stakes a claim, then wait for some one
to sink down, and watch to find II they
go to Dawson and record.
We hear of many strikes being made,
but SO far l think nothing has been
found that amounts to anything. The
ground is frozen down to bedrock. and
you have to fire all the way down.
Nothing new has been found around
Dawson. All the gold coming out
comes from Ell Dorado and Bonanza
Creeks. Everything there is staked
off. even up on the hillside.
We have none of us been to Daw-
son, but men are coming and going all
the time from here, and it is hard TO
get at the truth. One man will come
up and cuss the country and everybody
in it. saying there is no gold in it eX-
cept in pockets; another comes and
says there are millions at Dawson. 1
have talked with many mining men
and | think a conservative estimate OF
what will be shipped out next year will
be about three million. Some men say
from twenty to fifty million, but from
what I can find out that is wild, al
though we have not been here long
enough to learn much: but one thing
we do know, and that is this is a hard
country to prospect and grub is so
scarce.
l have seen right here $50 paid for
a sack of flour, and bacon sold for 81 %
a pound. A man coming in should bring
in at least a two years supply of grub.
There are 5000 or 5000 people in here,
many of whom are short now, and l
see no way of getting in food to them
NIL = ta
steamers are all stuck on the Yukon
flats now, and old timers in here say
that they will never be able to bring in
enough grub to feed so many people,
and you would not be surprised could
you see the Yukon, it being wide and
full of sandbarS.
We had lots of trouble with our boat,
il drawing but eighteen inches Of water.
Many men are going out to bring in
grub oE the ice in the spring, but un,
less something big is struck this win
ter thousands will be going out as
soon as their grub runs short. Nearly
everyone is broke that came in over
the pass, as you We're almost stood up
and robbed at every turn; they have no
money to pay exorbitant prices. and
you can't depend upon anyone bringing
it in for you.
The mails are not regular none haV-
ing come in since We arrived here, and
the only way to get a letter out is to
send it out by friend. and you don't
know if it will ever be delivered.
If we strike anything that viii justify
De Back and l will take Sid and go out
and bring in grub for our camp. If
you know anyone coming in advise
them &c bring in two years provisions
at least. and remember that a man in
this country eats at least twice as
much as he does at home. This is
fact, and 1 suppose the reason is the
cold weather and hard work. The sun
rises low at about 10 a. m and SETS
about p. M, so our days are very
short and growing shorter Dawson is
only seventy miles from here. and ! ex-
pect some of us will go down before
long. We all have about grub enough
to last until June. Many who came
in are in the same fix. IF nothing is
found it will be a case OF get out for a
great many. We have no fresh meat:
game is scarce and way back in the
mountains. We could buy moose meat
from the Indians for 81 - per pound,
much to have you sit down to one o.
l am cook at present. and would like
my Sunday dinners-if we happen to
know whether it is Sunday or not. as
one day here is the same as another,
and al times we have warm arguments
as 20 the day of the week or month.
The man taking this out is a friend
of mine, and if he gets out it will be
mailed. AS he Will take only one for
me, make it family letter. 1t is a
long journey out from here, 600 miles,
on foot and drawing a sled through as
rough country as you can imagine
thermometer ranging from 20 to go de-
grees below zero. This is what makes
prospecting so hard, as man can only
pack & small amount of grub.