The Emmett index. [volume] (Emmett, Idaho) 1893-1925, 1898-03-04

clear Wnen one understands the method |
OF mining and the difficulties OF travel |
In the winter season, in q mountainous
region without trails. the ground COW
cred with snow and the thermometer
almost continuously below zero.
The ground is frozen from surface TO
bedrock, distance varying in mining
claims from 20 10 40 feet. Even in
summer il thaws out less than foot
from the surface. The best pay dirt OF
gravel is just above the bed rock, and
to sink shaft down to this requires a
great deal Of fuel, and it takes many
weeks Of hard work in the open season
TO gather fuel enough to last through
the winter for heating and working
purposes. Water for washing out the
dirt and extracting the gold can be had
only in the summer and early fall. In
some districts water flows only few
weeks each year. All the dirt taken
out Of the shaft Is piled up near it till
the following summer, and until then
the miner can not tell what will be the
result Of his years labor.
This is the ordinary programme OF
the Yukon miner. He reaches the gold
fields in June or July. He spends the
next few weeks in prospecting and
finally locates a claim. There is then
but short time left in which to gather
fire wood and prepare for work Dur
ing the winter he sinks his shaft and
piles up the dirt to be run through
sluice boxes the next summer. When
he can get water he begins washing,
and by the time he has completed it
more than year has passed from the
time he first arrived in the gold fields,
and it may then be too late for him to
get out OF the country that season. II
he went in supplied for IS months and
has kept his supplies he is all right. II
not. he may be in the position of those
} Klondike miners this winter. who have
not supplies 70 carry them through till
spring and can not buy them at any
J price.
! So much for the necessity of an
ample equipment. Now few words
! abont the nature OF IL. Some things
ARE absolute necessities, and one OF
: these is quicksilver for saving the gold.
D Take five pounds. To be without ii
D would be like a soldier without ammu-
D milton. 1t should be in metal flask
e of some kind, something that will not
I break, and care should be taken not tc
? spill it. A pick and long-handled
: shovel are necessary tools, also a gold
D pan. You will want kit of tools for
= making boat, as we'll as for building
= a cabin, fumes, etc. 1t should consist
e Of whipsaw, handsaw, jack plane,
: draw-knife, axe. claw Ratchet. ham
= mer, square, chisel, files, whetstone
n chalk line and wire AMI galvanize,
d nails. also oakum. pitch, oars, row
= locks. calking iron, boat cotton, twine
o sail needles, wooden block and manils
J. cotton rope.
J. The necessary camping outfit con
n sists of tent, Yukon stove, nest o
}. three camp kettles, fry pan, bake pan
is water bucket plates, cup and saucer
l. coffee pot, knives, forks, spoons, tw
l. large spoons and a butcher knife. Tn
l. best materials for utensils are alumni
z mum, graniteware and steel in the OF
-e der named. No tin, china or glass
4 desirable. There is no economy in no
Y getting the best and full equipment
d Food must be good and properly cooke
'e il one would retain health and be j
3. condition to work. Insufficient O
n poorly cooked food, with little variety
IN is the chief cause OF scurvy. Too niue
d care cannot be exercised in this par
Or ticular.
Sc As for food, an adequate supply fc
" is months weighs about a ton. Tn
d chief items are 600 pounds OF -four, 80
to pounds OF bacon, $50 pounds each {
IN beans and sugar, 70 pounds each
tn rolled oats OF other mush material an
Of corn meal, so pounds Of rice, six doze
cans Of condensed milk, SO pounds
Sc butter in sealed cans, 100 pounds
n evaporated vegetables, 100 pounds I
ne evaporated fruit, 90 pounds OF prun'
in and raisins, 80 pounds Of dried fish,
NJ pounds OF cnffee, with baking povde
ed soda, salt, pepper, ginger, mustar'
OF yeast cakes, tea, soap. matches, lin
ng Juice (very importantly, dried beef, e
IT. tract OF beef, soups in tins, sausage, 4
Nv bacco. ETC.. as desired, bearing in nil
he always that variety of food promot
tn health. There has more or less bes
ne said in the papers about various co
n centrated foods, but with the except,
set of evaporated vegetables and frui
an condensed preserves, condensed mi
as and beef extract there is nothing Y
IS been brought forward which has be-
~ proved desirable. One can not affo
~ to experiment with his stomach
ist Alaska.
hit All supplies should be careful
Ter hacked in canvas sacks of a total weig
ice of 80 pounds each as nearly as possib
tly Canvas Of superior quality should
ng used. the object being to preserve I
is food from loss by dampness as we'll
Oh by breaking or tearing Of the package
sxt Fifty pound packages are the most &C
In venient for handling, and this is oft
his As great weight as one man can carl
an Il is better to have these canvas sac
parafined, to resist dampness. Do I
err use oiled canvas. as the extreme co
ark ness causes it to crack, with consequs
n a loss Of the contents Of the sack. III
i'm is true also Of oiled clothing, sleepi
old bags. etc. Plain canvas is better tn
~. oiled. and parafiined better than pla
at A canvas tarpaulin Is necessary as