Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-01-17
THE KLONDikE REGION
Experiences of Young Washingtonian in
the Frusen North.
Mr.. b. ID. Phillips Tells. of Life in Gold
COuntry-LetteF to HIS
Mother.

These who have friends or relatives in
TIE kiGndike region, as well as those who
contemplate going to that part of the
world, will doubtless find interesting the
following letter. just received by the moth
er of Mr.. B. B. Phillips, young Washing
to Man. who left fere few months ago to
seek fortune in the frozen land. The letter
was dated at Dawson City, October 3, 1897:
Yesterday was letter day with every
one here. After much delay, owing to the
low state of the river. lot of mail, twelve
sacks and about 10000 letters arrived
Such a scramble for mail you never saw.
Christmas at one of the city post offices
by almost every one going away happy. as
IN almost every case there were letters
from absent loved ones.
Il hardly know how to begin to. describe
my trip In the country, and what l have
doEe since I have been mere My last was
from Lake Lindeman, just as We were
about TO embark, so 1 will rot try and
hearse what was done or the trail from
Dyea to the lake, but from the lake on.
After two weeks hard work we built
our boat a most substantial craft, christ
ened it the Lillian and started for this
burg July %. and arrived here August II.
Mosquitoes and Heat.
'Our trip in was most pleasant one, aside
from the mosquitoes and occasional heat.
Tine journey mostly by river, with a
strong current in our favor, save in the
fore part of the trip, which was through a
chain of lakes. The scenery at times was
grand. and at all times was pleasing to the
eye. While passing through the lakes We
caught numerous hSh, some OF good size,
which were most palatable after a steady
diet of bacon and beans, varied with fruit.
1 Fad the honor of catching the largest
fish and only genuine salmon. II weighed
twenty-seven pounds, and was the finest
favored fish ever ate of. We also had sew
eral varieties of wild berries. Strawberries.
crrrants and gooseberries. 1t was like tor
ture to get these latter, owing to the TACT
that you had to go in the woods for them.
and the mosquitoes and the small yellow
gnats made life miserable. They were bad
on the river. but thousand times worse
in the woods.
I'VE ran the Saigon and White Horse
rapids successfully. These latter are con-
sidered the most dangerous pieces of water
that one has to contend with. but with a
stanch craft and good pilot one can nav
igate them successfully.
ION the left bank of the river near the
rapids are 10 be seen twenty-five graves,
telling the fate OF some who have tried to
navigate this water. There Is no doubt IN
my mind that many others have tried and
failed, and that death and the river have
claimed them, ard the world wonders what
has become of them.
Selects a Camping Place.
81 would like to fully describe the last
two pieces of water, but space Will MT per-
nit. To make long story short, we ar
rived here on the date given above, and
pitched camp at small suburb of Dawson
called Louise Town. 1t hardly deserves its
name, for, save for mosquitoes and gnats,
it is exceptionally free from vermin OF any
sort We selected Louise Town as camp
inc Z
Dawson at that time. as typhoid feNer was
prevalent in the city. Louise Town Is ola
Klondike, and is just across the river from
Dawson City, or the new klondike-
My experience here has been varied.
have not worked for wages much, If any,
but have spent most of my time tramplng
around, trying to acquire mining proper
ties, and have succeeded IN becoming IN
tertsted in several.
sOf course, most Of the. claims are on
ne W and undeveloped creeks, so their value
is probiematical. / think that L nave one
good one however. 1t IS on Deadwood
kon and the opposite side from Dawson L
own the claim myself. 1 have just made
ARRANGEMENTS to work it this winter.
October FL was interrupted. and as |
saw no chance to send the letter out did
rot continue until today A Mr.. T. b.
Carey of Seattle leaves for the outside to-
morrow, and 1 will send this by him.
The Grub Scare. ..
Eve are now in the midst of grub scare
and it bids fair to be most serious one.
The stores here are practically out OF pro-
visions or at least have not enough to I'LL
their orders in full, and are not selling at
all to the public, save sugar, tea and evap-
Grated onions. If you have not what is
called a guaranteed order you may go to
them with tears in your eyes, nut you VIII!
not get anything, save Il pound OF sugar,
onion or tea. People have been pouring in
OF late. Some of them are hardly here be-
fore they either start back or go down tn.
river to Fort Yukon, where the companies
have their storehOuses.
at seems to me that there has been poor
management on the part OF the trading
companies and almost criminal action on
the part of the North American and Trad
irg Company. Their representations to the
people that had orders with them Were
That they would have plenty of grub for
all Now when the time arrives for them
TO fill orders and promises made. they put
every one down in almost everything, and
allow only one sack of flour to the man.
1t is simply impossible for man to live
on one sack during the winter here, unless
they have great abundance of other
cereals. etc. which they are not getting
from the company. The result of it all :s
that many are forced out of the country,
and that those who are going out and
those that have provisions to spare are
asking enormous prices for them. Flour.
in many instances. sells for 500. usual
price, Sc. and in selling outfit 1t brings
SIS to $50 a pound. This includes ar
ticlcs that sell on the outside for three
fOurths of a cent a pound.
Beef S1.25 Per Pound.
II am in good condition for the winter;
will have plenty of food Of all sorts. save
flour. and think l shall get that without
having to pay an exOrbitant price. A raft
full of fresh beef arrived yesterday. To-
cay it was put on sale. The owner Of the
beef took In over $4,000 in gold dust. The
prices ranged from 81 to Sis per pound.
Il have had some pretty tough expert
ences since l have been housekeeping out
in the cold weather. in the rain and snow
without tent. 1t does not seem. however,
to have done ME any harm. as am we'll
and hearty and have never been stronger
in my life. / have grown full beard and
whiskers. but am told that will soon have
to cut them off. owing to the cold weather.
1t has been cold-down to l. below zero
but as yet have not felt it much. A warm