The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1898-03-08


Two weeks from yesterday will wit
ness the departure of Scranton's klon-
dixie colony, more familiarly known as
Vetter's Klondike cadets.
While the newspaper paragrapher
has been having his little joke with the
project and the projectors. the cadets
have been quietly but determinedly
making their preparations and now
they are orl., waiting for the sailing
day Of the ship which is to carry them
to fortune and frigidity--surely one If
not the other
According to present calculations the
party will number possibly eighteen,
probably eleven. likely nine and bar
ring unforeseen obstacles, assuredly,
eight. The eight who have put up their
pro rata assessment as an ernest of
their intention to go are:
i. J. vETTER. druggist Penn avenue
ADAM KITLACK, carpenter Beech
street.
SAMUEL RiNGSDORF, eX-hotel keeper,
129 South Lincoln avenue.
FRANCES f. EElRGOOD, blacksmith,
DuumOre.
ALBERT GlsNER, engineer, La Plume.
GEORGE H. SUTHERLAND, machinist,
pittston.
JOHN SWEET prospector. Nj. Pocono.
--------- -----------, mine foreman, PecN-
vile.
The dashes represents a memoer OF
the party. who, for some reason not
made known. desires that his name
should not appear in the papers in this
connection. until after he has started
at least.
TOOLS. CLOTHING, ETC.
The rear room of Mr.. Netter's drug
store is already assuming the appear
ance Of o young warehouse. Boxes
and barrels and cans, containing tools
and medicines and clothing and the
like are piled ceiling-high and more
cunsignments Of these and like articles
are coming in every day. a forceps
for pulling teeth and celluloid eye-pro-
tcctors to guard against driving snow
in the winter and mosquitoes in the
summer which are among the para
phernalia give an idea of the atten-
tion which the party has given to de-
tails 4 sectional hand drill with two
bits and 40 feet of pipe, to be used in
prospecting is on hand and has been
tested in Mr.. Fetters back yard,
The undercIothing, chamois vests,
Marlin rifles, Colt revolvers, magnify
ing glasSe scales and such like have
also reen purchased here and are in
the boxes in the back room of the
drug store Sleeping bags are on their
way from New York. " hat other tools
are needed. together with the provi-
sions will ne purchased at Seattle.
The party goes as a co-partnership
The expenses are paid out of common
fund and whatcver they make is TO be
divided share and share alike. They
even go SO far as to agree that if any
thing should hdupCn to any of the par
ty his family shall get his share even
though he should not get as far as the
gold fields Just where the line will
be drawn has rot been decided as yet
but it is likely tn be agreed upon that
when a man boards the ship at Seattle
he or his heirs become a Sharer in the
profits no matter what should befal
him. excepting of course, that he
should commit sbme act that reason
ably would cause him to forfeit his
claim.
NO PLAYING FALSE.
There is also a provision in the agree.
ment that any man found guilty OF
playing his fellows false by secretins
gold or the like, he shall forfeit al
claim upon the company and be drum.
med out of camp. The partnership il
to continue until mutually dissolved
The expedition viii leave here Mon
day, March 2l, going by way of tn,
Delaware and Hudson to Pittston
thence via the Lehish Valley to Buf
falo and thence across the contnen
by the Grand Trunk to Seattle. There
on April ), they will board the steam
er Excelsior on which they have al
ready secured berths and start on
fourteen hundred mile sail to Coppe
City. on Prince William sound,
couple of hundred miles north of Dye;
pass. the common road to the Klon
dixie region.
From Copper City they go overland
thirty miles to Copper river Her
they will build their boats and as sool
as the river permits begin their strug'
gle against the stream 10 the north
Leaving the Copper river when tn
Siana is reached, they will tow III
this tributary to a point which is onl,
seven miles overland to a trbutar,
Of the Tamana, which latter rs a tribu
tary to the Yukon. They will sal
down the Yukon to where the Koyukul
is met and thence up the Koyukuk /
the central Alaskan gold fields, Whicl
are situated about a thousand mile
to the west Of the Klondike broper an
about the same distance from the Yves
Alaskan coast. In a straight line thi
point is about 300 miles north of Cop
per City. The route altogether is no
over six thousand miles long Some G
the party talk Of returning in eightee
months time.