Iron County register., 1898-09-01

one day and l got partner and ran
boats, going through White Horse
eight times and Miles Canyon three
| times. The last time l made it point
to look at the walls. They are just as
you see from many pictures. We had
no mishap of any kind, taking in S105,
and if had not had passengers per-
| haps | would have remained there un-
til some accident happened. By work
| ing ahead with the paddles it gives
the pilot chance to follow the crest
of water, which is very essential. A
man can keep rowing all the way
through the canyon, but I have my
first to see who could keep it up all
the way through White Horse. The
man who is pulling works the oars un-
til he thinks he is flying in the air, as
the water gets faster from the time
you start until you get through. All
kinds of boats get wrecked and all
kinds get through and the same is said
of pilots. During the time we were
there one man was swept off the deck
of large scow and was seen no more.
Two men were fishing for him when
they hauled out another man who had
been in several days.
Five Finger rapids is a scare-crow
only-a dip of 20 or 80 feet and all is
over. Leaving the lakes, Forty Mile
is the first river, and l regard it as the
most dangerous of all. 1t is full of
boulders, with an eight mile current
The first six miles are the worst
We counted 13 wrecks as we came
through. The only thing we touched
was a boat bottom side up and we
raked it and for time I thought it
time for roll-call. In trying to miss
the most dangerous boulders where
many boats wreck we run on this un-
noticed. Underneath this boat was
two men and their outfit. One man
succeeded in reaching shore, so we
were informed by man on the shore,
who was drying the remains of his
outfit, his scow having struck hard on
rock and was a total wreck. We
covered the trip in 15 days, stopping
at Stewart, Salmon and all other points
of any note.
Now about Dawson. I know but
little, but will state what I have seen
in one week. Three steamers have
gone down the river. Two left since
| came. I saw them load gold dust to
the amount of five or six millions, so
the chief of police stated to me. 1t
was freighted same as any other mer-
chandise, put up in boxes two boxes to
was freight from down the Klondyke.
Seven burros and pack horses came in
There were eleven men with so pounds
to the man. / made trip up Bonan-
"a and Eldorado as far as the Berry
claims, and had the pleasure of shak-
ing hands with Mrs. Berry, who has
just come in and is on her claim. A
miner from Deadwood, S. D., and
have got permission to work the tail
ings. They give us all there is in
them. We also get scrapings from the
dumps that will be ready soon as most
all have cleaned up. If they leave
enough we will get some duss. We
panned out three pans of the dump
and got $3.50. The Berry claims have
given as high as $125.O0 to the pan.
He has also promised me work as they
will want about 25 hands. The low
est wages that have ever been paid is
$15 for ten hours, but there is talk of a
cut to SO. | have another offer OF
$500 to represent another mans claim
for 80 days. This 90 days work must
be done every year to hold the claim,
also have an offer to represent an
other claim for half interest in it in
a good locality but not prospected.
will go to Berry's, starting at six
o'clock this evening in company with
my Dakoto man. DR.. b. /. Brady,
who is out for supplies, is going back
with US. He has claim on Dominion
creek, IS miles from here. We will
pack so pounds each. | also have a
Mr-J. H. Harbin from Southern Ore
gou, who l brought from Lake Bennett.
grubstaked him and he is now out
prospecting. He is experienced and
says he will stay two years or find
something. DR.. Bradley has an offer
of $3, 900 for his claim unprospected,
but holds it at $4,000. No one that
have found claims that the gold has
been over estimated. All join in say
ing it is here and lots of it.
Dawson and Louise town, situated
opposite on the Klondike, claim about
so >or 40 thousand population. In
many places the streets are mirey. /
have seen many pack animals mire on
main street. Carpenters get SIC per
day, or 10 other words, one ounce of
gold dust. The two saw-mills each
~,,a IF hopdS mar