The Florence tribune., 1898-03-19
DON'T GO TO KLoNDIKE.
w. s. Rutherford Tells of an overdone
 Country.
[Brom the Yuma Sum-

(From the Yuma Sun.l
 The reports the Sun has from time to time received from Alaska and the Klondike country, which have invari- ably shown that the glowing reports of the newly found gold section, as pub lished in the big dailies, are greatly ex- aggerated, have again been confirmed by the following letter received by Mathew Flynn from ". s. Rutherford, well known in Yuma. Mr. Rutherford writes from Skaguay, where he is To- cated, as follows:
 s'I have been here but few days, but have been enabled to form good ,dea of the place, and the towns and camps near by.
 Every branch of business is very much oyeFdoue. Hotel keepers and packers are the only people who are making any money to speak of
 The rush here is something terrific, and is increasing rather than diminish ing, despite the fact that not more than one-fourth the people will be able to get over the pass.
 "This country is hard ore on horses. Out of 4,60o horses brought in, all but about 300 have died, or were killed on the trail short way beyond here.
 "The steamship Clara Nevada blew up on the 11th of February but a few miles from here, and all on board were lost. suppose, however, that you have read of the affair already.
 ''The weather is clear, but the cold is severe, and seven people were frozen to death few nights ago while trying to cross the pass during heavy snow storm. Thehe storms are terrific and it is worth mans life to venture out in one.
 "Skaguay is quite an important point, as the passengers, both for this place and Dyea, have to land here, ss there is no wharf at Dyea. Dyea pas sengers are transferred in small boats, and their supplies taken over in large barges.
 ''The water here is bad, supposed to be caused by the dead horses at the top of the pass and along the trail. "The enthusiasm of the people in the States, occasioned by the reading of the glowing accounts of the numb ber- less millioneires the country has made. which, of course, are sufficiently true to lend them a sembisnee of truth. is not apparent here. All is not bad, how ever, for thirteen Dawsonftes arrived here yesterday and each had some dus6, though not great deal They say times gre not yet bad, and there is no danger of food famine. "As far as this part of the country is concerned, work Is scarce. The town is pretty well built up, and property is about at standstill. Good meals may be had for fifty cents, and bad drinks | for twenty-five. The whisky is either smugglsd in, or made from 6 curious kind of tobacco, which does not make an extra good article, while an excuse for beer is being made by two so-cslled breweries. Dogs bring $50 and up, while horses bring from s75 up. Sleds are at present bsing ssed. ''Quite number of Arizona people are here, every State and Territory in in the Union being well represented. | 'I would not sdvise snyone to come here unless they want to lock et the country, cs have money to go to Daw- son and invest in business during the excitement, which will last as lore as the railroad and steamship people can keep it up.
 "There is lots of gold around Da w. son, end probably considerable will be taken out, but nothing tocolnpare with the good, hard coin that will be brought in and left"