The Republican journal., 1898-09-01
Letter from Dawson City.
From the Klondike to friends in Kanss

| From the Klondike to friends in Kansas I
DAWSON CITY, N. W. t., July s, 1898.
| Here we are at our journeys end for the
| present, and all well and our stuff in good
| condition. We were 21 days making the
trip and you may judge l gave sigh of
| relief when we landed, as it had been a
| constant jar and jangle from start to fin
| ish. In addition to the heavy load of
provisions they took on 10 dogs, and you
can easily imagine what mess they
made. We found a peculiar condition of
things existing in Dawson City. The
| water front was crowded with boats tied
to each other, five deep in places, and
when we did find place to land there
were only mud holes in which to pitch
our tents, and very few of them. So we
| carried our stuff up bluff about hun
| dred feet high, which took us three days
| of hard labor. Toe day we are airing our
| fruit and our meats.
This letter must of necessity contain a
tale of woe, for with the other disadvan-
tages you must contend with a code of
laws. The Gold Commissioner is mon
arch with power absolute, and he and his
police prey upon the tenderfoot in
every conceivable manner. First, there
was the duty at White Pass; then min
er's license, SIS; then if you wish to cut
few logs to sell you must have log
gers license, $3.50; if you sell fish or game
you must pay license of $50.
Every foot of ground in the country has
been staked out by old timers, and in
order to find out anything you must tip
the commissioner, or he has no time to at
tend to you. The spring clean up is over
and there is no work going on in the mines,
and the old timers are doing everything
they can to discourage the chechawkas,
as the new corners are called. 1t is the
Indian word for tendeIfoot. They have
made their brags that they will stampede
them and do tdem until they have not
leg to stand upon, and they have done it.
Hundreds have sold out for small figures |
and started > pole back $50 miles to Ben
nett against an S mile an hour current |
Others are camped by thousands on the |
river bank where they are likely to find |
themselves in the water any morning;
while Others have hardly got off THEN :,
boats, and sit there day after day and
don know what to do. Winter will soon
be upon them, and there is certain to be
terrible suffering.
We may conclude 10 20 into American
territory bnt there is great rush there,
and 50 we think we will try to get work
here and although it is scarce we think we
can get some, and will prospect when we
have no employment.
There is timber on this hill with which
to build a cabin, and abundance of wood |
for fuel. If We conclude to stay we may
get claims right here, as two OF three men
are prospecting and have staked claims.
Mr.. Martin and | went out in the timber |
this morning and came upon a man run
ming rocker. When we came up to where |
he was he ordered us away and would |
not tell us any thing. We will investigate
the matter
There are %, 600 or $4,000 people in |
Dawson at present aud [ presume a like
number in Circle City, and | am certain
that nine-tenths of these are in tents,
Logs are $40 to $50 per thousand; boards
and timber $50 per Thousand. The cheap |
est meal to be had is 50, and from that
up to 50 Porter house steak is 50 per
pound; eggs, SO per dozen.
We are located on the side of the Klon- |
dixie river, with Dawson City on the north.
10 get there we must cross the river. |
which forks d mile OF two above Dawson. |
The streams are crossed by bridge which |
charges toll of so cents each way, so
that 1t costs US dollar every time we 90
to town; or else wade the stream ND to
our middle. | do the latter.
This is about the situation: We have
two years provisions and will stay and
see the thing out. 1t is much the same as
ipN' SApSN.N' w ilI4u IL, CAItpl llldl 1
had not figured on such a system of H.
censes and corrupt laws
Your Populists who think English laws
so much SUP erior to ours should be here.
But the darkest time is Just before the
dawn, and | mean to be here at sun rise;
though, speaking Of the sun, it shines p
hours day. We have an hour or two
of twilight and no night
| will now turn to our passage down
the river. We started June 18th from
Lake Bennett, landed at Miles Canon June
18th and ran the canon and White Horse
Rapids June 10Th. There was negro
drowned and five outfits lost the day be-
fore we went through We had no trou-
Bile. We had pilots to run us through,
but Charlie and could have done lust as
well as they did From there we passed
through Thirty Mile river, which is very
dangerous. The water runs very swiftly
and there are rocks all the way, and if
boat strikes it is dashed to pieces. Lots
of outfits were lost here, and a few lives.