The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1898-08-06
kL0NDIKE HARDSH|PS.
Nineteen Men Have a Rough
Journey to the Gold
Fields.

MALONE, N. T., Aug b, le9e--lne Iol-s
lowing letter just received from Charles
H. Paddock, formerly of Malone, describes
the hardships which nineteen men have
undergone in FIVE months on trial from
Juneau to the Big Salmon River.
TalSus River, July s, 1898.
Dear Friend-I believe | promised to
write you something about our trip to
Alaska, and as expect TO have chance
to send some letters out in few days. l
will tell you something about our success
In reaching the gold fields.
We left Juneau on the 18th OF March on
q small boat called the Pilot. 1t took US
up as far as Salt Water, where we We're
put ashore in about five feet OF soft snow.
There were nineteen of US and we had 10
make roads two miles over the bar
through the snow to where We came to
the ice on the river. Al first the travelling
with sleds drawn by dogs on the ice was
line ana we could put on immense loads.
I'VE had nice going for about five miles
up the river, then We came to more or
less snow on the ice, so that it was slow
travelling. We worked early and late.
often getting out of the trial at three
o clock in the morning and not coming in
until after dark. To show how much a
dog can draw will say that ON good ice
we have put on fifteen hundred pounds
on two sieds, tied them together and made
1t a load for two dogs and a man.
When we were twenty miles up the
river we began to come to open waters.
Inc SedSuli stlllS wear WIS VERY taEly ana
we had started late. When we got up
about thirty miles we had to abandon the
river entirely. men came our hard work
making roads through the woods through
deep snow. For two weeks 1t stormed
every day. Some of the party began to
get sick of it and turned back to Juneau.
The rest of US kept. on.
I'VE had to cross the river on RATS sew
eral times. Once / swan across with a
rope to pull the raft after US. We had a
good deal Of trouble with floating ice, as
on this way until we reached Inklin River.
There we had to. stop and build boats as
the water was high and very rapid. With
our boats we started on, using long
rope for a tow line and pulling the boats
up the stream as canal boats are drawn.
only we took the place of the mules. We
Travelled this way as far as the Olodahana
River, but it was hard and slow WORK.
Then we had to abandon our boats and
commence packing on our back. 1t was
S2 miles from that point to Lake Teslin
and this was the 10th of May. Here
about half of the party got faint-hearted
and turned back home. Only eight OF
US were left.
we started in to pack the goods to
Lake Teslin. We took our first loads
about two miles; then we made relays.
1t was different work from that which
we had become accustomed and il lamed
us up pretty we'll on the start. We took
our supplies up about four miles, but
found the trail so bad that 1t was thought
hest to stop and send two or three men
on a0Gad 10 look 1t UP. 4 WAS Oilc u
them and we took three days rations
and started on May Is and worked the
trail out for thirty miles, as near as we
could guess We got back to camp at the.
end of the third day tired and hungry.
The next day we built a coach and put
all our goods in it except two loads to.
the man, and on the oath OF May We
again started, double tripping it to Tes-
lin Lake This was another long. slow
and hard job, as the trail was rough. Dut
we got there in about three weeks time
killed plenty Of game on the way Sc
that when we got TO the lake we had
supplies enough left TO send TWO men on
with food enough to last them three!
months.
on the Clodahena River to pack in more
supplies agreeing to be at the mouth of
the Big Salmon River in three months,
and we met the two that had gone IN.
We are back near the cache now but
there are only three of the party left, the
others becoming discouraged having fall-
en- out We three are packing SIX loads
of one hundred pounds OF food 10 the loau,
besides other things we shall need when
we get in. We are now eighteen miles on
our way, camping on the Silver Salmon
River. We expect it will take .ts SIX
weeks more to reach the Lake fnere we
will be obliged to build a boat and go
down the lake and river two hundred
miles. to the mouth of the Big Salmon.
1t means an immense amount or the nard-
est kind of work but we hope to be able
10 dcCOfElJilS IT,
If there is any one in Malone who THINKS
of making the trip would like to tell
them to count the cost before they Try
It. There is not a man on the route here
who wants to try it again. | think this
route is the best one if a man starts early,
say January or February. but it is the
hardest one if you wait until the middle
of March.
| have received no letters since I left
Juneau four months ago, SO I know moth
ing as to what is going on in the outside
world. There was some talk of the United
States going to war with Spain at that
time. / never felt better in my life, in
fact this is a very healthy country. We
have worked off a good many pounds of
surplus flesh
Game is very plentiful in this country.
Moose meat is very good and we have
had lots of it. Bear are also plenty and
the river is full of salmon, 50 We live
fairly well.
When we were at Teslin Lake flour was
selling at $50 a sack and salt at 81 a
pound. Bacon sold at SIPS per pound. |
saw pair of overalls that ordinarily sell
for so cents bring $4.
THREE cARGoES DESTROYED.