The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1898-01-28
SIMPLY A SINKHOLE.

the great riches to be obtained in the
Klondike region, and the great bene-
fits this country is going to reap from
the gold that is obtained there. There
can be no doubt but that this country
is going to reap certain benefits there
from, but it is beginning to be demon
strated that the benefits are not COM
mensurate with the cost of obtaining
them. A few obtain great riches. A
few more secure fair return for their
undertaking, but the long list of fail
ures are not referred to. On the whole
the Klondike is not likely to prove a
fountain of wealth. The St. Paul
Pioneer Press editorially reviewing it
it says:
"Instead of being such a fountain
of wealth as is pictured in the popular
conception, sober investigation brings
any thoughtful mind to the conclu-
sion that the Klondike river is the
center of cruel maelstrom, drawing
to it's vortex many times the amount
of wealth which it surrenders-a sink
wherein the hopes of thousands have
already gone down, and which bids
fair, despite all warnings, to swallow
up this season the hopes of a hundred
Thousand more adventures
"The official Year Book of British
Columbia gives S3,5OO,O0O as the total
amount of gold actually taken from
the creeks near Dawson City in 1897.
This was the aggregate result of the
endeavors of atleast 10, 900 people who
started for. the gold mines last year.
The average expenditure Of each for
passage, equipment and subsistence is
stated at not less than $500 for each
person. Taking into account losses
incurred and sacrifices made, and ex-
penditure of previous savings for the
benefits of those left at home, the
average cost of the years adventure
to each of those 10000 persons has
probably come nearer 81 900 than $500.
So, for the $3.5OO.OOO of gold actually
secured, total expenditure of fully
$40, 900, 900 has been made. In other
words, every dollar dug from the
frozen soil of the Klondike has cost
nearly So. Yet, few have been win
ners. A few more, counting their gold
before it is dug, their chickens before
they are hatched,' call themselves
millionaires, from the fact that they
have acquired title to some supposed
~ rich claim or claims. But the num-
Der of both classes combined is not
greater, when compared to the num-
Der disappointed, than the number of
winners at Monte Carlo, or in the
Chicago grain pit, as compared with
the great throDg Of losers. And not
only does every man seek his fortune
in the frigid region around Dawson
City risk the loss Of his time and
money, with only one chance in three
of coming out even, and about one
chance in six of earning as much as he
could as clerk or carpenter at
home, but he takes his life in his
hand, and incurs hardships for the en-
durance of which the limited chance
of making a strike offers no compen-
sation. The .Klondike craze is verify
the most pitiless and destructive of
the mining epidemics with which the
world has yet been afflicted. Yet,
like all other epidemics, it must run
it's course; and IL may be that for
several seasons to come the really
more profitable and infinitely less
hazardous gold fields of Colorado, Mon
tana and other states will be passed
by in the mad rush for opportunities
in the Klondike, which have small ex-
istence outside the inflamed vision Of
the victims.
According to our exchanges the
towns on our Northern Pacific coast
are already thronged with adventures
waiting to take the first boat north
ward in the spring. Reaching the
Klondike, as the Year Book mention
ed says, they will find all the claims
in that vicinity already taken up and
only to be bought at fabulous prices.
From region just beginning to be
known, they will, therefore, have to
turn their faces to others supposed to
be- rich in gold; but to develop which
will require yet further hardships. So
graves will multiply fast, misfortunes
faster; with only a CLEAN of success
here anG there to keep the insane lust
for gold aflame, until defeat shall
usher in return of reason"
There are few ReDublican nanerS