The copper country evening news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 18??-1907, 1898-07-25

their goods and chattels to Dawson City
ON RATS. I should have added that boat
builders are required to take out spe-
cial license, which is another tribute
that thrifty Canada exacts from those
who pass through her country.
Good Boats Necessary.
And it requires something more SUBJ
stantial than an ordinary pleasure boat
to take human freight through the seeth-
ing canyon and the White Horse rapids
below. To insure absolute safety the
craft should not draw more than 10
inches Of water, and she must be as
well able to Withstand rough water as
the lifeboat on an ocean steamer. A va
riety Of metal and portable canvas boats
are likely to be used here this season.
IF the rush continues for a month
longer, it will be absolutely impossible
to meet the enormous demand for boats.
Lumber is being brought from Skaguay
and Dyea for boat building, but it is
expensive. Freight rates are about 10
cents pound, and the original cost OF
the lumber is $75 per thousand feet.
Curious people and curious things are
going into Dawson City. One man is
taking in quantity of fresh cabbages
and onions. He has them nicely wrap
ped up in tissue paper, and they have
thus far stood the journey without in
Jury. He also has quantity OF lemons
and some mica for windows AS his IA
Their is already in Dawson City, and ne
acted upon that gentleman's advice as
to what is most needed there at present,
he will probably find his cargo profit
able one. Passing along the trail as 1t
winds its way between the shores OF
Lake Bennett, where goods are cached
in many places every few yards, almost
every form of merchandise can be seen.
OF course -four and bacon lead, with
other groceries strong second, but
whisky and tobacco, always modestly
parbed and sometimes masqueradlne
under assumed names, follow close
third.
Few Return with Gold.
As I have probably before stated,
wants change from day to day. Today
there is q scarcity Of hay and oats. The
former is worth $3.50 per ton, and the
latter brings $1S per hundredweight'
Inst now some of the more common me-
cessities of life are quoted at extremely
reasonable figures. Possibly this may
be due to the fact that every day dis
couraged individuals are selling thell
outfits and turning back. They usually
fall into the hands of spectators ant
get only fraction more than theil
goods cost them in the States.
Finally it is worth mentioning tina
the occasional individual who passes
through here from Dawson City look
upon this great thrush in establishment
He can see no reason for it. He rubs hi
ewes and looks again and again at TIT
struggling, struggling throng. In min
cases out of ten the weary outcomer ha
no GOLD dust and very little coin OF tn
realm of any kind with him. His ap
nearance is forlorn, frost bitten ant
seedy. Occasionally he is obliged G
ask for assistance ut some bunkhouse
where he is entertained in payment 10
the information he can give about tn
interior. Singularly enough the MAJ
who came out yesterday tells one story
and the one who arrived today had a.
altogether different one. The fact tina
few bring out any gold dust. however
looks ysy bad for the Klondike.
A. A. HILL
60