The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1898-09-23
The KlOndike PrOdigals.

Iom Taylor, formerly driver of tn
Webb bus is back at his old job afte
year spent in Alaska, most of TIL
time at Skagway, although he wen
into Dawson before coming home AM
satisfied himself that he>had bette
get out quick. His report is the SAM
as others>being, that there are thou
sands of idle men and little work fo
them. Jim "Bushwa'' also came on
last week, his health having been poo
in Dawson, where he stayed for nearly
a year. Most of the boys who came
out are looking pretty thin, the. eli
mate and hard work tells on the bes
| of them.
B. D. Mills, Maxim Landrevllle, Sr
]. J. Doyle, were also among the Daw.
son passengers coming down on the
City of Seattle last Friday.
| Prentice Dunbar dropped into town
last Saturday evening from Wrangel
where he has been at work. He has
had enough of Alaska and is home to
stay. He left Chas Norton at Wrangel,
but he will be along shortly. Hiram
and Will Dunbar have gone on pros
pecting trip to Pe1ly River, where they
will see if there is any yellow, metal.
The Dunbar party has been gone all
summer, having spent most of the
time on the coast, but went inland
about 200 miles on one trip. They did
not find gold in paying quantities at
any place, but did find hundreds of
Disguised and disheartened miners in
all directions, who were getting out as
fast as they could. The boys have
had hard summer, and not a very
profitable one.
James Armstrong, who went North
with a Shelton party last spring, came
down on the Seattle, Friday, getting
home the next day. He left Dawson
Sept. LIST, with John Lee, the big horse
teamster, who had been sick of fever.
Lee died on the river steamer just be-
low White Horse Rapids, and was
turned over to Jack Little, who was
on his way down the river. Lee was
buried at the Big Canyon. On the
same steamer was brought the remains
Of Capt. Ed. Darlington, young man
well-known on the Lower Sound, who
died of typhoid fever at Dawson.
Mr.. Armstrong reached Dawson in
May, and prospected for while on
the Stewart River, but finding little
gold, gave up digging and went to
logging on the Yukon, making good
wags. It was getting rather sick1y.
the death rate being about ten day;
work scarce and wages getting lower,
so Mr.. Armstrong concluded to get
out.
He reports having seen nearly all of
the Shelton boys while there, all of
whom are ''averaging up with others.
Draham and Todd were still down the
Yukon on the American side, and
about ready to come out. Henry
Faubert was hauling logs and wood,
and doing fairly we'll. Most of the
boys were looking a little thin but
were in good health. McLarty and
Stanhope were passed near Fort Sell
kirk, not far above Dawson.
He confirms the report of many men
for one job, there being practically no
! mining in summer, but the gold is
there, as he saw one Klondike King
bring in 1900 pounds of gold as the re-
suit of his cleanup. Those boys who
intend staying have secured "lays"
for the coming winter, but the others
may be expected out any time.
Now that the Canadian government
has modified its demand for royalties,
from ten to two per cent on the output.
the miners will not be robbed so much
as heretofore. Mr.. Armstrong is not
gong back.
Carl L. Stebbins, member of one
of the oldest and most influential fam
lilies of Springfield, Mass, has been in
Seattle for few days on buiness af-
| fairs. He has settled down at Hoods
port on Hood canal and formed d part
nership with Captain Roberts in a
mercantile enterprise. The captain
is the pioneer merchant of Hoodsport,
and has great faith in its future pros
perity. Stebbins originally took up
claim near Lake Gu 3hman, intend
ing to return East after he had proved
up. He fell in love with the country
and despite several trips to New Eng
land found his way back to his old
stamping ground. He is now building
a house at Hoodsport and will soon be
visited by his relatives.-P.-I
| N. B. Sweitze, one of the U. S. gov
ernment inspectors of surveys, was in
Montesano last Monday and Tuesday.
He proceeds at once to inspect town
ship 81, N. r. 8 west, which was sur
veyed last year by E. G. Hunt; and
also township % N. r. west. Mr.
| Sweitze has been in the Hood Canal
and Dosewailops countries recent y.
One township that he had inspected
there, had one of it's boundaries in tide
water and other on top of Mount Con-
stance, 5000 feet above sea level For
several miles he did not touch the
/ ground, the surface being covered