The Dickinson press. (Dickinson, Stark County, D.T. [i.e. N.D.]) 1883-1927, 1898-04-23


tasted mighty good. We likewise had
Just a bit Of chocolate left over from the
light before which served to put the
finishing touch on this unique meal.
But. asks the reader, why are you at
Lake Bennett Why not hasten down
the Yukon as soon as possiblep We are
here simply because there is not the
slightest gain in proceeding more rapid
ly. Caribou Crossing, at the foot of this
lake where the current is extremely
swift, is already breaking up and Thirty
Mile river beyond is open for ten miles
down. Several people have already cap,
sized in trying to get through. and it is
safe to say that no one with full outfit
will reach Dawson City this year before
the Yukon river breaks up. A few have
come out over the ice, but it is one
thing to travel with load Of 100
pounds and quite another to take along
1900. pounds. Major Walsh, who is
now at Lake Bennett. says there is ev-
cry indication that the ice will break up
this year in the streams month earlier
than usual. However this may be,
spring has not come here yet by long
shot, althoug gh the days are increasing
in length about six minutes every "a
hours.
Hundreds Masnifled to Thousands.
Just at this point on the lake We
meet an occasional miner who is return.
ing from the diggings. So far none has
nnpoorod with opr ro11 dr,e& Voekorlo1
a poor fellow came in with both feet
frozen. He spent the winter on the Lit.
tie Salmon and says he has had enough
Of Alaska. On his return he had, Of
course, to pass the Big Salmon, where
rich strikes have been reported and
which is the proposed Mecca of many
gold seeker now going in. He says he
saw nothing Of any gold there, and
strongly doubts that any will be found.
But Of this I shall be able to give you
more accurate information later. As to
testimony, I could fill volume with
1t. 1t seems to be fairly we'll divided
pro and con, although the balance of
evidence is rather unfavorable on the
whole. I saw man back at Crater lake
the other day who hos lived in and
around Dawson City for the past five
years. He oriticises the newspapers Sc
verely for what he terms their sensa-
tional reports Of great gold discoveries.
In almost every case. he says, where
hundreds Of dollars have been taken
out they have been magnified to thou.
sands. Yet he is on his way back,
though not as an argonaut. He takes in
large amount of provisions, which he
hopes to sell at good profit.
Another man who is just returning
from Dawson City tells me that 2,OOO
men were out Of work there all winter.
On the other hand, T have equally re-,
liable authority to the effect that the
richness Of the gold diggings is simply
marvellous. It is my duty to get facts,
so shall only mention these reports in
oidentally in passing. The truth may
lie midway between the two extremes
or it may be far upon one side or the
other. Whether the country is all that
1t is represented to be or the reverse, the
struggles and privations that many are
making to reach it are astonishing and
in some cases extremely melancholy.
Yesterday was sent for to call upon q
sick man who was alone in tent not
far away. When my wife and went
in, our eyes fell upon about as oheerless
and pitiful place as you could imagine.
There was no fire, the snow had blown
In until quite pile had accumulated,
the mans outfit was thrown in one cor
ner in confusion, and the poor fellow
himself lay stretched between blankets,
the picture Of desolation and. despair.
In packing his goods he had in some
way strained his back, but he seemed to
suffer as much from mental as physical
ills The way was twice as long and
weary as he had expected. His partner
had deserted him the day before and he
was just about ready to turn back for
his old home In Chicago.
Ny wife made him some tea, and
put mustard plaster on his back. A
fire was also kindled in his stove, and
others attended to his wants later in the
day. This morning I saw him moving
down the trail. The chances are, how
ever, that he will never reach Dawson
City or even the Yukon river. Not far
from our tent a young man lies critically
i'll Of typhoid fever. He is more for.
tunate than many, however, for he has
comparatively good care, and bis father,
who is physician In Tacoma, has ar.
rived to attend him. Doubtless the dis.
ease was contracted farther back on the
trail, where In some localities water is
unfit to drink until after it has been
boiled. This being the case now, who
can prophecy what the condition Of the
trail will be later on when the thaw
comes and the melted mow exposes. the
oarcasses OF innumerable dead horses and
dogs as we'll as the other plaques Of a
total Indifference to sanitary laws.
Sunday the Same - Other Days.
Another noticeable feature OF life
here is the utter unoonoern for Sunday.
So far as can observe, one day is about
the same a. another, and those who
have always regarded Sunday as day
Of rest in the east seem to lose sight Of
the days observance utterly when they
are ON the trail. In some cases there
may be an excuse for this. 1t is not
often that q day dawns that is in every
way suitable for travel toward the Yu.
kon. One day may be bright and pleas
ant enough, but the storm Of the pre-.
oeding one may have obliterated all
traces Of the trail. Another may be all
that could be desired save for the wind
which bloWs fpsm ahead instead Of from
the rear. Again, it may be so cold that
none but the most hardy venture out.
Thus when the wind and the trail and
the temperature are right the average
argonaut feels that he must take advan.
tage Of such conditions, even though it
be the usual day Of rest. =