The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-07-31
A KLONDIKER'S WARNING.
MR.. MYERS THINKS THE YUKON a
GOOD PLACE TO AVOID.

The Inventor of the Ballot Machine SAYS
That the Canadian Government Ia TAX"
ing n Large Share of the Gains of the
Mi~ners-Those Who Succeed Are Few.
ROCHESTER,, July 30.-Jacob H. Myers OF this
city. inventor OF the Myers ballot machine, has
Just returned from a gold-huntinR expedition
to the Klondlke. Among other things he says:
"0n our arrival in the Klondike region lnst
fall we found an estimated population there OF
1000 mon. This spring this was augmented
by 10000 new men. This lumber will be de.
creased this year by 5000. counting those who
die and those who leave for home In dis
gust because Of the extortions Of the
Canadian Government. On account OF these
extortions many miners leave the Yukon
for the American mines, where there is no
such system OF rank extortion. These Cana
dian oxtortlons are alleged by many to DO due
to the fact that 90 per cent. Of the miners are
Americans, and the Canadians thus see a good
chance TO feather their nests at the expense OF
the Americans. Every miner Ia compelled to pay
a personal tax on all his supplies OF food. and
even on his clothing in actual use. at an average
Of $40. Counting this years arrivals at 10000
men. the Canadian treasury will be tho richer
from this source by 1920 900. In the next place.
every one OF the arrivals Is required before he
can legally cut wood 10 cook his first supper.
before he can turn q windlass. fish or hunt, or
get any Information from the officials. to pay
for a free miners license, the cost Of this being
S11.15. What this amounts to In the aggre-
gate IL is easy to figure out. Next, experience
shows that at least $4,000 will stake during
this year an average Of three claims each on
good and wildcat creeks combined, ON which q
recording fee OF $18 each has to be paid. Be-
fore tho expiration Of each year n renewal OK
SIS is charged on each OF these claims Until
recently this fee was 500. and at least 5000
claims we're renewed on that basis. making
100000. Add to this the present removal foo
OF $15 each on 10000 claims, making S375,OOO
additional. and the aggregate is $1s175,0OO.
nate claims are reserved for the Crown in
order that they may be made valuable for Cow
forced upon the adjoining miners, 1t is moder-
ate to say that the cash received by the Gov
ernment from this source will aggregate more
"A royalty of 10, per cont, of the gross output
over SS: $780, Rethsr" worked K d. sfnEly, or BY tea
or twelve lessees. 1t is ated that about
SSa ainsdiiSH Yukon TIli be ats RF4dnoedA S S6ls yssafF .ob IL SIS SIS
ing to the G9,ySsrSRment s4So;066 :oa No n,rrow
waterfront opposite the font street in Dawsootn
to two SPECTATORS for One year at 100000;
Of S1.2OO each, on the small shopkecpers and
BARRIERS who had previously pe9cefully ocen-
BARRIERS doubled the price of a shave from fifty
cents to a dollar. Thus each drudRing miner
fifty cents for each shave. The sum total Of ali
these e ,H0 for one year is thus seen to be
Mr.. Myers says that no amount OF money
could induce him to encounter the hardship5
s sRqd fIsks sb Oh c6 5n0casr : Trip 10 g tne aHk ! rI hS-
1T Is truly claimed that in the Klondike or
any other Rold-bearinR region, not more than
one man out of a hundred is fortunate. The
ninety-nine uniortpnates eNpend as much
tortions, as the lucky man. The miners say
that in their opinion So is, spent for every doll
TN T6s P a5S ,S1nihi q tie miner sIS$pE the u;
roads are provided, and ali supplies, iirewqod
back and carried for long distances. Swamps
and b3gs on mountains must be struggled
broken down in health: could not advise any
persons to venture into, the Alaska mining
country. and none should venture who is not
to pay. for a years food. and his fare there. and
back. for it is a fact that not one. out OF a hun
There is but one story andtrue belief among
the thousands OF, us who crowded the home
spring. and that is that it would be criminal for
US to lend our voices TO aid the cleverly devised
Alaskan monopolles.. Little is said about the
ninety and nine unfortunates. Only the large
with the aggregate product OF the. very many
producing but non;paying small mines. are eX-
tolled. For example. 1 might have in self-iaud-
alton added my little gold sack TO the general
list on the arrival OF our ocean steamer and
its value in its procurement, but it would have
been acting q lie and helping 70 in
apparent at Dawson that the two com.
mercial monopolies were selecting pas
engor for their down-river steamers and de-
laying them with the design OF showing tho
largest possible output OF gold.
" have conversed with very many OF those
coming out. and they all agree that over so per
GENT, come out In poverty Of pocket and health,
barely able TO reach their homes. This state
ment is made as a matter of public duty, and
certainly a lover of humanity and the United
States should not withhold the facts. but rather
confess his own mistake and thus warn others
of the folly that has wrecked 80 many men and
is draining the United States without return.'