Arizona republican., 1898-08-23
NEEDEDIN KLONDYkE
Capital Pluck and Defect
 Health arc Essential.
The Sad end DiSoOuraging Tale un- folded by Unsuccessful Gold
 Hunters Coming From Dawson.

Little Meadows, B. C., Aug. 4.-(Spe- cial correspondence of The Republi- Ean JAS time passes a throng of re- turning miners and prospectors Of all sorts and conditions, haggard and rag ged, carrying scanty pack and some times begging for food, or with one, two. even three horses laden heavily with gold dust, and a mounted police man in escort; shattered in health by fever or dysentery or exposure, or hur- rying out, in full vigor, for more sup plies, to return at once; with hard luck stories and good luck stories, and some with stories of moderate success, the situation at Dawson begins to un- fold itself, and it seems possible for one placed as I am, hearing all sides, to fit the conflicting tales together to arrive at some approximation of the truth.
 The miner returning with his horse loads of gold, with his armed and uni formed escort, offering an ounce of dust for bottle of ''phiz,' represents the romance of the north. His experi- ences will be fully exploited, and his fortune will grow with the miles.
 But the weary, dejected fellow whC plods on foot, broken in pocket, often shattered in health, going bach per haps to ruined home-ne represents the pathos, the horror of this gold madness.
 His story will not be heard so widely as that of the lucky one. Misfortune of this kind does not seek publicity Nor is it interesting to those not con- cerned, save as warning.
 From all 1 have heard of the Klon- dyke country as told by those who have been there, from all 1 have seer of the men who have succeeded and the men who have failed, I cannot but come to this conclusions: That it is { good country for those who can lost a couple of thousand dollars, if neces sary, without feeling it; who can de vote q year of their lives to a probably unprofitable quest without missing 1t; whose health and strength are not only robust, but without flaw.
 Such men stand good fighting chance of making a comfortable com petence or even a great fortune, in . short time. To those not so equipped the Klondyke gold fields are a lure and to many a death trap.
 It is not sufficient to go to Dawson with an outfit. It is not true that money is not needed after leaving Ben nett. Many, very many, have gone in this belief, only to reach the gold coun- try and fail for lack of means to pene- trate it. The diggings are distant from the town. Packing prices to the mines range from 50 cents to s1 8 pound, according to the distance. The prospector's troubles are not over when the Klondyke river is reached His serious work is just beginning
 Not many of those who have gone ir during the past year have realized this It has been told before, but ii has not been insisted upon. The need for such insistence had not been em- phasized last summer by the arrival of thousands unprovided with the means of land transportation, or the money to pay for it. And as the field of operation becomes farther removed from Dawson the cost of reaching il becomes greater. It is for this reason that four sold in Dawson, ten days ago, for $3 sack. bacon for 16 cents 8 pound, dried potatoes for 20 cents 8 pound
 Thousands of men arrived there with nothing save their outfits. They saw before them the alternative of inglor- iously eating up their supplies in Daw- son and waiting for something to turn up, or of selling out for enough tc come out on. Some have taken the