The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-03-06
xLoND1KB's OUTPUT IN 1928.
Miners VIII lInve to Huatie " They Make IL
e1O 600 600.

PORTLAND, Ore, Feb. 2S.-Tho gold output OF
tho Klondiko country for 1893, at the cleanup
in June. will be between $4,000. 900 and $12,-
600, 900, according to the estimate Of A. ID.
Nash of Portland, who has just arrived from
Dawson. He is nm old.timcr in the Yukon
country, having mined along the tributaries of
the Yukon. in British territory. since 1895.
But this estimate may be far too high. for
everything is overrated in the Klondiko coun.
try. Until recently the gold product of 1897
was figured at $40, ZOO, 900. BY degrees this
exorbitant estimate suffered reduction. First
1t was cut in two. Now comes an official state.
ment from Ottawa which places the output of
1897 at 2.5OO.O 900. Estimates of this years
yield OF gold run up to $25, 00O, 700. This is tho
figure given out by the combination having
mines to sell. Since last fall over 300 mon have
arrived from Dawson with claims to sell. 1t
is.cstimated that they have over 1000 claims to
put on the market. Some of these claims are
mythical. All the surveyors on earth could not
mining rs is Central Park. New York.
Al these H men . agree gre ! that the klondike
They also say that the Alaska Commercial Com.
pany and the North American Trading and
TRANSPORTATION &C COMPANY oaI aoS hold no in their safes at
AS n matter Of fact, tho companies at Dawson
do not hold over 81 900, 1000:
Kondikc miners viii have to do to run their
yield up to $40, 900, 900. This winter 800
T Teseh $40 igS Se. .oSo T tSe Claims $50 viii m' have tn to ' prol
ducc an average of $4,000 each. Now. these
800 claims are not Of equal richness; Some may
wood burned 70 thaw the ground and thus
make il workable: There are only 100 really
on Bonanza. Eldorado. and bunker creeks. All
other rivers. creeks. and gulchcs in the Klon.
dixie country win be tail'endors when the spring
Every foot Of valuable ground, or ground he.
lieved to be valuable, within seventy-fivc miles
staked 10 last water, even 10 the tops of the
trees, as the old Klondikcrs express 1t. The
miners real mining WORK begins at DAWSON.
Unless he has money to buy a claim already
him t, get a la; from a claim owner. he must
to prospect on ground which has not been taken
up. BuyinE Is an expensive luxury: as claims
are held all the way from $4,000 to 81. 600. 900.
TO get a lay the miner must have money enough
to buy wood at from $50 to 500 n cord and pro-
visions at an average of ~ cents n pound. Tho
on his own account. That requires. rs has been
said, n journey of seventy. five miles from Daw.
Then the prospector must take his chances. He
may make n stake and he may not. 1t is all
speculation.
The matter of food sunply always is a grave
one in the Yukon gold regions. Never since tho
miners began working In the country has a year
nassed when the cry of famine was not raised.
This winter the miners had the closest call they
have eyer had. The men have not had the quail
Nv ana INC quantity OF lOCu ncCueC 10 sustain
life in the sub-Arctic regions. but at the same
time there has not been the least danger of star
vation. The great danger is not from starvation,
but, from scurNy, caused by the constant eating
OF the same kind of food. This time next year
there will be danger OF starvation unless some
way is found to get large quantities of food to
Dawson. which ia the distributing point. The
Yukon is impracticable as n supply route. as it
is not open to free navigation long enough to ena.
bic boats TO make moro than one round trip be-
tween Dawson and 81. Michael. Nor can the
mountain passes be depended upon. The min.
ers now in the Klondike country have barely
sufficient food to last them until the spring sup
ply arrives. All available transportation agen-
cies will not be able to land at Dawson this sum
mer sufficient supplies for the miners already in
the country. The miners now bound for the
Klondikc are not taking, on the average. n
years supplies. It is therefore. easy to see that
a large number of people arc likely to be short
of food about II year from now.