The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1899-10-01

The TRUE STORY.
Webster Klondiker
Has Nothing to
Conceal.
HIS ADVICE TO THE YOUNG.
- -
New England He Says, Has
as Many Golden Chances
as Alaskan Fields.


spring Peter Afford, father of the pro-
prietor of the Faulkner house. South
bridge, packed his trunk and departed
from this section of the country and
started en- route for Klondike, with the
grim determination either to make his
fortune or perish in the attempt. When
he left he was wished all kinds of good
things, but his friends never expected
to hear and much less see him alive
again. but that did not phase the dar-
ing prospector, and he started on his
long journey as happy as a lark.
Afford managed to reach the golden
land in due time, and in due time he
came back again. In one respect he
carried out his determination. but in
others he has not yet succeeded He
succeeded in getting there and reach
ing his goal all right but he has not got
rich, nor has he persisted in the at
tempt, either. 2
Afford returned last week, not rich
man by any means, but he struck luck
enough sothat If he can pan itall out he
VIII have enough to enable him to live
comfortably on its proceeds for the rest
OF his natural existence. He is here
only for while, as he starts for his
claims the last week of next month.
When asked by the Webster CORE
spondent Of The Spy if the chances for
making a fortune in that distant cline
We're as good as they are here, Mr.. AL
lord replied that he did not think so.
He said that it takes man with capt.
tai here to make dollar and it is upon
the same principle there as it is here.
II q man hasn't a dollar he need not
go there with the intention that he can
make one
Mr.. Afford is man Of years and ex-
perience, and also a man Of more than
the ordinary intellect. Seventeen years
ago he mined in Butte City, Mont, and
before starting on his last expedition
he knew just what the hardshIps would
be, and he accordingly placed himself
in aH preparation for the ordeal.
Would you in giving advice to a
friend recommend him to go to Klon-
dike?' asked the reporter. tNo, sir, .
was Mr. Affords quick reply. II would
not. Instead, 1 would try to persuade
him not to go, as the perils and priva-
lions are so great that young man in
experienced with and not hardened to
mining, unless he was more than an or
binary robust man, would be unable
to stand it,"
Mr.. Afford says that unless man is
constituted with a strong pair of lungs
he cannot stand the climate there. He
said that he has seen many a big
strong man, a person who looked as
if he would be able to outlive a dozen
smaller men, fall by the wayside and
perish before help could reach him
That is a common occurrence in that
country.
Mr.. Afford is now stationed or rather
his claims are in what is called Gold
Top, mining district Is miles north
east of Dawson City, situated on Ca
madam soil He says that the claims
on the Canadian soil are much more
profitable than those on United States
territory
When he first arrived in that coun-
try, he staked out a claim there, and
as the ground seemed good, he later
purchased two more He now owns
land to the amount of three acres. The
claims adjacent to his have yielded rich
paintings, and although he has not
worked all of his, he is satisfied that
there is good thing in store for him
when he returns On the first claim
that he sunk, he found the ground fro
zen to the depth of 50 feet. His first
claim has panned out $14.75 cubic foot
and that is good money, more than the
ordinary claim pans out He is OF
the opinion that he will do better still
when he returns and tackles the other
them have panned out still more money
in golden dust and nuggets.
Speaking about the chances that a
man has to make money there, Mr.. AL
lord said that they are pretty good
but at the same time he says he had
rather take q chance here if the per-
son going there intended to enter any
other business except that of mining.
There are all kinds Of ways in which
0ota7 III fcFa NJ A
ments are galore as well as various
other naughty things. In Dawson City
there are so. many saloons that he
could not half reckon them. They pay
a license Of $1,000 a year. Before this
year, it was only 5000, but last Jan
uary the fee was raised by the govern
ment, as they were springing up toe
fast and thick.
Mr.. Afford was asked why he came
home this summer instead of remain
ing there and mining. He said that il
was next to impossible to mine there
during the short summer months ii
ones claims were situated on ground
near creek, because the water GROUND
becomes frozen over to the depth OF
two or three feet If a shaft has beer
sunk it will freeze up and it becomes
absolutely impossible to excavatt
through the same. He said, however
that there are many who remain there
through these months, but they are
the ones that are working claims or
higher grounds, where the water can.
not touch them. He said that, under
the circumstances, it would be Just as
cheap to come home as to stay there
and then again, he would get glimpse
of home and see his, family once more
If he had remained, he would not have
had the pleasure Of either.
cAaRrES ExcIrEH