Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1899-12-03


fully as horses. The way the horses jump
into their places when the alarm sounds
in an American engine house has always
been a source Of pride to the citizen spec
tator The dogs are not n bit less active
and intelligent than the horses. The in
slant the alarm sounds IN the fire house
Of a Dawson City brigade, the dogs are
alert and when the number Of strokes has
been given which announces the calling
out OF the brigade the clever animals inn
mediately spring into the place where
their collars are ready to be snapped in
TO position.
\ few seconds later they are dashing
through the streets Of Dawson City az
full tilt dragging the fire apparatus at
their heels and tearing along in response
20 the cracking Of the whips Of the
drivers as though they fully realized the
importance Of their duties When the
brigade turns out the streets of Dawson
City are sure 10 be lined with spectators
for the people never tire Of watching
their dog team dash through the town.
1t is about the first thing TO which a
new arrival is introduced when Dawsons
attractions are on exhibition.
The Dawson City people learned by
severe experience the necessity for hay
ing an Efficient fire brigade. When a fire
started in March of last year the
ice covered the river SO deep that il took
ten minutes for the hremen 10 make an
opening for the hose and when they did
get TO work the cold was so intense that
seven fremen were badly injured. not by
fire, but by water. which frOze their
hands and feet as they strOVe TO work
the hose and left them manned for life.
With the great number Of wooden build
ngs and the danger Of fire IN the hume
rous restaurants and cafes. the Dawson
City authorities saw that some steps
out Of the common would be necessary
10 protect the city from coniiagrations
and the interesting dog teams were the
result of their deliberations. In the
winter the fire engines are placed on
runners and the dogs make very quick
time taking the engine over obstacles
that engines drawn by horses and
mounted on wheels could hardly hope 10
negotiate. The fire brigade is under the
direction Of Mr. W. j. Allen and Victor
NJ. Stewart
/ send YOU a photograph Of one II the
mines which gives q good idea of the
work that is done here In the winter.
Numbers search the earth in vain Tor
the yellow metal but that there are
enough lucky ones 10 make the hunt pro-
htable is shown by the following table
of the output of the various mines:
Eldora 10. 100000. tributary mines, 5000.
coo: Bonanza. $4,000. Tributaries. 500.
10000; Hunkor. $3.50 COO; Tributaries,
100000: Gold Run. 10000; sulphur 800.
900; Dominion. S3.JQO.Gl0; Tributaries,S-vl,
O0o; Quartz Creek. 100000: Tributaries.
$50. 600. Eureka. $4,000; other claims, 81.
c00OOO 1t will be en- therefor that the
gold producing qualities Of the Alaska
mines end the importance Of this gold
centre now that the gold mines Of tht
Transvaal have been closed down by IN
war have not been much over-rated. Tne
city is becoming much more accessible
from the outside world. The terrible
struggings and the sufierings OF thos
who came here by way Of the Chilcot
Pass, leaving q trail Of bones 10 mark
their passage when the summer melted
the SHOWS are now no more than mem
DRY. The city itself is scarcely 10 be re-
cOgnzed TO what il was a few years ago.
II will soon boast Of an opera house caDa-
Bile Of seating 2.200 spectators and the
money that the Dawsonites possess will
, be amply sufficient 10 reward a good com
pany next season.
The life Is still rough one and the cit
liens are not disposed - be Chesterfield
ian in their manners and conversation but
the city is we'll pOliced there are few
arrests and. apart from the distance they
are removed from those who are left be-
hind. the visitors from the home country
are hardly able 10 tell the difference be-